Anatomy of a Perfect Remote Working Day

Are you still grappling with the logistical, psychological and emotional realities of working from home? You’re not alone. While there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that remote workers can be more productive, it’s not like the data used in those studies was collected during a national pandemic. While you shouldn’t beat yourself up for every day when your productivity has been at less than 100%, you should also maintain a proactive attitude towards improving your working practices. 

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So, how should you spend the perfect day working from home? While the minutiae may differ depending on what you do, every day you should make time for…

Affirmations

Getting into the right frame of mind for work can be challenging when there’s no line of differentiation between your workplace and your home. As such, it’s a good idea to start the day with some affirmations. Think of these as your emotional and intellectual “warm up” to get you in the right frame of mind for the challenges to come.  

Coffee and planning

Don’t make the mistake of diving headlong into your work. First, take the time to sip a coffee and map out your day. Allot time frames to tasks to ensure that you keep to set working hours. As well as ensuring that you use your day optimally, this will also help to get you in the correct headspace so that you don’t lose momentum once you start work. 

Breaks

Be sure to make time for breaks. You’re not a machine, you’re a human being. And your brain gets tired just like your muscles do. You wouldn’t expect to be able to work out for 8 straight hours in the gym. Why would you expect yourself to be able to power through 8 working hours without a break. Rest your mind and refuel your body. Check out these foods for boosting productivity, and be sure to factor them into your lunch break planning. 

Reflection and checking

Make sure you leave some space at the end of your working day to check over your work, proof whatever you’ve written and ensure that no mistakes have been made. Mistakes made today could slow you down tomorrow. Leave at least an hour free at the end of every day to check over and reflect on the day’s work. Not to mention laying down the foundations of tomorrow’s planning. 

Downtime

After a hard day’s work, it’s important to spend some time doing whatever helps you to relax. Whether this comes in the form of a long, hot bath, figuring out how to smoke crumble wax or getting a vigorous workout done at home. There are no wrong answers. It’s simply a matter of your personal preference. 

How we spend our free time can significantly improve the next working day. Whatever you need to do to feel rested, relaxed and proud of a job well done is likely to make you feel more productive tomorrow. 

Remember that these are extraordinary and challenging times. You shouldn’t expect to be firing on all cylinders every day. But you should be actively looking for ways to improve your remote working practices.