8 Tips to Optimise Your Productivity on Remote Work and Home Office Days

Anyone who regularly works from home is very familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of working remotely. On the one hand, you enjoy free time management and more focussed work. On the other, you may experience a feeling of loneliness and moments of hesitation and procrastination. The home office has its ups and downs just like any other workplace.

With a few proven tips and tricks, working on the go or from home can become a real productivity machine for you. But before we get to that, let’s take a look at current statistics regarding home office and remote work:

American companies are regarded worldwide as pioneers in home office activities. In the United States, 43 percent of all employees said they have spent at least some time working remotely.
The majority of employees who work from home have at least a Bachelor’s degree and a higher average salary than their office colleagues.
90 percent of all remote workers no longer want to give up this way of working and want to continue doing so for the rest of their careers.

Home office and remote work have become an integral part of our working world. You will certainly appreciate the advantages of working from home now and then. Put the following eight tips into practice to achieve increased productivity and great success.

1. Know Your Goals

Many people love freedom, but almost everyone needs fixed routine in the workplace. Clear goals help you stay in line with your employer, your team and your colleagues. If you work from home or on the go, you will quickly live in your own reality far away from the company’s head office, where your colleagues are discussing the latest project plans over a cup of coffee. Get clarity about your tasks and goals and what role they play in the context of your team.

2. Take Control over Your Daily Routine

One of the big advantages of mobile work is the possibility of allocating your time freely. Whether an early riser or a night owl, those who work in a home office are not subject to 9-5 routines. A little workout in between or a relaxed lunch break on the balcony are perfectly within reason. However, be careful not to lose the connection to your team – plan your days so that it fits your team schedule.

3. Define Your Workplace

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Ever find yourself with your notebook and a cup of tea shortly after waking up? That’s not a good idea. If you regularly work at home, you should set up a permanent work space. This creates routine and signals to your brain that this space is designated for working. Another advantage of a clearly defined home office workspace is that it makes it easier to separate your professional and private life. However, it does become more difficult for people who work in a hotel or on the customer’s premises. Here you just need a little improvisation, since circumstances determine the workplace.

4. Work with Timeboxing

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How much time should you spend on a certain task? Timeboxing is a perfect tool for organising your daily tasks in fixed windows. Want to call your three most important customers? Reserve 20 minutes for each call. Need to prepare a team meeting for a new project? Book a 30-minute slot in your calendar. As time goes by, your timing will become more accurate and you will realise that within no time at all timeboxing will enable you to complete more tasks with fewer minutes on the clock.

5. Don’t Get Distracted

Cognitive overload due to distraction is one of the biggest challenges in mobile workplaces. Messaging apps, social media and pointless internet browsing quickly kill an hour of valuable working time. Fortunately, there are effective helpers: ad blockers eliminate annoying advertising. Smart apps track your online behaviour and show you at the end of the day how much time you spent on unproductive surfing.

Anyone working remotely or in a home office quickly loses the proper separation of work and private life. Digital communication solutions lead to constant availability. These eight tips will help you lead a self-determined life in your home office.

6. You Don’t Have to Read Everything Immediately

Is research an important part of your job? As a master in Google searches, you will find all the information you need for your current project with just a few clicks. But not all information has to be read instantly. Concentrate on quickly categorising and capturing articles rather than wasting time on random reading. Not every relevant piece of information needs to be processed immediately and apps like Evernote Web Clipper help you stay on top of things.

7. Learn, but Learn Systematically

Give yourself fixed time windows for further training, such as two hours every Friday afternoon. Use this appointed time to acquire new knowledge that you need for upcoming tasks and projects. A special tip for quick learners: podcasts and videos can be played at up to three times the speed. The same principle can apply to reading – for example, Spritz is working on a new technology to accelerate the absorption of information for all those in a hurry.

8. Maintain Contact with Colleagues

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The disconnect to your colleagues is a fear that home office sceptics have shared for years. However, studies show that remote employees are especially popular with their colleagues. A remote working relationship is no longer seen critically by a company’s own employees. The plethora of communication options have certainly helped shape this positive outlook.

By following the best practices mentioned above you can create good conditions for a productive working day in the home office or when travelling. Nevertheless, maintaining contact with your work colleagues is a challenge that must be actively managed. Set fixed times when you pick up the phone and call your colleagues. Personal contact by phone is still the most effective way to communicate with each other, especially if you want to discuss complex issues, resolve a conflict or simply say a friendly hello.

NFON Cloud Telephone System is the ideal solution for all home office fans and frequent travellers. You can always be reached on a smartphone app via your personal phone number. Register today for the free NFON trial package – the complete NFON experience for 30 days free of charge.