Remote work has become a reality, but not everyone has found the motivation and routine needed to work from home. Are you using the right methods to remain productive?
Remote work was already known and practised in many parts of the world, with some countries already using this working model as a normal way of operating. In Portugal, this reality was not yet very widespread, but it intensified significantly over the past year.
Remote work allows employees working under this arrangement to retain the same rights and duties as those performing their roles in a physical workplace, with its regulation set out between Articles 165 and 171 of the Labour Code.
By remote work, we mean the performance of work under legal subordination, usually outside the company’s premises and through the use of information and communication technologies.
But how can we work from home while still maintaining the necessary productivity and motivation? Marketividade has gathered five tips for employees and another five for companies. Take note of our suggestions:
What Can Employees Do to Stay Productive?
For the vast majority of people who were not used to working from home, one of the main obstacles to productivity is the lack of a routine. For this reason, one of our first recommendations is precisely to understand yourself and identify what works best for you.
Find your routine: when working remotely and knowing that you have deadlines and tasks to complete, it is important to find the right routine to help you get out of bed feeling motivated and energised. For some people, this means taking a shower in the morning and getting dressed as though they were leaving the house; for others, morning exercise works perfectly. Find a routine that works for you and follow it every day.
Make task lists: in many cases, remote work can make it easier to become distracted or feel the need to be online 24 hours a day. To avoid burnout while still completing all your daily tasks, create a daily task list with clear priorities and schedules. This will help you avoid distractions and provide a plan to keep you organised.
Have a dedicated workspace: another very common mistake is working in places such as the living room, which are ideally intended for rest and leisure. Working in these areas can make it more difficult for your brain to distinguish between work and relaxation. It is therefore important to have a space entirely dedicated to work, so that you know that this is a place for focus rather than inactivity and distraction.
Stay in touch: another major difference between working from home and working in the office is contact with colleagues. In addition to taking strategic breaks during the working day, it is also essential to remain in contact with your colleagues. Video calls are one of remote work’s greatest allies, as this technology can bring together people from opposite sides of the world. Hold creative meetings, discuss ideas or even have virtual coffee breaks. This will help create a more dynamic and enjoyable routine.
Stay hydrated: yes, water really does have a direct impact on both your physical and intellectual wellbeing. Drinking water is essential not only to stay hydrated but also to remain productive. When we are dehydrated, our blood flow decreases, including in the blood vessels of the brain. This affects our cognitive functions.
What Can Companies Improve and Do?
It is not always easy for employers to ensure productivity and the smooth completion of required tasks when employees are working from home. From providing the necessary equipment to perform their roles effectively to ensuring the resources required for constant digital communication, companies need to take certain measures to make this model functional and advantageous.
Invest in the necessary equipment: digital modernisation is essential for remote work to function effectively. Make sure that all employees have not only the necessary equipment, such as a computer and internet connection, but also the essential tools required for a productive working day, including applications and software for effective communication and task management.
Schedule strategic meetings: whether these are more formal meetings for distributing tasks, more educational sessions in which ideas are exchanged and resources are shared, or even opportunities for relaxation and social interaction, it is important to maintain a connection with employees, ensure good communication between teams and make the virtual routine as similar as possible to the in-person working environment.
Define realistic and fair working hours: just as employees know they need to organise themselves according to tasks and priorities, companies must understand that remote work does not mean being online 24 hours a day. Both employers and employees need to organise and manage their tasks according to what is humanly possible and legally appropriate.
Create achievable task lists: following the same principle of not overloading employees with excessive workloads and unnecessary overtime, employers should clearly and effectively define the required tasks and their deadlines. Whether through effective task management and distribution or by establishing more realistic deadlines, create practical and achievable lists of what needs to be done.
Be present: whether in group or individual meetings, it is essential to pay attention to employees and show them that they can talk to you when something is not going well. Being present and showing genuine interest in whether people are motivated is already a major step towards keeping employees engaged and ensuring they know they can rely on you whenever necessary.
Since remote work is here to stay, use these tips to become more productive during working hours and maintain the motivation to keep doing more and doing it better.
