Raise your hand if you never procrastinate. No-one? I thought so.
Remote workers especially can easily fall victim to the dreaded waste of time that is procrastination. And if you don’t stamp it out quickly, this bad habit can become entrenched and eat away at your productivity, output and income.
Perhaps most importantly, procrastinating leaves you feeling unaccomplished and unhappy and you may soon find yourself questioning your decision to pursue a remote career.
Still, it’s destined to happen. So why not make it work for you? We’ve put together our favourite tips to make your procrastination more productive.
Read and Research
You’re sitting in front of a computer with a fast wi-fi connection and your brain is too fried to function. Instead of mindlessly browsing Facebook feeds or wasting your hard earned on eBay, rest your mind and flex it at the same time with some work related literature. Perhaps a blog specific to your industry or the latest tips from Remote Work Hub.
‘Procrastibake’
Having healthy food readily available during a busy workday is vital. Otherwise you’ll waste too much precious time in the kitchen or even worse – skip meals. If your mind really isn’t on the job, set it aside, fire up the oven and get cooking. You can make enough to last a few days and it will save you time in the long run.
Sweat it Out
When your house is your workplace, you don’t really have a home time. As a result, you might find it harder to schedule breaks for exercise or the gym. When your mind is wandering, it can be really helpful to get some physical activity. Go for a jog, walk the dog or try an online exercise video like the free workouts on fitnessblender.com
Plan ahead
Sometimes it helps just to step away from the computer and change your focus. Grab a pen and paper and do some old school scheduling to map out the days and weeks ahead. The visual aspect can really help boost creativity and refocus your motivation.
Spring clean your socials
If you’ve read through this list and Facebook is still open in the other window, at least use your time there productively. Update any professional social media profiles or websites related to your remote career or business, review your CV and LinkedIn profile and pre-schedule a week of Facebook posts if social media is part of your job. It will get you motivated to get back to work.
