6 Bad Remote Work Habits That Ruin Your Productivity, and How to Fix Them

You can start by creating your work-from-home schedule. Knowing your chronotype can set you on the right path, as it will enable you to create a plan that suits your body clock perfectly.

Next, you can leverage digital solutions like Google Calendar to plan each day in advance. Make it a habit to list the tasks you would like to complete the next day before going to bed.

Having created your remote workday schedule, you now have a mental picture of what you need to do. But we bet they are not all equally important or urgent, so doing them randomly might not be the most productive method.

To overcome this, you should make it a habit to organize your daily tasks according to priority. You can use an app like the Priority Matrix to ease this process.

This tool allows you to arrange your tasks in four levels—from the most significant and urgent to the least. Going about your workday this way enables you to complete your primary goals.

Remote work increases your chances of being trapped in a sedentary lifestyle since you spend most of the day sitting down in front of a computer screen. But, staying physically passive for long won’t only deplete your energy levels and reduce productivity; it can also lead to several health conditions such as obesity, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes—just to name a few.

To break this habit and improve your overall health and productivity, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day. This can be anything from taking a walk to going for a run.

Alternatively, there are some practical tools that you can use to combat a sedentary lifestyle , including FitOn . This app contains a myriad of workouts that you can carry out from your home without equipment. It also provides customized meal plans, guided meditation, and personal trainers.

4. Lack of Communication

A lack of effective communication with colleagues is one of the significant pitfalls of remote work. This can be attributed to numerous factors, such as working different hours, not being in the same space, or simply not having the right internal communication tools to get everyone working in sync.

Colleagues might feel like you are unavailable, unresponsive, or uncommitted to the team- all of which reduce productivity and lead to tension in the workplace.

You can use software solutions like Slack to have one-on-one conversations with colleagues or group discussions across departments. In addition, project management tools like Trello can help you assign tasks and set due dates.

It can be easy to get distracted when you work from home. There are so many things that can pull your attention away from your work, including your favorite TV shows, constantly checking your smartphone, and dealing with pets.

It’s important to find ways to minimize distractions and stay focused on your work. One way to do this is to create a designated workspace to focus on your tasks without being disturbed. Keep the workspace clear of clutter and provide only the essentials.

Another way to stay focused is to set breaks during your work schedule. Once you reach the end of your allotted time, take a break and do something unrelated to your work. You can use Pomodoro productivity apps.

Last but not least, you will have to find a solution that helps you stop checking your phone every minute.

An inevitable result of working from home is spending more time in front of a screen. While you might not avoid this altogether, you can take a few steps to ensure you spend less time in front of a screen. That’s because continual screen usage can lead to screen time exhaustion, exposing you to symptoms like headaches, eye strain, and blurred vision, which can all make you less productive.

There are several ways to avoid screen time exhaustion , including adjusting your screen brightness, using a blue light filter, adjusting your font size, and taking breaks frequently.

Working remotely means that you don’t have anyone breathing down your neck anymore. As a result, you will need extra effort and discipline to get things done on time.

However, by applying the tips and leveraging the digital tools we’ve mentioned above, you will gradually form more productive habits that will make it easier for you to have a successful remote work experience.