5 Productivity Hacks for Out of Office Employees

Article contributed by: Isaac Church

Working remotely can mean working comfortably, but if you’ve worked from outside the office before you know it’s just a matter of time before the distractions set in.

Without a supervisor, you have to keep yourself on task – and sometimes you go a little too easy on yourself.

Luckily, there are a few hacks you can try beyond sheer willpower that will help you to be a more productive worker almost immediately.

Set clear boundaries

One advantage to working in an office, strange as it may seem, is the time clock and the physical separation of the office.

When you work from outside the office, though, things can start melding together.

This is especially true if you work in living spaces, such as the kitchen, on the couch, or in bed – especially the latter, as it can interfere with your sleep.

Because of all this, you’ll want to draw clear boundaries around when you start and stop work – and where you’re working at all.

Figure out when you’re most productive and set hard limits (as in, times on the clock) for when you should be working.

Then, make your workspace a distinct, separate place from the rest of your home – on a separate floor, in an office, or just some closed-off corner.

Essentially, you add the spirit of a commute without sitting in traffic – and you’ll work a lot more effectively.

Try the Pomodoro Technique

You’ve almost certainly heard of it already, and its productivity benefits are incredible (if you haven’t heard of this technique, here’s a primer).

The basic premise, though, is based around the fact that your brain simply can’t focus for multiple hours at a time with no interruptions.

Unfortunately, many people try to force it anyway – and if you do that, you’ll inevitably get distracted or simply work less effectively.

The Pomodoro Technique gets you to break your work into manageable chunks of focused so that, in the long run, you’re getting more done.

And the more often you do it, the more effective it is, as your brain starts to identify “Pomodoro time” as “productive time.”

Get comfortable – not painful

While you don’t want to be too comfortable while you work – making you sleepy or otherwise unproductive – you also won’t get much done if you’re in pain.

Thankfully, one big advantage to working out of the office is that you’re in complete control of your workspace, so you can take actions to alleviate any pain or discomfort.

Generally, the name of the game is “adjustable” – adjustable monitor stands, an adjustable, supportive chair, or even an adjustable desk.

Since we’re all just a little bit different from one another, your office equipment needs to be able to account for that, so make sure your office is well-equipped.

Clean things up

Appearances matter – especially in the workplace.

You might have heard already that adding artwork and plants to your workspace makes you happier, healthier, and more productive.

But you don’t even have to go that far: Tidying up could do just as much for your productivity and health as you work remotely.

Clutter is distracting – so if your workspace is filled with junk, make it not filled with junk.

A great move here is to pair your cleaning with the Pomodoro Technique advice above.

How?

Try spending 20-25 minutes working on something, then 5-10 minutes cleaning (as well as a longer “break” every so often).

You clear your mind of your work and clear your workspace of clutter at the same time – that’s peak productivity.

Break from your routine

It’s important to establish a routine, even – or especially – as a remote worker.

This all ties back to setting boundaries, as establishing a routine gives your brain clear times when you’re working – so it’s ready to be productive when you are.

Sometimes it’s not enough, though, and that’s where you get the other advantage of a routine: breaking from it.

Breaking from routine re-energises you and makes you ready to work again, and it’s truly one of the simplest hacks there is.

An especially good way to do this is to work somewhere you don’t usually work, or even to just rearrange your office.

You make things different, and therefore fresh – and therefore you work better.