Though remote working is considered a gift by most, some employees still find it challenging, especially when dealing with time management. Creating that line between work and personal life tends to be more challenging when you’re at home.
That’s why we have compiled these nine strategies most remote workers use to help manage their time:
Plan Each Day
In whatever we do, it’s always essential that we plan each day. This is because visually seeing all the things you need to do helps you plan out an effective strategy to get it all done.
This also helps in clearing your mind about what tasks you need to accomplish and what is not.
Plan out your day the night before. Try to review your to-do-list for the week and plot what you need to do. This way, by the time you go to bed, your mind has already subconsciously visualized that schedule.
Track Your Time
Next, it’s always best to track the time you spend on each task.
You can use a productivity or timer app like the Pomodone app so you can visually see your to-do-list. The best thing about this is that it helps you focus by utilizing the Pomodoro technique.
It means it lets you work for 25 minutes and take a mini-break of 5 to refresh your mind.
In the end, you can get insights on how long you’ve spent on a particular task. You can then use this information to create a more effective task schedule for the next few days.
Keep a Schedule
As already mentioned planning each of your days is important, but so is making sure to keep a schedule or a routine. This is more than just listing out your tasks for the day.
This involves what you have to do from the time you wake up until the time before you get to bed.
For example, you want to schedule yourself to wake up at 6:30 am every day, then you’d drink water, do some stretching, yoga, or any form of exercise, take a bath, eat breakfast, then start working.
You need to make sure that you stick to this daily. By doing so, you’ll be able to wire your brain up by the time you need to start working.
Prioritize Tasks
Aside from just creating a list of your tasks, you need to make sure that you know which needs to be prioritized. This is especially important if there are many things you need to get done on your to-do-list.
At the start of your day, look at the to-do-list you made last night. After that, try to identify which needs to be done almost immediately. Number your tasks with 1 being the highest priority, then work your way down.
This will help you know where to focus more of your time and effort. At the same time, you’re not risking yourself from not finishing what’s important.
Allocate a Fixed Hour
Another effective strategy is to allocate a fixed hour for each task. Remember how you’ve tracked your hours? You can use the data you gathered to create a better schedule with specific hours dedicated to a task or two.
At the same time, try to analyze when your mind is the most active. If you’re able to think better in the morning, schedule the demanding or challenging tasks during that time.
Group Similar Tasks
In line with allocating a fixed hour for each task, this can also be accomplished better by grouping similar tasks together.
For example, you see that you have lots of writing tasks for the day, and you know you can do this better if your brain is active. So, why not dedicate a few hours for finishing all of it before proceeding to a separate group of tasks.
By doing this, you’re letting your mind get less distracted from the frequent changing of the tasks you’re doing.
Reduce Distraction
Since you’re working from home, distractions are inevitable. So, you need to find ways to be able to reduce these distractions.
Position your workspace in an area where there’s less noise and possibly away from the television. Remove any apps from your phone or put your phone away while you’re working. If cleaning helps, decluttering should do the trick, too.
Establish a Work Space
Another important strategy you can do is establishing your very own workspace. This way, you won’t have to transfer from one place to another, which disrupts your work momentum.
This doesn’t need to be a separate room if you can’t afford to build one. This only needs to be a specific area where you can do all the work. It can be in the corner of your room or the kitchen; it’s up to you.
The important thing is that this space would inspire and motivate you to work.
Take Real Breaks
Last, but certainly the most important, take real breaks.
As you plan out your day, you should also make sure to plan out your breaks. If you have a lot to do, sitting on your desk and working the whole day won’t help, but taking a break will.
Schedule your lunch, snack, or power nap time. Doing this will help rewire your brain so you can think and focus better.
Final Thoughts
Not everyone is getting used to working remotely. So, if you’re having a hard time managing your time, remember these nine strategies. These have been used by many remote workers worldwide and have already been proven effective.
Featured image credit: pexels.com
