How to be productive at home as a remote worker?
If you’re feeling unproductive working remotely, you’re not alone. Like any other skill, getting the hang of your remote productivity flow can take some time.
The fastest way to learn the ropes? Look to experts who have already been doing this for years. They’ve already figured out the productivity tips that work and those that don’t.
We sifted through the best remote work productivity advice from thought leaders and collected these 30 tips to help you out.
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all productivity strategy for working from home. But we hope these tips serve as a guide to help you find what works for you. Read on to discover how to create your most productive remote workday ever!
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Optimize Your Schedule for Remote Work Productivity
The first step to being highly productive is to become more self-aware. You can start by paying attention to when you feel most (and least) focused. Once you figure this out, you’ll be able to optimize your workday for maximum productivity.
Check out these tips for working from home more productively by optimizing your schedule:
Organizing tasks around my expected energy-level has been a great practice. Planning high-energy tasks for when I feel most focused and productive (which is the morning for me) and saving low-energy tasks for the afternoon ensures that I maintain balance.
Andrew Gobran, People Ops Generalist at Doist (source)
Finding the right time in the day where you can’t, or the right day in the week where you can do the best work can be a big, big help and a big hack to becoming more productive.
Hiten Shah, Co-founder and CEO of FYI (source)
Structure your workday effectively. You know when you’re the most focused and productive. Schedule important tasks during this productive time.
Scott Dawson, Author of The Art of Working Remotely (source)
Key takeaway: Pay attention to when you feel most and least productive, and plan your day around it. Use the flexibility of remote work to figure out the schedule that works best for you. Additionally, to streamline your scheduling efforts and optimize your productivity, consider utilizing apps for work scheduling. These applications offer a range of features, from time tracking and task management to collaborative scheduling with team members.
Read More: The Ultimate Glossary of Remote Work Definitions
Make Time for Self-Care When Working From Home
Everyone knows that self-care is important, but making time for it is often something that falls through the cracks, especially when working from home.
Sleeping enough, eating well, exercising, and allowing for adequate personal time will all increase your productivity. And it’s something that the best make sure they get right.
Self-care is one of the simplest ways to work from home more productively, and here are some expert tips to keep in mind:
You want a short cut to more productivity? 1) Get a great night’s sleep, 2) Get plenty of fresh air, 3) Get regular exercise, 4) Read some classics, 5) Say no to more dumb shit. Voila, Superhuman reporting for duty!
DHH, Founder and CTO at Basecamp (source)
For me, it’s a combination of prioritization, creating intentional time and space to do deep work, and self-care so that this can be sustained over time.
Andrew Gobran, People Ops Generalist at Doist (source)
Everything you do, you’ll do better with a good night’s sleep.
Arianna Huffington, CEO and Founder of Thrive Global (source)
Key takeaway: Taking good care of your body and mind will make you more productive (and just better overall!).
Read More: How to Improve Analytical Skills
Prioritize Your Remote Workday Goals
Before you dive into your workday, you should start by making a solid plan.
Figure out which goals are most important and how you can break them down into manageable tasks. Carefully prioritizing your to-do list will lead to successful and productive workdays. To manage your workload better use project management software for developers.
For tips on how to be productive by prioritizing the right goals, check out these great tips:
I love having big goals and am productive if I break the goal into very small tasks so I get to complete things frequently.
Hailley Griffis, Head of PR at Buffer (source)
Productivity Hack 1: Categorize your todo list into two major buckets: Proactive & Reactive; 2: Set a time cap for your reactive work (~2hrs). Most of this work falls under “done > perfect” & the time-box helps ensure that; 3: Utilize the additional hours for leveraged work.
Rosseau Kazi, CEO and Co-founder of Threads (source)
Key to 10x productivity is not so much being endless clever in how to solve problems, but in deciding which need solving in the first place.
DHH, Founder and CTO at Basecamp (source)
Give yourself a break and make yourself a plan. It will help you be more productive, while making a HUGE impact on your stress level!
Laura Roeder, Founder of MeetEdgar (source)
Key takeaway: A well-organized, manageable to-do list = a productive workday.
Read More: How to Develop Better Interpersonal Skills
Maintain a Work-Life Balance
You might think that working overtime is the key to getting more work done, but it can be exactly the opposite. Overworking can lead to decreased productivity.
Your stressful, unproductive 12-hour workday can produce equal results to an 8-hour well-balanced day. You probably prefer the latter.
To learn better how to be more productive, consider the following work-life balance advice:
It’s our collective delusion that overwork and burnout are the price we must pay in order to succeed.
Arianna Huffington, CEO and Founder of Thrive Global (source)
If you work from home full-time (or on a regular basis), it’s really easy to let your work life bleed into your personal life. Maintaining a boundary is important for both halves of the equation.
Tyler Littwin, Art Director at HubSpot
Work-life balance is not just a buzzy, self-help term that real business people laugh at. You need it.
Stephanie Ruhle, Senior Business Correspondent at NBC News
Key takeaway: Maintaining a work-life balance will help you get more work done, not less.
Read More: 5 Ways to Stand Out & Get Noticed in Your Current Development Job
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Minimize Distractions For Maximum Remote Work Productivity
Constant meetings and notifications can make it difficult to focus on really getting things done. And even when you finally have a moment of silence, you might find your finger creeping toward the Twitter icon on your smartphone.
If you’re struggling with distractions, try blocking out parts of your calendar for “deep work” time. And keep those social media icons out of sight!
Keep these work from home tips in mind to learn how to minimize distractions as a remote employee:
Merely having the anticipation of being distracted is like a leash that keeps us from diving into deep work.
Shawn Blanc, Founder of The Focus Course
I remove all social networks from my toolbar bookmarks. Even if I don’t mean to browse them, some uncontrollable impulse subconsciously clicks on them when I experience downtime. You can get sucked in without knowing it (or even intending to), so eliminating the gateway to those networks keeps me on track.
Alec Biedrzycki, Head of Platform Marketing at HubSpot
If you have desktop notifications, turn ‘em off. Put your phone on silent, AND TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN. And for the love of all that is holy, you must turn off any Slack, GChat, WhatsApp, Skype, or any other chat app service you use. Then, and only then, are you putting yourself in a position to get into the zone!
Lauren Moon, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Trello
Key takeaway: Schedule time for deep work and remove external distractions from your workspace. Make use of tools that help you manage multiple accounts from one simple dashboard.
Read More: 14 Essential Work From Home Tips for a Successful Remote Experience
Remember to Take Breaks When Working Remotely
When you’re starting to feel tired or burnt out in the middle of your workday, sometimes all you need is a little break!
When you’re overwhelmed, it can be hard to make time for them — but taking a quick breather can actually save you time in the long run. You’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle those big tasks head-on.
Consider these work from home tips and advice below on taking some time for yourself:
Breaks, like making and eating lunch, can recharge you to do better work. Don’t assume you need to be working 100% of the time while you’re home to be more productive.
Ginny Mineo, Growth Manager at Grammarly
Breaks are also helpful for rejuvenation or creative thinking. If I’m spinning my wheels on problematic code or a thorny design issue, going for a walk, hike, or run helps me focus on something else. Solutions pop into my head and I’m eager to return to try them out.
Scott Dawson, Author of The Art of Working Remotely (source)
Thinking is by far the most underrated activity. People consider it “unproductive” to sit on a bench and think. So they spend their lives doing things they never thought through. An hour of clear thinking, can yield a conclusion that changes your life.
Johnny Uzan (source)
Our team works in “sprints” during the day, creating focused periods of work interspersed with multiple short, re-energizing breaks (taken with my blessing!) throughout the day. I can personally attest to the productivity gains a team will realize by employing these practices.
Stefan Wissenbach, Founder & CEO of Engagement Multiplier
Key takeaway: Taking breaks will help you recharge and come back feeling more productive.
Read More: Here’s How to Reduce Stress by Improving the Way You Manage Your Time
Maintain a Regular Routine for WFH Productivity
It can be easy to get out of whack when you’re working from home. Irregular sleep hours and skipped meals can be a recipe for disaster. A regular routine signals to your body when it’s time to work and time to rest.
If you don’t want to fall asleep at your desk and stress about your quarterly goals while in bed, maintain some regularity in your schedule.
Here are a few great productivity tips from remote work thought leaders:
Get fully ready for the day and pretend you’re actually going to work. Otherwise, you might find yourself back in bed.
Anna Faber-Hammond, Senior Designer at KHJ Brand Activation
I do sometimes struggle with productivity but keeping a routine helps. I only work from my office. I get up at the same time every day. That way I don’t slip into doing whatever I want bc I’m at home. I have weekly 1:1s with my boss and don’t feel disconnected from him at all.
Hailley Griffis, Head of PR at Buffer (source)
Key takeaway: If you don’t maintain a regular daily routine, your remote work productivity can suffer.
Read More: How to Solve Problems Better as a Software Developer
Choose the Work Environment that Works for You
Some people work best in a chair at a desk with the AC blasting. Others work best sitting cross-legged on a patch of grass in the sunny backyard. How to be productive at home as a remote worker depends on a variety of factors. Navigating the challenges of working from home requires a personalized approach.
There’s no single answer for the best work environment. It’s really up to you and whatever floats your boat. (And yes, if you’re most productive on a yacht in the ocean, by all means: you do you.)
Learn how to increase your work from home productivity by improving your remote office with these tips:
Environment plays a major role in those who are able to easily make the transition to telecommuting.
Sophia Bernazzani, Head of Product Marketing at OwlLabs
I noticed I’m 10x more productive replying to emails, LinkedIn, Slack messages on my phone then when I’m on my laptop. Context switching feels easier even though it’s one small screen and not a 100 tabs on Chrome.
Krish Ramineni, Co-founder and CEO of Fireflies (source)
Whenever I get a chance to take a phone meeting where I don’t have to be at a desk, I try to take a walk. This gets me out of the house, allows me to change my location, and lets me get some exercise. There’s also a positive effect that comes from being in nature, feeling the sun shining down on you, and the air hitting your face.
Alaina Percival, CEO at Women Who Code
Key takeaway: Figure out where you do your best work, and make it your go-to workspace.
Read More: Here are 8 great advantages and perks of remote work to help you take the WFH leap!
Communicate for Productive Remote Work Collaboration
It can be really hard to get work done when you spend 90% of your time communicating with your teammates.
Save time by choosing the most effective and efficient communication tool for each situation. For effective collaboration when working remotely, don’t be afraid to say to your teammate, “Are you sure we need an entire meeting for this? I think it would be better in writing.”
Check out these WFH productivity tips on communication and collaboration:
My biggest productivity improvement came years ago when I replaced as many phone calls and in-person meetings as possible with more thoughtful email replies.
Hiten Shah, Co-founder and CEO of FYI (source)
The productivity boost from working remotely does not come from replacing all those in-office meetings with a bunch of video calls. It comes from turning all those meetings into write-ups instead. Status updates, pitches, ideas. Write. Them. Down.
DHH, Founder and CTO at Basecamp (source)
I recommend testing as many tools as possible and only committing to the ones that make your life substantially better. Oftentimes, the most popular solutions don’t fit your team’s needs or style, and just because other big-league players are using a specific tool, it doesn’t mean that it must work for you too.
Teodora Gavrilut, COO at Creatopy
Key takeaway: Choose your communication tools carefully, and you’ll save a lot of time.
Read More: How to Communicate Across Cultures Effectively
Keep Yourself Motivated
If you’re feeling generally burnt out and unmotivated, ask yourself why.
Why are your daily tasks important? What impact do you have on the company? Is your work meaningful to you? If you have an underlying purpose in what you do, you will feel motivated to get the job done well.
Learn how to become more productive in a WFH environment with these self-motivation strategies:
One underlying “productivity hack” I don’t see cited often is just really really giving a shit. Knowing your “why’s” and intensely caring your goal succeeds. A lot of the other advice follows from this, or rings hollow without it.
Johnathan Howard, Co-Organizer at Pitch Crew (source)
If you’re feeling stuck in a rut, steer yourself out of it. Schedule a meeting with your supervisor or mentor to discuss what you do and don’t like about your current role, and brainstorm ways that it could be updated to better cater to your strengths and interests. Your scope of work may also need to be addressed — either simplify your tasks to streamline your productivity or diversify them to allow for more creativity and spontaneity.
Laurel Farrer, CEO and Founder of Distribute Consulting
Key takeaway: Knowing the “why” behind your work is key to staying motivated and knowing how to be productive at home.
Read More: How to Improve Leadership Skills to Advance Your Career
Conclusion
The recipe for ideal remote work productivity is different for everyone. By experimenting with these tips and strategies, you should be able to figure out how to do your best work remotely.
Something to note: Working remotely is still not the norm. You likely have other stressors that affect your productivity — childcare, lack of social outings, and constant bombardment of apocalyptic headlines. So if you’re still not on your A-game even after trying these tips on how to be productive at home, don’t be too hard on yourself.
Do you have any more tips on remote work productivity? Share in the comments below!
You can also explore HireAI to skip the line and:
⚡️ Get instant candidate matches without searching
⚡️ Identify top applicants from our network of 250,000+ devs with no manual screening
⚡️ Hire 4x faster with vetted candidates (qualified and interview-ready)
Try HireAI and hire top developers now →
A final note: as a lot of these quotes were from Twitter, we made a few small tidy-ups (click provided links to view the original source).
