Mastering Remote Productivity: Effective Time Management Strategies and Distraction-Busting Techniques

Out of all of the issues that home working presents, time management is one of the most problematic. There are also a lot of distractions you need to contend with such as household chores, the TV, social media, and kids. One thing you’re going to have to master when you work from home is minimizing distractions. So, how exactly should you deal with these distractions to ensure you can work more efficiently?

Below, you’ll discover some great effective time management strategies, you can implement and some great tips to help you deal with distractions when you work at home.

Avoid trying to multi-task

It’s common to try and multitask when you’re working at home. Whether it’s trying to work on two different projects at the same time or trying to work and take care of the kids, multi-tasking can prove detrimental to your productivity.

Instead, you’ll need to focus on just one task at a time. When you focus on just one thing, it makes you far more productive. Similarly, grouping similar tasks together can help you to complete them much quicker. 

Set yourself realistic deadlines

A good time management tip when you’re working from home is to set realistic deadlines. You’ll want to compile a list of the most important tasks you need to complete that day. Then, work on them in order.

Set yourself a specific amount of time for each task. You’ll find this really helps to keep you focused on the job at hand. When you work to deadlines, it helps you to get more work done in a shorter timescale. This is because you’re much less likely to check things such as social media when you know you only have a set amount of time to complete what you’re working on. 

Take advantage of productivity tools

If you take a look online, you’ll find a lot of productivity tools available. Many of these are free to use and they help to boost productivity when working remotely. Task management tools are especially great for productivity. They enable you to keep in touch with the team, organize tasks, and see exactly what needs to be completed. 

You can even find time management tools online. These enable you to better utilize your time, ensuring you get the most important tasks done first.  

Eliminate distractions

One of the biggest challenges you’re going to face in terms of time management is distractions. There are a lot of distractions when you’re working from home. Whether it’s the phone ringing, the temptation to check social media, or the television; it’s easy to procrastinate with so many distractions around you.

This is why it’s really important to work in a quiet space away from distractions. You could also purchase noise-cancelling headphones to ensure you don’t get distracted by surrounding noise while you’re trying to work. 

Use the distractions as a reward

Distractions don’t have to be a bad thing. They can be used to reward yourself after completing work tasks. For example, if you love nothing more than to curl up in front of the TV watching your favorite shows, allow yourself the opportunity to watch something after completing a project. 

Similarly, you could use social media in the same way. Once you’ve completed a task off your to-do list, reward yourself with a short period of time on your social media channels. Using distractions as a reward can help to keep you focused and boost your motivation to get your work done.

Consider working in various parts of the home

It’s common to set aside just one place to work from. However, did you know you may find it more productive to work in various areas of the home? 

It’s all about adding variety to your new working environment. Some days, the spare room may be the best place to get work done. Other times, you may find it more beneficial to work on the dining room table or in the backyard. Don’t limit yourself to where you can work, mix it up and watch your productivity levels increase.

Add a little background music

This tip might not be useful to everyone, but many professionals claim working with background music on can limit their distractions. You’ll want to focus on calming music, rather than something that makes you want to sing along.

Alternatively, listening to podcasts and audiobooks in the background can also work well. So, if you struggle with productivity, try adding a little background noise and see if that helps.

Reside to check emails sparingly

Checking emails is important when you work from home. However, it can also take up a lot of time. So, you’ll want to limit how many times you check them during the day. 

Ideally, you’ll want to check them first thing in the morning, then after you’ve completed each task you’re working on.

Turn off notifications

Finally, a great tip is to turn off those notifications. Social media, news, and app notifications can all prove really distracting when you’re working from home. So, turn them off until after work to boost productivity.

Time management and limiting distractions can be difficult when you’re working from home. However, the tips above can really help you to minimize the challenges it presents.