Just because you're away from your desk, doesn't mean you can't be just as productive. In fact, many people find that their efficiency increases when they're outside of the office – but how can you and your team master time management to harness the power of working from home and give your business a boost?
Remote work in 2024
The number of employees working remotely worldwide has seen a remarkable surge in recent years, rising from 20% in 2020 to 28% by 20231. This trend is fueled by various factors, including advancements in technology, a desire for greater work-life balance, and the lingering effects of the global pandemic.
Industry giants like Google and Apple have embraced hybrid work models amidst return-to-office mandates, offering employees two to three work from home (WFH) days a week. This highlights the growing acceptance and recognition of the benefits of remote work, not just for employees but also for businesses seeking to attract and retain top talent.
Common challenges when working from home
Distractions
While the office isn’t totally interruption-free, working from home comes with its own set of distractions. Household chores, family members, social media notifications, food delivery services, and the ever-present allure of streaming services just an arm’s length away – all of these make it difficult to maintain focus and resist procrastination. Overcoming these distractions requires discipline and the creation of a conducive work environment.
Lack of routine
The absence of a structured office environment can disrupt your natural rhythm and lead to a lack of routine, making it challenging to establish clear work hours and maintain consistent productivity levels. Without the typical cues of commuting and office interactions, it's easy to fall into a pattern of overworking or underworking, both of which can be detrimental to your well-being and performance.
Establishing work-life boundaries
One of the most significant challenges of remote work is separating work life from personal life. When your home doubles as your office, it can be difficult to switch off and truly relax. This blurring of boundaries can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and strained personal relationships. Striking a balance between work and personal time is crucial for maintaining well-being and achieving healthy work-life balance in a remote work setting.
8 time management tips for working from home
Now that we've explored some of the challenges, here are 8 actionable time management tips for remote workers to help you thrive in any remote work environment:
1. Create a daily work structure
When you're not bound by the physical constraints of an office, it's easy to let work bleed into your personal time or struggle to find motivation. This can begin to wear on your mental wellbeing, with the line blurred between your professional and personal lives.
Some ways you can create a more productive and balanced remote work experience include:
- Set clear work hours: Decide on specific start and end times for your workday, and communicate these hours to your team and family members to minimize interruptions during work hours.
- Create a daily schedule: Outline your tasks for the day, allocating specific time blocks for different activities. This helps you stay focused and prioritize your most important work.
- Incorporate breaks: Schedule short breaks throughout the day to recharge and prevent burnout. Step away from your workspace, stretch your legs, or grab a healthy snack. These breaks can boost your productivity and improve your overall well-being.
- Adapt your schedule as needed: While routine is important, be flexible enough to adjust your schedule as needed. Unexpected meetings or urgent tasks may arise, so be prepared to adapt and prioritize accordingly.
2. Designate a dedicated workspace
Creating a dedicated workspace which is separate from your living areas can significantly enhance focus and productivity. This can be a dedicated study room or a desk in a corner of your bedroom that you only use during working hours. Designated work zones signals to your brain that it's time to switch into work mode and minimizes distractions.
You can also create a comfortable and organized environment by:
- Choosing the right location: Select a quiet and well-lit area in your home that is free from distractions and conducive to concentration.
- Investing in ergonomic furniture: A comfortable chair and a suitable desk are essential for maintaining good posture and avoiding physical discomfort. Consider investing in ergonomic accessories like a keyboard wrist rest or a monitor stand to further enhance your comfort and productivity.
- Organizing and personalizing your space: Keep your workspace clean and organized, free from clutter and unnecessary items.
3. Prioritize tasks efficiently
“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” - Mark Twain
Strange advice – but, when applied to time management, it does make sense. Essentially, it means you should write your to-do list each morning (or the night before), and tackle the toughest task first. By completing your most daunting task early on, you'll gain momentum and set a positive tone for the rest of your workday.
“At home, it can be particularly difficult to get going with work in the mornings. I've taken the approach of dedicating my first hour of the day to work on the most important thing I have on my plate, which gets me going early in the day and adds some urgency to it all.” - Greg Hayes, Branch Furniture
If you have recurring tasks that pop up throughout the day, such as answering non-urgent emails or doing inventory checks, set aside a chunk of time to get to them.
“I find focused task-based workflows to be an essential approach for my remote work… Allocating a specific window of time to answer emails dramatically improves my workflow. This is especially true for me during times of market shifts that result in an increased volume of email—often during non-business times.” Zack West, Novomotus
Taming recurring tasks like these can feel like a mammoth burden, but batching them into designated periods can help to streamline your day, and boost your productivity.
4. Use time tracking and productivity tools
Numerous digital tools – from project management software to communication platforms – can help you manage workflow, version control, and project management, and keep everyone on the same page while working from home or at a distance.
Some productivity apps and tools to consider adding to your team’s toolkit are:
Project management tools: Asana2, Trello3, or monday.com4 can help organize and track projects, assign tasks, and collaborate with team members.
Time tracking tools: Togg5 or Harvest6 allow you to track the time spent on different tasks, providing valuable insights into work habits and productivity levels.
Automation tools: Zapier7 or IFTTT8 are able to automate repetitive tasks, saving time and freeing up resources and manpower to focus on more strategic initiatives.
DHL shipping solutions: DHL Express offers a range of tools and services to streamline shipping and logistics operations for businesses as well. From online shipping tools to track and trace capabilities, DHL Express can help automate manual tasks to save time and improve your team’s overall efficiency.
5. Communicate expectations clearly
Open and transparent communication is key in a remote work environment. If possible, always start your day with a business planning meeting. This gets everyone caught up with everyone else’s progress, creating an understanding of the team’s overall workload and priorities. From there, you can work out who you need to have a more in-depth catch-up with, and schedule time to check-in appropriately.
“Since we all have to work from home, I've had to shift our communication. Right now, we have a conference call scheduled every morning at 8am. This is to ensure that everyone is able to meet their goals, and also get feedback and collaborate with other team members on their struggles and opportunities.” Jeff Neal, The Critter Depot
Some people will work more independently than others, while some will lean on you more for assistance, so make sure everyone knows what’s expected of them at the outset and schedule regular check-ins and virtual meetings to ensure everyone is aligned. Applications like Jira9 and GitHub10 will be familiar to software developers, but can also be very useful for general task management. Through fostering active communication amongst teammates, you can boost team productivity and encourage your team to strive for their goals.
6. Establish formal channels of communication
How you stay in touch with your team matters a great deal when working away from the office, and it’s crucial you avoid being overloaded with emails. While it’s important that everyone is kept in the loop, there are – thankfully – plenty of ways to do it that won’t impact your inbox.
By keeping emails strictly business, you can ensure your focus won’t be taken away while you are tackling your to-do list. You can keep ‘water-cooler’ office chat to WhatsApp11, Slack12, or text – while face-to-face calls can easily be made over Microsoft Teams13, Zoom14 or Google Hangouts15. Just because you’re not in the same room doesn’t mean you have to act any differently with your colleagues, and if your team is spread out in different locations, it can help keep you together to maintain all your usual interactions virtually.
If in doubt, communicate. If you think someone might want to know something, let them know and clearly communicate when you are signing off at the end of the day. This will not only let people know you’re unavailable, but may serve as a reminder that they can finish up, too.
“Our most effective tactic so far has been a 30-minute meeting at the beginning of each day, where each team member answers two questions: ‘What did I accomplish yesterday?’ and ‘What am I working on today?’ These are simple questions, but going through them as a group each day has allowed the team to stay focused on the big picture – and each individual’s part in it – while staying connected.” Alan Ricks, Lumera Diamonds
It is important to remember that conference calls need a clear agenda – and someone to lead it. Ensure that only the people who need to be on the call are invited, and that questions can be answered in a succinct, clear manner. Keep group calls short, and follow up with individuals or teams after to confirm they know what they’re doing. Learn more about how to run an effective business meeting and making more of your time.
7. Set boundaries with family and friends
When your home is your office, it's crucial to establish clear boundaries with family and friends. Communicate your work hours and expectations, and kindly request that they respect your dedicated work time. This helps prevent interruptions and allows you to maintain focus and productivity.
Consider creating visual cues, such as a closed door or a sign on your workspace, to signal when you're unavailable for non-work-related interactions. You can also utilize technology, by setting your status to "busy" on communication platforms or scheduling specific times for personal calls and conversations.
This helps create a sense of normality and prevents work from bleeding into your personal life.
8. Use time blocking and breaks
Time blocking is a time management technique where you allocate specific blocks of time to specific tasks and can be a game-changer for remote workers. It helps you stay focused, avoid multitasking, and make significant progress on important projects.
Start by creating a daily or weekly schedule that outlines dedicated time blocks for different tasks or activities. Be realistic about how much time you need for each task and factor in breaks to avoid burnout. Try to stick to your schedule as closely as possible, but be flexible enough to adjust as needed – include some buffer time into your blocks to account for surprise extensions.
The Pomodoro Technique17 is a useful approach to implement both time blocking and breaks. It’s a way of concentrating your tasks into 25-minute time slots, and letting nothing else distract you during this time period. You then take a five-minute break before moving on to the next task. It makes you think about what needs to be done, and what’s achievable, so that you can schedule your day properly.
Maintaining productivity while working from home isn’t about completing as much work as possible, either. Regular breaks are essential for maintaining focus and preventing mental fatigue. If you find your attention span waning, take short breaks to step away from your workspace, stretch your legs, and recharge for the next task that awaits.
Boost your remote productivity and streamline your workflow with DHL Express solutions
Remember, time management is an ongoing process and no two remote workers will be able to WFH in the exact same way. By implementing the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, such as creating a daily work structure, establishing clear boundaries, and utilizing productivity tools, you can enhance your efficiency and create a fulfilling remote work experience.
If your e-commerce business is looking to expand globally, even from the comfort of home, DHL Express is here to help. DHL Express’ international shipping expertise and range of solutions can streamline your logistics, reduce manual tasks, and empower you to expand your reach globally. Whether it's optimizing shipping processes or providing reliable delivery options for customers, DHL Express can help enhance your team's productivity and contribute to your overall business success.
