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Remote workers, rejoice: your workdays are about to get approximately 100% better! That’s because there is a way to completely rework your days to ensure you stay productive and balanced. If you’ve been struggling to focus on your work and prioritizing your emotional well-being, you’re in for a treat.
Based on my extensive experience as a digital nomad for several years, here are can’t-miss tips and strategies to ensure you’re living your best life while working remotely!
1. Get Plenty of Fresh Air
It’s pretty straightforward: work outdoors as often as possible. Now, laptops aren’t the most practical tools for outdoor productivity (unless your computer is blessed with an exceptionally excellent anti-glare screen), so if you can’t work outside all day, don’t stress.
The days you realize you haven’t gotten fresh air at all are the ones that take the most toll on your body. If you primarily work indoors, take a trip outside for a few moments of sunshine to refresh yourself!
2. Travel While You Work
For the life of me, I cannot fathom how people don’t take advantage of the fantastic remote-work situation they find themselves in! Countless people quietly working from home in a typical, modestly-furnished home office could take advantage of their unique situation by traveling the world while they work!
Take me, for example. I’m writing this sentence in a small cafe in Split, Croatia. It’s amazing how much travel you can do when working wherever you want!
3. Schedule Routine Breaks
One thing remains constant regardless of where you work: making money can be monotonous and repetitive. It’s important to remember that and be mindful of taking routine breaks throughout your day.
If you work a typical nine-to-five job, you’re lucky to get one half-hour break for lunch daily. Why wouldn’t you want to pepper your workday with as much glorious downtime as possible if you work remotely? Breaks exist as the ultimate refresher; don’t overlook them.
4. Don’t Overlook Your Meals
Speaking of overlooking things, it’s easy to forget to maintain a healthy eating schedule when working remotely. Skipping a meal occasionally because you’re “in the zone” with your work is normal. Still, if you remain hungry throughout the day, that’s a problem.
I’m most productive when I start my morning with a hearty breakfast and have a light lunch. When my work day ends, I’m ready for a nice dinner but not famished.
5. Use Working Out to Break Up the Day
I used to work out first thing in the morning before I became a full-time remote worker. I’ve learned the hard way that it caused my days to become woefully unbalanced, and I take my daily workout break whenever I need a break.
Hitting the gym in the middle of the day or going for a run after lunch is an excellent way to break up the monotony of remote work. It gives me something to look forward to; the endorphins give me a rush of positive energy that helps me push through!
6. Set Boundaries
Establishing ground rules and boundaries is essential to maximize your productivity. If you tend to turn a short break into a marathon Netflix binging session that destroys your entire work day, then make a rule: no TV during the day!
I’m one of the biggest offenders who abuse television breaks. Once I start, I can’t stop, so I may need to unplug the TV.
7. Prioritize Communication
It’s easy to isolate yourself from your team, coworkers, or even friends during the workday. For proper balance when working remotely, keep your smartphone close, engage in Slack conversations (if possible), and don’t be afraid to be social!
A little side text conversation with a close friend can help your work feel less overwhelming; five conversations are even better.
8. Keep a Rough Daily Schedule
Keeping a (somewhat) routine throughout your day will prepare you for the rigors of remote work. Start fostering productive habits. Do the same things at the exact times; doing so will convince your body to be as productive as you would be if you had a “normal” office job.
Little things, like forcing myself to sit down at my desk to get to work at a specific time daily, help instill productive habits. Likewise, I always had a hard “stop” time that went into effect at five o’clock!
9. Reward Yourself
The typical workday, even a remote workday, can be pretty mundane sometimes. That’s okay; thankfully, one way to combat the monotony is to reward yourself whenever possible! Please don’t go crazy; I’m not advocating breaking out the wine while you work.
But don’t shy away from treating yourself to your favorite snack (I’ll never pass up an opportunity to reward myself with hot dogs) or even an episode of your favorite show. You’ll be amazed at how productive you’ll be. Positive reinforcement for the win!
10. Change up Your Workspace
Most of us know how repetitive it was driving to work to the same office every day; it really sucked the soul out of you, didn’t it? Remote workers have a golden opportunity to change their workspace whenever desired, so take advantage of it!
Work somewhere different. Set up at a local coffee house, brewery, or co-working space. A change of scenery could quickly give you the productivity boost you were looking for and keep you from going stir-crazy.
11. Avoid Distractions
Image Credit: Shutterstock.[/caption]
I’ll be honest. I am easily distracted. Avoiding all distractions when working remotely is one of the most challenging things. Still, it’s possible if you prioritize it.
Making seemingly insignificant adjustments to your workspace, like moving your desk away from a window you gaze out of too much or not keeping YouTube running in a separate browser tab, has powerful effects on your state of mind. Eliminating needless distractions is arguably the best way to stay focused, productive, and balanced.
12. Don’t Let Work Affect Your Sleep
Don’t sacrifice sleep for any reason in life. It doesn’t matter if you have a date with Pamela Anderson circa 1990 tomorrow; get a good night’s sleep beforehand! The same rule applies to working remotely. (Sorry, I just watched Netflix’s Pamela, a Love Story.)
Where was I? Oh, right: don’t let work encroach on a good night’s sleep. You want to be as refreshed and alert as possible whenever you’re sitting down to work. Anything less is a disservice to your mental health.
13. Throw away Your Expectations
Remote work can be the easiest gig in the world. It can also be incredibly challenging, frustrating, and downright dull. Check your expectations at the door; your remote-work lifestyle is ultimately based on your daily choices. There is no “one size fits all” approach to tackling remote work strategies.
Don’t lower your expectations; temper them. You’ll have many great days and some disappointing ones. Keep it all in perspective, and you’ll find yourself capable of navigating the twists and turns and keeping your productivity in check.
14. Don’t Forget to Socialize After Work
Just because an office happy hour session doesn’t exist when you work remotely doesn’t mean you can’t socialize when it’s quitting time! There’s nothing wrong with blowing off steam with friends, no matter your job title. After-work social hours are crucial to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
It may not be as good as an honest-to-goodness happy hour where John from accounting has too many margaritas, but it’ll do the trick just fine.
15. Don’t Be Afraid of Major Change
How’s this for a practical tip: don’t be afraid to call it quits. Listen to your body and mind and act accordingly. If you feel you’re wasting away in your home office, start working from the couch. If you’re stuck in a rut in the United States, book a two-month European adventure and work overseas.
Seismic shifts in where and how you work can pay off significantly! (I say this as a type away at a cafe in Split, Croatia; I can readily profess this is way better than working from my makeshift home. Life is good.)
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