Working remotely becoming difficult?

Time management skills for self-employed persons or persons who work remotely is very important. This can be the difference between being successful, and being able to manage all the piece they are juggling. Working from home does not always mean you can perform tasks whenever. 

With more companies requiring employees to be logged on during core hours, it is becoming harder to manage. Add virtual school for children to the equation, between the sharing of electronics and working space, working from home has become very stressful.

Here are some tips for managing your time and eliminating the distractions.

Create a schedule

Without planning and scheduling we are just winging it and running around like headless chickens. Create a schedule for the week, include what work you want to accomplish for the day. Add activities for the children, church or charity activities, doctor visits and everything you need to accomplish in the week. Set timelines for these activities, that way you can determine whether it is feasible to get all done. You can also share the schedule with the the family and caretakers so everyone knows where everyone is, and what they are doing.

Turn on your do not disturb sign

Whether you physically get a do not disturb sign. Or, you verbally let persons know you are not available, making yourself unavailable outside of the times you have designated will make a huge difference to the success of your day. 

It is very hard for persons who have never been self-employed to understand the pressure you are facing. Earning on your time and not being paid just because you showed up, may be a new concept to them. Even if you are working remotely for an organisation, you are expected to maintain your productivity level. As more companies offer remote working options to employees, the hours are becoming less flexible.

Another major challenge in this area may be family members who see you as a taxi service because your time is flexible. You can easily loose a whole day from running one errand. Chances are, by the time you return home you are so unfocused that you cannot get started or get back on track.

Discipline

You will need discipline the height of a mountain when you are self-employed or work remotely to avoid the many distractions. Television, telephone, noisy neighbours, food in the fridge that keeps beckoning for you to come look even though you did five minutes ago. 

It is best to put your phone on silent and engage as if you were in a formal work setting. At the If you are at a start-up stage and not as busy as you can be? Use the time to read up on professional articles, do some research or try to teach yourself a new skill such as  managing your social media presence. Your favourite tv show can wait.

Create a work space

Carve out a space that is functional and comfortable for you to be productive. You do not have to go out and buy new furniture, unless you are at the stage where you are creating a home office. Having a space that is just your space is always helpful. That way, you can leave your post-it reminders, schedules and work items without having to tidy away everyday.

Accountability when working remotely

If you were going to a paid job, there would be a level of expectation, that is, getting tasks done by a specific time or clocking a specific numbers of hours in a day. The same should apply even if you are self-employed. Try clocking how many hours you work in a day or week and how long it took to complete specific task. This is known as benchmarking. It can be helpful with determining how much you should be charging for your goods or service even if you are not billing per time spent. Set out a to-do-list everyday and ensure you tick those boxes.

Utilise the flexibility

One of the advantages of being self-employed or working from home is being able to set your own schedule. That means you can do the school run everyday, go to the gym during the day when it is less busy or even take a mid-day nap. Doing this however may mean that your day starts at 5am, and that is fine, if at 1pm you can be done for the day. 

Embrace the flexibility.

Get Outside

This may sound simple, but persons who work from home know it can be a lonely road. Unless you absolutely have to be out and about, you can be house bound for days. Incorporate the gym or some other type of physical activity in your day which forces you to get outside. A weekly coffee date with a friend can be also an option, or a simple walk to the mailbox.

Maintain outside help

If you have had the benefit of outside help in the form of housekeeping services or a child minder, it would be best to maintain that help. That is, as long as the budget can accommodate it. While you may have save an hour or two from not having to commute to your job, you did not suddenly grow extra hands or mental capacity. The objective was to use that saved time to create some additional balance, not to add anxiety from feeling overwhelmed.

Night time routine for remote working

As part out your nightly routine spend a few minutes tidying your space. It makes a huge difference in the morning to wake up to a fresh space. You are also not tempted to spend time you had carved out to working tidying. This simple task, can help with your mood in the morning, and add to your productivity.

Monitor your health

Both physically and mentally. Eating habits can drastically change in a new setting and if you are now not as active as before. Your physical health can deteriorate. Also, working in solitude can have an effect on your mental health. Being in an office environment helps with the social aspect of our well-being even if you are an introvert. Studies have shown isolation associated with working from home or remotely can lead to anxiety as explained in this article. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/working-from-home-mental-health_n_5afd88e2e4b0a59b4e014602

Summary

In a nutshell, enjoy the benefit of setting your own schedule, stay motivated and try to create a suitable support network. Seek out other like minded individuals as your frame of mind changes when you are self employed and most persons do not understand that shift. Close family members and friends do not always understand that your focus is elsewhere and you are reserving your brain matter for other things, like where that next paid gig is coming from.

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