My Top Productivity Hacks for Working Remotely

The pandemic-enforced remote work model changed me primarily because of no commuting hassles, not getting up early in the morning, and an improved work-life balance. This is why I started looking for a remote job as soon as I had to work from the office again.

And today, I have been working remotely for over four years.

Despite all the benefits, my productividad (productivity) took a hit in the first few months of remote work. That was because it lacked the accountability of working around the team. I would find myself lazing around on the couch and scrolling reels during my work hours – just enjoying the freedom of being by myself.

That was until my manager told me how I had failed to meet my KPIs for the quarter. This motivated me to turn things around for myself. If you are in a similar situation, I am sharing some hacks that have helped me immensely in successfully maintaining a remote career.

The following hacks help me stay focused and meet deadlines and my career goals.

Take Scheduled Breaks Only

Making a proper schedule while working remotely is very important. The first thing you need to avoid is doing things on a whim. Before starting each day, make a schedule and include your meetings, focus hours, and breaks.

Focus hours and meetings are things that you already do on a schedule. However, I found that scheduling my breaks like taking a walk or having lunch or coffee, allowed me to get away from the screen often and avoid feeling burned out.

On the other hand, scheduled breaks also stop me from wasting too much time on my phone.

Get a Reliable Internet Connection

An internet connection might be an obvious requirement for trabajo remoto (remote work), but I cannot stress how important a reliable internet is for productivity. It is the only way you are connected to your team and workplace while working remotely. So, if you have one that frequently lets you down, you need to change it ASAP.

This is because remote work is dependent on a lot of online cloud-based tools, and an internet outage can cost you the most productive hours of the day, leaving you with unmet deadlines.

I suggest getting Optimum Internet since it offers fast, symmetrical speeds and reliable performance with no data caps. Plus, the Optimum servicio al cliente 24 horasgives me peace of mind that they will help me out in case of any unexpected issues.

Work on Your Time Management

This is the only way you can make up for the lack of accountability while working remotely. By managing your time effectively, you can create a proper structure for your day, so you can maintain your focus and productivity, without feeling all over the place.

To manage your time smartly, I suggest using an app or an online tool like Todoist or Toggl Track. These time management tools help create digital schedules and assign a certain amount of time for each task. You won’t have to keep track of time since the tool will do that for you automatically by sending you reminders for every task.

Listen to Focus Music

This is one underrated, but extremely helpful hack. Putting on focus music while working can help you block out the external noise. Not only that, it also minimizes distraction and allows you to concentrate on your work.

On the days I find myself distracted with other thoughts, ambient focus music helps me block out the noise in my head and get to work immediately. Moreover, you can invest in a pair of good noise-canceling headphones if you live with family or if your house is on a noisy street.

Listening to focus music on noise-canceling headphones can boost some of its positive effects. Lastly, it is important to avoid songs that you unconsciously sing along to. This can negatively impact your concentrar (focus) by acting as a major distraction.

Block Social Media Apps

Instagram was my worst enemy when I began working remotely. Sometimes, I could feel my phone staring at me, silently asking me to pick it up. And I would, wasting hours, as a result, because of doom scrolling.

Using an app or an online tool for blocking social media apps helped me a lot. Doing this during your work hours allows you to stay focused while working. I use Cold Turkey Blocker because it makes it really hard to disable the block and access social media apps and sites. This helps me snap out of the urge to check Instagram and concentrate on my work.

Work From a Public Space Occasionally

Trabajar (working) in complete isolation and away from human contact also has negative effects. It can cause demotivation and impact your mental health. This is why I recommend working from a public space at least once a week. It can either be in a café, a park, or even a co-working space.

You can work while also socializing with fellow remote workers. Not only will this have a positive effect on your mood, but the change of space will improve your productivity. Just don’t forget to pack a pair of good noise-canceling headphones because public spaces can be noisy.

So, folks! Following these tips helped me get my productivity back on track, and you can also benefit from these. Just don’t forget that working from home, as easy as it sounds, requires consistency and self-discipline. If you have these traits, only then can you achieve your career goals while working remotely.