Today, the world has made a shift to working remotely and it is most likely to continue into the future too. You may come across several people thriving and doing better than ever, while some people are treading a tightrope. So if you are the latter, how can you turn this situation around? Here are a few steps that will help you manage your workday more efficiently and boost your productivity, as followed by many of the most productive CEOs and Entrepreneurs.

1. Plan your day

Start your day on the right note. The simplest thing to boost your productivity and keep you motivated through the day is waking up early and starting your day with affirmations and meditation. The book titled Miracle Morning suggests following a simple guideline- wake up early to allocate some time to self-development, meditation, workouts, affirmations, and reading to put yourself in the best mental and emotional state for the beautiful day that lies ahead.

2. Create a productive workspace

Ideally, turn a spare room of your house into your office space, but if you don’t have an extra room, you can turn one corner of your house into your working spot. Try to work in that space and set proper timings to work and to relax. Working from home has some of us working round the clock since we can’t seem to set boundaries for ourselves. Doing this will help you log off at the right time and enhance your work-life balance as well.

3. Limit distractions

When you are at home, everything can be a distraction, from no one limiting you to scrolling on Instagram to your dog cuddling up next to you. With schools shut around the world, it is more challenging for parents to take care of their kids while attending meetings online. With so many factors involved, limiting distractions can be a challenging task. Try implementing some boundaries around your established work area. Try closing the door and use a do not disturb sign. Using noise-cancelling headphones can also be beneficial.

4. Call your team members.

Corresponding on email and text messages can sometimes lead to confusion. If you are confused after scrolling through your long email threads, pick up your phone, call your colleague and clarify your doubts. Getting on a call can provide instant clarity and the much-needed human interaction with peers. Try to schedule a call at least once a week to check the team’s progress.

5. Take a walk or exercise.

This is one of the most critical steps to take care of your mental and physical health. If you have suddenly made the switch to working from home, the shift can be quite alarming. Taking a short walk around your neighbourhood or even up and down your apartment building’s stairs can provide a much-needed break to clear your head, get your blood flowing and change your perspective. An added benefit is the ability to see other people which helps in decreasing the sense of isolation.

The most effective way to change our lives and become more productive is to set small goals for ourselves every day and celebrate these wins. We live in unprecedented times, and it is okay to slip occasionally as long as we get back up and commit to improving ourselves incrementally every single day!

Remote working, like yin and yang, has its fair share of positives and negatives but can be dealt with efficiently with the right habits and schedule in place. As Ryan Bonnici, former G2 crowd, puts it, “Part of the beauty of remote work is being able to work on a schedule that works best for you, but if you’re online and working at all hours, you’ll start burning out quickly. We’ll need to build clear rules around how technology can be used to help us maintain those boundaries for work-life balance.”