Undoubtedly, everyone will agree that the war dramatically changed the lives of each of us. Millions of people were forced to change their place of residence, work or profession. For many of those who remained in the rear, it became dangerous or even impossible to work in their usual place. Modern computer technologies came to the rescue, thanks to which remote employment quickly became a reality.

Without a doubt, remote work is significantly different from working in the office. An employee faces a number of important questions: how to organize a workplace, how to use working time correctly, how to avoid distractions, and most importantly, how to remain efficient and useful for your team?

The closest form of remote work to the office is co-working. You get a common business space with other people, in which all the urgent needs of an office worker are already provided.

Working in a co-working space has the following benefits:

• availability of office equipment, paper and other stationery;
• the possibility of holding negotiations, conferences, other business events in specially equipped rooms;
• the opportunity to take a break at a convenient time and visit the recreation area or food zone, where, as a rule, you can refresh yourself with light snacks and hot tea or coffee;
• the absence of domestic distractions that constantly require significant time and attention.

However, all of the above advantages of working in a co-working space can be leveled by one single drawback – the absence of such an institution at a reasonable distance from your home.

In this case, the only remaining option would be to work from home. At first glance, there are only advantages here: the comfort of home, a calm environment, no stress associated with getting up in the morning and getting ready for work, no transport costs and free planning of working hours. But then it turns out that not everything is so cloudless: family and pets distract from work, extraneous sounds interfere, the printer ran out of toner, there is no one to go to the store except you. And how can you focus?

Let’s try to formulate a few tips that will help you improve your work and increase your efficiency.

1.Organize your home office.

It would be ideal if you could arrange an office in a separate room. It is clear that for many this is not possible. In this case, it is very desirable to have a separate table for work, located so that no one bothers you. On it you need to install all the office equipment you need, a computer or laptop, writing utensils, document folders, communications equipment, cables, chargers, headphones, etc. Pay special attention to the presence of a comfortable chair or armchair.

2.Define the boundaries of communication with your roommates.

Be sure to agree with family members or neighbors about the period when you do not want to be disturbed. Determine the exact time, not the general terms. If your schedule changes, let your roommates know as soon as possible. Agree when you can give them attention or help with household chores as needed.

Try to finish work on time and give your loved ones the opportunity to live a normal life, because they also want to listen to music, watch TV or play computer games.

3.Plan your tasks and working hours.

Compiling a task list helps a lot to distribute working time, set priorities and not miss the time to complete certain tasks. Each new task immediately writes down in the list. Be sure to create a list of tasks for the next day at the end of the working day.

Note the urgency back. More urgent tasks should have a higher priority and be reflected in the first positions of the list. Reasonably estimate the actual timing of the implementation of certain tasks. If necessary, make plans for several days or a week.

4.Consider the working hours of your colleagues, partners, clients and institutions.

Plan your work in such a way as to make all external contacts, such as telephone calls, email correspondence, video conferences, communication in instant messengers, posting information on social networks, financial transactions at a time that is convenient for all your counterparties. Keep in mind that they also need time to respond properly to your request or assignment.

5.Do personal tasks during your most active hours.

Some work better in the morning, some can’t wake up for a long time and are most energetic during the day, and some generally need the silence of the night to work effectively. If you don’t need anyone to complete a task, do it when your brain is at its most productive.

6.Limit your use of the internet and social media.

Extensive information flows are a powerful distraction that makes it difficult to concentrate on urgent tasks. To minimize their impact, do the following:

• turn on Do Not Disturb mode on your phone;
• turn off phone sounds for unimportant call categories;
• turn the phone upside down and put it out of the area of ​​attention;
• do not open social networking pages in your Internet browser;
• set a well-defined time to watch news and telegram channels.

7.Rest.

Don’t be surprised, but occasional breaks will really increase your productivity. Breathe in the air, do physical exercises or some small homework – and you will feel how your body is refreshed, and the brain begins to generate new ideas.

Plan your working time, set the boundaries of communication in your society, organize your workplace – and you will soon see that working remotely is both efficient and convenient.