Increasingly, professionals from all walks of life are choosing to work from home on projects in areas they are adept at. Not only does it allow for flexibility of time and location, but also it cuts out all the time spent on those meaningless meetings and, of course, the long commute.
With fewer distractions at home, how can one increase one’s productivity while also tackling projects professionally? Here are a few ways by which you can fight your daily challenges and work like a pro:
- Work smart, not necessarily hard.
Instead of working like a speed demon, trying to finish everything on your plate in record time, first, ask yourself if the job at hand can be done better and more efficiently. To learn to manage your time doesn’t mean that you do as many big and small projects in a day efficiently and submit them on time, but how you can simplify the way you work, and thereby work faster and in a more stress-relieving manner.
- Make room for others in your life and other things.
Just because you are dependent on yourself to earn your bread as against working for an organization for a salary, it doesn’t mean you forget your friends, hobbies, some necessary spring cleaning around the house, or just taking a walk in the park. These things are necessary too – so don’t slog 12-14 hours a day before your laptop to the exclusion of the whole world.
- What’s the most important task? Finish that first.
Identify the most important task of the day and finish it first. The moment you finish it, you’ve achieved your biggest target of the day. Now, you can easily move on to anything else because the most important one is done, having given it sufficient time and attention.
- If you can’t do more, say so.
Once your clients know you to be a good worker, you’ll always be flooded with work. But there comes a time when you have to say ”no” if you can’t accommodate more work in your day. Trying to please everyone who contacts you is foolish and will impact the clients with whom you have already built up a good working relationship. Learn to juggle your many engagements and manage your time better. Work only on those projects in areas which you want to have mastery.
- Sleep well, not just enough.
If you make the mistake of sacrificing a little sleep each night, you will lose precious productivity and getting back to normal will take up a good part of your day. So, sleep about seven to eight hours instead of ignoring the value of sleep.
- Immerse yourself entirely into your project.
Close all your other browser windows set your phone on silent mode and choose a quiet spot to work. Give your work all your attention and give it your best shot.
- Start early in the day.
Well, why not? It’s what the whole world does. The later in the day you begin, the more time you lose as your concentration will begin to wander and your output at the end of the day won’t add up to much. Besides, the more you do, the less stressful it is to you, particularly if you’re like those remote workers who worry about projects that are on their plate for the day before they can begin to work on them.
- Cut out any trivial details and begin, begin, begin.
Often, small details in projects show up like big factors that we must take into account before proceeding from there. Sorting them out often involves a lot of surfing the web and sourcing details that end up being time-consuming. Instead of getting stuck with these tiny details, it’s better to push past them and achieve your overall goal. Then, when you revise the entire project, if it still seems important, you can tackle it separately.
- Make work a pleasant habit, not a drudgery.
Whatever may be the nature of your remote projects – coding, writing, photography – do it so regularly such that it becomes a daily habit for you, one that you will never give up for anything else. Once you form this habit, you will never give it up and you will treat your work professionally until as long as you work.
- Allot time realistically to TV or gaming.
Be aware of the time you allot to things you do other than work, like watching TV, reading, gardening or cooking, or anything else. Don’t spend more time on these pursuits, believing that you can always make it up when you resume working because that never happens. If you allot two 30-minute slots for two pursuits in the day, note the time you get off work to do these activities and get back when the 30th minute is over. When you keep a tight rein on your time, you will be able to accomplish all that you need to, in a day.
Best of luck implementing these tips.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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