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Struggling with remote work? Try these 6 ideas

The idea of having an easy time working remotely is not necessarily the case. Some people believe that the pressure of not dealing with other people in person is great for their production, but this does not apply in all cases.

Remote work with VPN login
Remote work with VPN login

The idea of having an easy time working remotely is not necessarily the case. Some people believe that the pressure of not dealing with other people in person is great for their production, but this does not apply in all cases.

There are instances when spending most of your time at home is not great long term, particularly when you also have to do your job.

Our home is a place we associate with leisure, and the transition to turning it into an office could prove to be quite problematic.

Having said all that, it is still too early to tell when the pandemic will be over, and many people will still need to work remotely.

In case you find it difficult to adjust to working from home, use the tips in this article to make things more manageable for yourself.

Ensure Clear Communication

Not communicating in person with coworkers can lead to potential errors, and mistakes that snowball due to poor communication are something that you could have avoided in the first place.

For instance, should you ignore the issue of FaceTime not working by texting or sending an email instead? Those alternatives are an option, but they do not replace video calls when you need to explain something important and get your message across. Besides, someone who reads a text or an email might not pay as much attention to it as they would listening to you speak.

Avoid Distractions

Distractions are one of the biggest problems for those working from home. Since you have no supervision in person, you are more or less free to do what you want. It is easy to spend too much time on your smartphone surfing the net and procrastinating on work. 

Another form of distraction is your neighbors or family. If they get in the way of work and disrupt the flow, you might become annoyed.

It is crucial to establish boundaries and explain to others that you want to focus on your job and do not wish to be distracted.

Establish a Routine

Establish a work routine - even when working remotely
Establish a work routine – even when working remotely

Not needing to worry about commuting means you can spend more time in bed or go to sleep later. However, such an approach could lead to a poor schedule. If you get into bad sleeping habits, it will reflect throughout the day.

Those who struggle with sleep tend to have less energy, and unless you change that, the issue will only grow.

Try your best to go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up early so that you can begin your day in the morning and not spend too much time trying to finish tasks before the deadline hits.

In case it is hard to wake up in the morning, think of how to motivate yourself. Perhaps you can spend an hour or so in the morning preparing yourself a meal or reading a book you enjoy? Mornings do not have to be dedicated to working. The goal is to find how you can wake up early.

Create a dedicated workspace

A dedicated workspace is an example of how you can trick your brain into entering the work mode. Once you sit down in front of your computer and clear your work desk, you will know that it is time to do the job and not be distracted. 

Ideally, there should be an entire room that you can transform into a home office. Unfortunately, that is not possible for everyone due to their living arrangements, but the lack of available rooms should not be a limitation.

A small space for work will still be fine so long as you utilize that space's purpose—doing your job.

Exercise and go outside

Regular exercise cannot be emphasized enough. If you spend all day sitting in front of a computer, you are bound to notice problems with your health.

You might also combine working with your computer and exercise by using a treadmill under your desk. But still make sure that you are able to focus correctly.

Not enough fresh air is also worth mentioning. Despite restrictions, there should still be opportunities to go outside, and you need to make the most out of them.

Enjoy extra time you have

Since you are stuck at home, it is possible that you will have extra time on your hands. Being bored is common when you cannot go outside.

As such, you will need to pick up a new hobby that you can do indoors. You can also spend more time catching up on things you could not do in the past, such as playing video games or watching movies.

Without commuting time, there's more free time at home
Without commuting time, there's more free time at home

Of course, these hobbies should not take priority over work. You still need to put your job first and enjoy activities after you are finished. Doing so will make for a better experience as you will not have unfinished work tasks dampening your mood.

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