Remote workers, how do you stay productive while being isolated?
The biggest boom 💥 in remote work was during the COVID pandemic, but corporations have started to call employees back into their offices, either because of prepaid office space or better control over employees' work.
Some have stuck with the remote model until now, e.g. Spotify.
I also work remotely, and I can't lie, sometimes get annoyed by the social isolation, but on the other hand, I love the freedom to organise my time.
How do you manage remote work, and how do you make it more enjoyable so that you stay productive and don't feel isolated at the same time? (Any productivity hack and "work-life cohabitation" tips are welcome.) 🙂
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@eljo_prifti Any recommended playlist or at least 2 songs I can play in a loop? :D
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What partially helps to me:
– I attend tech meetups (to see some people) in my hometown
– To focus on work, I usually work at times when other people cannot distract me (so beyond 9 – 5)
– I exercise so I don’t just sit around doing nothing, otherwise I would have problem with back and gain weight
@busmark_w_nika Thanks for being honest. I work remotely too and ended up gaining weight over 8 months. Didn’t really have to think about it back in college since we were always walking around.
These days, I usually work from cafes or hop on a Google Meet with a friend from the same company
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@chaosandcoffee and where are you based? Don't you have any small forests nearby to walk? I think I am lucky enough in that because near my home there are few foret parks so still can have my psychohygiene walk :D
Atlas
@busmark_w_nika Yeah, I think socializing is key, and it's one of the most overseen aspects of remote work. I am a strong believer that part of the time you save by working remotely needs to be invested in socializing in some other way (probably more fun!) but you need to be conscious about it.
Atlas
@busmark_w_nika If you recover 2 hours that were spent on commuting, you can't just spend that on work or social media scrolling. It's like a trade:
+ 2 hours from commuting
- 1 hour from exercising
- 1 hour of socializing
By the way, TOTALLY FAIR TRADE in my opinion!!
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@dcamacho When it comes to commuting, it is the worst time spent (even if you work) because it is exhausting. That's why I prefer to be remote: because the energy management that can be put into quality work ;)
Gamification!
All tasks / groups of tasks have a reward, all fails penalties :D Also, classic pomodoro chunks, phone locking and physical agenda on my right side that I carry around everywhere, for task management & idea marking.
I have 2 rules that helped me very much:
Each time I get distracted, I draw a line in the notebook. It's not as a penalty, it's just to be aware that I got distracted. Awareness brings resolve and wires me to not do it that easily.
If I REALLY don't want to do any useful work (or even anything else), I put a timer of 10 minutes where I don't do anything work-related around the house, then I go read a book for at least 30 minutes. This way, even if I'm not productive, at least I read some pages. Usually go back to work after 30 mins - 1 hour and my focus improves for the next chunks of work.
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@aeromaniax I have read about the technique (drawing to focus). Totally forgot about it. Do you have any special apps for gamification? (Apart from sketches)? :)
Haimeta
I have never worked remotely before, but my friend is a freelancer. Her advice is that if you need social interaction, you can try looking for local coworking spaces, often referred to as "nomad studios." In places like Yunnan, China, there are many such spaces. Essentially, they are shared office spaces where people not only work but also make friends and participate in various interesting offline activities.
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@gin_6078 It's been ages since I last visited a local co-working space; I should do it as soon as possible. Thank you for a reminder! :)
Bugster
One thing that really helps me is having a dedicated space just for work. I try not to mix leisure areas with work areas. This way, when I'm not working, I can truly relax because I don’t feel like I’m still “at the office.” It creates a clear boundary and helps my brain switch off more easily when the workday is over.
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@juan_bautista_beck Taking a nap between work? :D
Bugster
@busmark_w_nika Yes!! But in an other room! Hahaha
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@juan_bautista_beck 😅 I will be honest. I do both activities in the same room :D
Bugster
@busmark_w_nika some times i do both in the same bed 😂😂😂
I totally relate to this! Remote work has a lot of perks, but it can definitely feel a bit isolating at times.
What’s been working for me:
I’ve set up a small office at home that I only use for work, which helps create that mental boundary between work and personal life.
I also try to set clear work hours so my day doesn’t blur together 😅. That structure makes a big difference.
I take small breaks, even just a short walk or a quick call with a friend helps reset my focus.
I usually start with a few easy tasks. It helps me build momentum and get into a productive flow.
Regular exercise has also been a game-changer for keeping my energy up.
And I try to attend events or meetups when I can, it’s a great way to stay connected and network a bit.
Still figuring things out like everyone else, but this setup has been working well for me so far!
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@nigarsafarova "I also try to set clear work hours so my day doesn’t blur together 😅" – and this is exactly what happens to me – my days are weeks and also months in one circle :D so I sometimes travel abroad to disrupt the pattern :D
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@nigarsafarova BTW, appreciate this structured activity list. I will inspire at least with 2 points :)
The biggest productivity benefit of remote work for me is being able to separate deep work and calls.
I'm sharpest before noon, so I block that for more intense work, and take zero calls.
I book ALL calls between 1 and 3pm. If they can't fit, I push them to the next day.
Immeasurable positive impact to my productivity.
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@emikes919 I think we have this in common. 😀 Calls + emails are energy-draining. (But usually I have them before noon, so you can imagine my productivity.) 🥲
@busmark_w_nika lol! push 'em back after lunch!
YouMind
Eat that ugliest frog first thing every morning
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@hi_caicai What kind of frog did you eat today? :D
YouMind
@busmark_w_nika Generally, it's the kind of thing that makes you think so hard you lose hair.
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@hi_caicai I probably know what you are talking about. That explains why my hair is so weak and soft :D
IXORD
I believe there's a golden middle ground in this matter. I don't want to dive too deeply into work only to end up burning out. I prefer to talk to my family, find out what's new with them, and chat for five minutes. That's enough to make working from home feel less exhausting, and I actually feel more productive that way. I think there was even a study about this — that people who work less tend to be more productive. Maybe there's some truth to it, but everyone has their own situation, so it's best to take care of yourself :)
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@ixord Do you remember that study? I would like to have a look :D :)
IXORD
@busmark_w_nika I can't find the article now, but I read about it on Google News. I like reading stuff like that.
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@ixord If you once stumble on it, feel free to share it with me. :)
Have a space dedicated to work... If you can, have that space in it's own room.
I've been working remote for a long time now. I've tried many things to make sure I stay focused. This is the best thing that I've done!
If you can't have a space separated in it's own room and need to use a dual purpose room, carve out a space that's intentional for work. Have a corner office... that's in the corner of the room :) But make sure that the only things in that corner are work related.
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@bryce_york_ag I neglected this part and have everything in one place. Probably need to change my pattern of living :)
@busmark_w_nika LOL. It really helped me... even when it was a small corner of my bedroom.