There are many pros and cons to working remotely. Many of us enjoy the flexibility of working from home and some talk about how much more productive they are. But others are not so keen and one of the gripes that we hear most often is how do you stay focused on work. In other words, how do you manage your time successfully? Poor time management can make your remote environment very stressful and isolating at times.

Let’s be honest, home is full of distractions from pets, to deliveries; dishes in the sink and laundry on the line to what to eat for dinner. And that’s just the personal stuff. If you struggle to keep up with your tasks and maximise the time in your day, you need to adopt an effective time management strategy.

Here are some techniques that work for us and our clients – followed by 3 great top tips from our super Hour Hands team.

Top time management tips for remote workers

1. Create a workspace

Create a space at home that’s like a desk space at work. It needs to be comfortable and it’s definitely worth investing in a good ergonomic chair and desk, if you can but not everyone has room for this. Whether you work in the kitchen, lounge, under the stairs or you have a spare room, ensure:

• That you can guarantee a comfortable temperature and working environment
• It’s as separate from your home life as is practicably possible
• That you can have access to everything you need – whether this be files, a computer monitor, a noticeboard
• You can personalise your space with plants, photos and other ‘desk paraphernalia’

Our biggest top tip is don’t use your bedroom unless you absolutely need to. Working where you sleep can make it harder to switch off at night and relax.

2. Plan your work and block time for tasks

It’s very easy to get to the end of the day, look back and think, what have I achieved? Planning what you need to get done each day (yes, the good, old to-do list!) and then blocking time to do each task is a phenomenally effective way to get ahead. Dedicated time slots for each task ensures that each one receives the attention it deserves. It eliminates the guesswork of what to tackle next, allowing you to focus on what’s crucial without letting less critical tasks slip through the cracks. 

We’re big fans of time blocking and last year wrote a series of articles about various methods that you can use to block time. Maybe have a read of our blogs about the Pareto principle, the Pomodoro technique, the pickle jar or the Eisenhower matrix and see if any could help you.  

3. Track your time

Lack of focus creates issues at work so by tracking where you spend your time, not only are you more focused on not wasting time, you can more easily see patterns.

In its simplest form, time tracking is using an app or spreadsheet to accurately measure the amount of time spent on an activity. By analysing time spent, a remote worker can justify what they’ve achieved each day to a boss or a client. It can also help ensure that you are invoicing appropriately for tasks, can analyse time to determine areas of high and low productivity and from this information, really get to understand the distractions – and put a plan in place to mitigate them. <Nat, link to this blog from 2024 too>

4. Identify what distracts you away from work

Point 3 leads on nicely to our next tip, find out what is distracting you. Is it family and friends who don’t appreciate that just because you’re at home, you’re not free to chat. Is it a pet demanding your attention for food, walk or cuddles? Is it that pile of washing or the postman delivering a car tax demand or a delivery driver?  

When you know what distracts you – you can do something about it like setting boundaries, installing a cat flap, putting a note on the door, or having a polite but firm conversation with your parents about when to call!

5. Take breaks

If you were in the office, you’d take breaks to get a drink, pop to the loo, or sit and chat to a colleague. Breaks are needed to give your brain a rest so embrace this at home too. Ensure you have a lunch break – watch an episode of your favourite TV programme, meet up with someone for lunch, read a chapter of a book or just sit outside for a while. It’s all too easy to avoid a break if you don’t have colleagues or a boss suggesting you take time out.

Another idea is to meditate, even for a few minutes each day. Set a time, sit comfortably and consciously listen to your breathing. Don’t worry if you can’t stop your mind from wandering just reel it back in if it starts to drift.

6. Meet up with others – you need to socialise

Social interaction takes more effort when you’re working from home. You need to keep in touch with your manager, your colleagues and your friends either in person or via video or phone calls – but in person is definitely better for your wellbeing and to help prevent feelings of isolation.

Scheduling in breaks and times to socialise will also help your time management as the happier and healthier you are, the more productive you will be. You’ll be alert and more inclined to complete tasks rather than procrastinating if you’re tired – or bored.

7. Remember your physical as well as mental wellbeing

If you’re not travelling into an office, it can be all-too-easy to be in the house all day long when you’re a remote worker, and that’s no good for anyone. Walking, running, nipping to the shops, spending your breaks in the gym – whatever’s your bag – will make a big difference to your wellbeing – and is likely to give you much-needed fresh air too. You’ll find that you’re ready to concentrate and work harder when you get back to the office, boosting that time management once again!

The Hour Hands team top tips

We asked our team, clients and partners for their top tips for time management when working from home. We’re sharing them here in case these help you too.

Turn off phone notifications

When I hear that ‘ping’, it’s so tempting to take a quick look at my phone. When I’m ‘at work’, I turn off my notifications – so no vibration mode! – and only look at my phone during my breaks. I use the do not disturb function but set my phone to ring if it’s a number in my contacts list as it could be my boss, a colleague or a client. My personal phone is always on silent during the work day.

Music

I like listening to music and it helps keep me focused on my work. I really like listening to classical or blues music or anything calming, really. I always pick ambient music that fades into the background but on Friday afternoon’s I switch on the radio and sing along as I work. It really helps me feel that I’m heading to the end of the week! 

Ditch the guilt

I spend a lot of time feeling guilty that I haven’t done the washing, that I haven’t spent all day working on a project, that I haven’t given the dog a second walk yet…  I’ve learnt that guilt uses up a lot of mental energy and makes me feel tired, so I’ve made a determined effort to ditch the guilt and instead, focus on what I have achieved rather than what I haven’t.

Still not enough time in the day? Maybe it’s time for Hour Hands

The Hour Hands team work hard (in an office mostly!) delivering virtual services for businesses big and small who need help with most aspects of their business: from bookkeeping to acting as a virtual PA, an events manager or a researcher. We help with one off tasks such as developing a business plan, organising a team recognition event, or on a contract basis if you need a ‘helping hand’ on a more regular basis. 

In fact, we can handle most tasks that don’t require your personal time, giving you time to concentrate on something else that you are better skilled at doing or, to allow you time to enjoy doing something that fills you with happiness.

If you think that we can help – or if you’d like to talk about it and find out, do fill in the contact form or give us a call. We’re always on hand and happy to help!