Remote working is here to stay. In the past few years more and more people are making a turn on their professional career, trying to claim their place in the remote working community. Actually, according to a study conducted by Upwork, it is estimated that 36.2 million workers or 22% of the American workforce will be remote by 2025. It is more than expected after all if you take into consideration all the advantages that WFH (Work From Home) area comes with.
Being able to work at the comfort of your house, at your favorite coffee shop or even at a beach is a great deal for most people. You are also often able to create and follow your own schedule. How more comfortable can it be?
However, all this freedom you are provided with, can be hard to deal with if you are not able to manage it properly. Some people lack time management skills, some others can easily get distracted and lose focus, while another group of people find it hard to keep track of their activities through the day and figure out how they invest or waste their time, which is of great importance for those who want to improve and increase their productivity.
This is why we have created a list with some apps that can help you eliminate these problems and achieve a higher level of productivity. Keep reading to learn more about them!
1. Google Calendar
With Google Calendar, a free online time management tool, you may keep track of events and share them with loved ones, friends and coworkers. Additionally, it enables you to send invitations and schedule reminders. It has a variety of visual options for you to choose from, depending on your preferred way. You can view the whole month’s program , a week’s or even choose specific days to be viewed during which you have already planned things to do.
Another awesome feature it has, is the fact that you can receive email notifications on your personal account for upcoming events. In addition to all these it is easily accessible online, though your desktop or through the application while using your mobile device.
2. Trello
Trello is a fun and simple-to-use program that assists in task organization, coordination, and tracking. The ease of use and capability to promote collaboration with both internal and external teams are the best selling aspects of this app.
One of its coolest features is that, except for the option to create a to-do list , you can create an ‘’ongoing project’’ list and a ‘’completed project’’ list. You might give yourself deadlines so that you can keep track of what has been done and what has to be done. In addition to all that, it supplies you with a big library of templates, able to satisfy most of your needs.
3. Evernote
Unlike people who work in offices with teams, freelancers are responsible for handling all minor and large duties on their own. Even if there are simple or complex tasks to do, it is nearly impossible to remember every single one of them, every single day.
However, it is not necessary to do it anymore as Evernote takes on. It can help you manage all of your notes, sync information across your devices, share ideas, schedule events and meetings, make agendas, etc. But there is more! You can access it both through your desktop or your mobile device. It is for sure that you will love it!
4. Todoist
Todoist has become popular worldwide, used by both individuals and businesses as their preferred note-taking and to-do list tool, counting more than 5 million active users. You can use it to plan your own projects and tasks, customize their visualization and also add comments.
It is also providing you with filters to shift easier through your projects and tasks as it would be very time consuming to do it manually while having a big amount of them. Its interface is user-friendly, easy to use and this is one of the main reasons that people worldwide prefer it as their project-management tool.
5. Freedom
We can all agree that social media can be a great threat for our productivity. We all felt, at least once, this urge to get the phone while working and scroll through our social media feed, make a post or have a small chat with our favorite ones. The more you try to resist , the more this temptation gets stronger.
This is where Freedom comes. It reduces distractions by blocking specific websites and apps for a predetermined amount of time. It will be hard to get used to that for sure but you will love it for sure after seeing how much work you will be able to do in the same period of time.
Useful Tips to Increase Your Productivity
• Eliminate Distractions
Eliminating distractions will make it easier for you to stay focused while working, increasing your productivity. Some things you can do to minimize them is to switch off unnecessary devices in the background, such as TVs, phones, and radios and also stop yourself from procrastinating online by using website-blocking apps.
• Take breaks
• Optimize Your Workspace
It may sound simple but it can make a huge impact on your productivity. You should make sure that your area of work is clutter-free and well-lit. It is vital also that you must sit in a physically comfortable and anatomic way. Last but not least, you should make sure before you even start working, that you have everything you may need through your day easily accessible and close to you, while also tidying everything up after work so you can make morning preparation easier and faster.
• Take Care of Yourself
Long-term productivity will increase if you look after yourself. Like every other activity you may require to do through your day, working also needs a healthy body and mind in order to increase effectiveness. Here is what you need to do, to help you achieve that:
- Eat a healthy and consistent diet;
- Stay hydrated;
- Get enough sleep;
- Do regular exercise;
- Allow yourself some recreational time through the week;
- Find relaxation techniques to assist you in managing work-related stress.
Summarizing, let’s keep in mind that remote working may give you numerous advantages but you should also make good use of them and not let all this freedom make you numb and unproductive. Follow the tips listed above, use every tool you can to help you maintain control over work and WFH will be the best professional choice you have ever made! However, if you still haven’t found your place in the remote working community let us help you! Grab the chance, make an application and we will connect you with a remote and flexible opportunity according to your needs.
Vaggelis Moutsios
Vaggelis Moutsios is a newly inspired author and a book lover since a young age. Born in Agrinio, Greece, graduate in Physical Education and Sport Science at Democritus University of Thrace, he decided to make a turn to his professional career. Remote work and the freedom it provides earned him. Following his passion for writing combined with his 6 years experience in the WFH market, he dedicated himself into introducing this world to more and more people.
