In our latest look at how to save time working remotely, we once more delve into the changes that millions of us have had to adapt to over the past year or so. Working from home is not for everyone, but is a wonderful opportunity to get more out of your day.
Save Time Working Remotely – Losing The Commute
Most people shudder when they think of a commute. It is not something to be enjoyed, and is seen as dead time, that cuts down on the chance to enjoy your spare time. However some do like a commute, and like to work away from their home. Understandably they prefer to separate home and work life, use the journey to get into focus for the day ahead, and perhaps catch up on reading, music or more. But as many people lose two hours or more in a day going to and from work, it is undeniable that by working from home, you simply have more time to play with. You can work at a more leisurely pace or get more work done and still have more spare time to relax and unwind.
Stress Relief
What’s more, for many, the commute is the most stressful part of the day. So to remove that is always a bonus. Key to those that work at home though is knowing when the work day ends and walking away as you would if working from an office.
Save Time Working Remotely – Do Use Your Time Productively
First of all, do not be pressured to adhere to the title of this section. When the pandemic began, there were grand plans from so many to make the most of the time they suddenly had. To learn new languages, write a book, master pottery and so on. Most of those dreams never materialised, but there is no need to feel guilty if that is the case with you. Nevertheless, working from home does present opportunities. To get more from your day. So do try and take something from this new balance. And do what makes you feel better. You could sit there watching TV all day, and that may make you happy, but ultimately you will struggle to revert to normality if you do not maintain a level of productivity throughout this lean period. Active leisure trumps passive leisure at all times, especially for your health. Both physical and mental.
Save Time Working Remotely – Devise your own commute.
Many use a commute for positive reasons. It is their transition from home to work, and thus they utilise the time to get into their professional mode. Then when they arrive at work they are ready to face the day ahead. Just because you lose your commute, does not mean you cannot still have this transition phase at the start of the day. So use a small period of time (20 minutes is a good starting point) as a barrier between getting up, getting ready and starting work. You can use this commute period to plan the day ahead and get everything lined up for a productive day. Alternatively, you could use the time for a bout of exercise that would also set you up for the day ahead.
Examples
For example, walking is a form of active leisure that’s known to reduce stress, so that is one option. Many run before starting work, or like me take a dog for a walk!
Reward Yourself At End Of Day
I work best with goals. Another coffee when i finish this document review. I can eat if i just proof read one more page. And at the end of the day, it may help you to clock off in a proper manner. Perhaps with a reward, such as a cold beer or tasty snack. It is just another way to motivate and also to detach the working day from your leisure time at the same location.
Save Time Working Remotely – Plan Your Day
Do not get overawed by what you have to do. Sometimes, if you list what you need to do, it can seem very stressful. But we all know we can get a huge amount done in a single day when we focus and put our minds to it. The key is to stay focused and deal with one item at a time. As the list reduces, the stress should too. As i feel most productive early in the day, i like to complete the worst, least-enjoyable tasks first. Getting them out of the way is a huge spur for the rest of the day.
Down Time
All scientific studies agree on this. People are not at their most productive working relentlessly for a long period of time. Sometimes we have no choice. We have huge workloads and tight deadlines. But if you can, factor in down time and plenty of short breaks during any given working day. I can almost guarantee that you will get more work done in 8 hours that includes 45 minutes of regular breaks, than you will working through the whole period without rest.
Save Time Working Remotely – Social Interaction
Some days i just don’t feel like talking to people, but i should. Social interaction, even in small amounts helps mentally and productively. I hated office life, but only when i left did i understand the importance of social interaction. And even as an introvert, i really missed it when working from home. So keep in touch with work colleagues and friends, and find the time to do so. You could maximize active leisure by merging social time with other pursuits, such as exercising together with a friend or family member.
