How to Stay Productive While Working Remotely

Working remotely from home is great, right? Waking up later, not having to drive into the office, attending meetings in your pajamas, and sitting on the couch watching TV while typing away at your current project. While this sounds great, it’s not always the most productive

of environments. Here are some tips on how to stay productive working remotely from home.

Set up Your Workspace

Setting up your workspace is one of the most important steps to take to stay productive.

Whether it be a spare room, your kitchen table, or even just sitting in the corner facing the wall, make sure your work area is free of distractions. Your office should have a good connection to the internet and have little outside noise interference. Nothing is more annoying than sitting on a call with someone while their sound cuts in and out due to a bad connection.

Dedicate Your Time

It’s easy to get sidetracked while working remotely: “Hey I’ve got 10 minutes between meetings why don’t I go unload the dishwasher.” While this seems harmless, task switching can reduce productivity by up to 40%. Set dedicated blocks of time where you devote your attention to just work projects and blocks dedicated to home activities. This sets clear boundaries to ensure you are giving 100% when it comes to your work and spending time with your family. 

Find Your Rhythm & Stick With It

Everyone works differently and has different obligations outside of work, so do what feels right for you. Once you have your office space set up and your dedicated work time blocked and scheduled, find your groove and stick to it. As the old adage goes, “Practice makes perfect”, so stick to your schedule and you’ll find your time being spent more productively.

Always Be On The Lookout For Improvements

Having been working remotely for the last year, I’ve definitely faced challenges in staying productive. Because I'm based in Michigan, when I was hired on at iFrog, I used these tips to collaborate with iFrog team members across 10 different states to more effectively serve our partners while maintaining a steady work/life balance. There are always opportunities for improvement, but setting up a dedicated workspace, scheduling your time, and sticking with your rhythm is the best place to start.

Our Work From Home Playbook. 

What tips or tricks do you have for staying productive when working from home? Let us know in the comments below!