Recognize when your peak production hours are and schedule that time to do uninterrupted work. If it’s outside regular working hours, talk to your manager about creating a schedule that works for you. It’s helpful to knock out high-priority tasks in the morning, but working from home gives you the freedom to do your most important work https://remotemode.net/ when you’re at your most productive. Getting the hang of asynchronous communication will help you avoid losing time on projects and ensure your team has everything they need to move forward on their work. To ensure everyone on your team is on the same page, establish guidelines for the frequency, timing, and means of communication.

This black leather pen pot from Michael Verheyden will look the part. Featuring a matte finish and a main internal compartment, it’s just what you need. While we like to save money on our notepad, we equally like to invest in a high-quality pen that will stay with us for years to come. This is a power pen that will delight you each time you pick it up. Montblanc crafts a range of high-end pens, but we particularly enjoy the Meisterstück Classique Resin and Gold-Plated Ballpoint Pen. If coffee is critical to get your day started, you need your own cup!

Join a remote-friendly company.

For those who want to make their mark, a basic ability to knock together a spreadsheet in Excel isn’t going to cut it in 2024. WFH is here to stay and provides new levels of work-life balance and flexibility for more people. But the pros for some people are cons for others, and vice versa. If you imagine your ideal things needed to work from home work environment and pursue (or advocate for) conditions that come closest—you’ll set yourself up for success no matter where you work. Still, Bostwick says her colleagues are adjusting remote collaboration and creating a remote team culture. As they learn what works (e.g., one-on-one calls), they build on that.

Having a designated workspace can get you in the right mindset for work and signal to other members of your household that you’re at work. You’ll likely be able to direct more of your undivided attention to a task first thing in the morning, since there will be more distractions later on as other tasks and notifications start to come in. When your personal and professional lives intertwine at home, external interruptions during work hours are inevitable—understandably so. That said, you can also take steps to limit distractions as much as possible.

About the Time Flow System

In the office office, your colleagues often pose the greatest threat to keeping you from getting some real, heads-down work done. They drop by your desk, engage you in conversation, and invite you to lunch — or so I hear. The social benefits are nice to have, but they can become a challenge if you’re easily distracted. These are important as when working from home, your internet connection is essential.

In non-pandemic times, people who work 100% remotely might seek out learning opportunities that are taught at the organization’s headquarters or nearby. That way, you get training and face time with colleagues in one go. For those unexpectedly working from home who are also trying to reduce face-to-face contact, set up a video call with your colleagues or manager once a week to check in. Don’t be afraid to let check-in meetings be as short as they need to be.

Videos

I’ve worked 100% remotely since 2015, with a few years of partial remote work before that. Most of my remote work experience happened long before the COVID-19 pandemic. I wrote a book called The Everything Guide to Remote Work that goes into incredible detail about all the various aspects of remote work life. Each of us faces unique challenges when working remotely, not only because of our different personalities but also due to our various lifestyles and the type of work we do. Still, many of the core issues we face as remote workers are similar.

• And finally, we share a few tips from our editorial team to be productive and healthy when working from home.
• Joke about how you must have mentioned your upcoming vacation six times already, then mention it again.
• It had an immediate impact on the physical and psychological wellbeing of these workers, Nooney says.
• As such, you may have to switch up your schedule and learn new ways to succeed in a remote work setting.
• Communication is key when it comes to collaboration, and even more so when working in remote teams.

For example, get dressed like you’re going to work, take a shower, and make a cup of coffee. If you’re intentional about “going to work,” you’re also more likely to be productive. Visualizing your tasks can help you stay on track and get things done on time.