How to be punctual while working remotely

Working remotely certainly has its perks. If you're at home, you can stay in your PJs all day long and even get a few chores done. However, there are also downsides and being punctual is definitely one of them.

• 80 to 90% of Americans wish that they could work remotely and 50% of Americans have a job where partial telework is possible.
• Having the freedom to work from anywhere isn’t just a bonus. It can actually make you more productive.
• Not only is the hiring process faster for remote workers, there’s less employee turnover.
• But, remote working isn’t all relaxing and sitting on the couch. There are downfalls. Remote workers often find an increase in interruptions as well as a decrease in human interaction.

Most office jobs require a person clock in at the beginning and end of the work shift. This is just so the company can keep track of hours worked. This system also helps manage short breaks, lunches, and even overtime. However, being a remote worker definitely requires a different approach. You must be a self-starter; one who is motivated to work and keep working even during the slow times of the year. And, you have to do all of this without the motivation of clocking in and out. Suffice to say, being punctual while working remotely takes lots of self-discipline. Here are some tips that will help.

Working remotely takes lots of self-discipline.

Share your work calendar

Although we don’t have a specific clock-in procedure here at the Gadget Flow, many of us have a set time and set hours. But, because we’re a global team, we don’t all work at the same time. We keep track of this with Google Calendars and are able to share our schedule with the rest of the team. This allows the team to know who from our team is online at any time as well as those from other departments. Being able to see everyone’s calendar also allows us to check if anyone is off on a certain day or perhaps even working a half day. The organization of a calendar helps us to keep track of shifts even when everyone lives and works in different time zones.

Keep track of shifts

Create your own schedule your way

There are tons of apps available for time management and they all work great in different ways. The key is finding which works best for your lifestyle and sticking to that schedule. Use these apps to schedule your work hours, meeting times, and deadlines. Set alarms for yourself that mark the beginning and end of your shift as well as lunches and small 15 minute breaks in between. This will help you keep track of your time and get you going on the right daily routine. Plus, it ensures you’re taking some much-needed breaks. There are a number of apps and tools you can use to effectively manage your schedule:

• Trello: Simple to use yet vital for our team, Trello helps you organize upcoming, ongoing, and finished tasks with ease.
• Smartphone Alarm: In addition to helping you wake up, you can set multiple alarms to start and end your shift as well as a reminder for lunch and breaks.
• Evernote: For those that write everything down, it’s great for keeping track of all of your tasks. Plus, you can scribble easily and always find your notes with smart tags.
• Todoist: A digital to-do list, this app can actually sync with your computer alarms for a more seamless workflow.

Take care of your health

It really is a dream for most people to be able to work from home on a comfortable couch or even a bed. It’s very tempting to just want to sit all day and not move for hours on end. This, however, can have terrible effects on your health and can also affect your sleeping habits. Make sure to set some time aside to walk around or even do a few squats every 30 minutes. I like to take short, 10-minute breaks and do small chores in my house. By the end of the day, my body doesn’t feel so groggy and, as a bonus, all the housework is done. It’s also important to drink lots of water and stay hydrated. Having light and healthy meals throughout the day according to your personal schedule will help keep the energy up to work diligently and stay on track.

Stay consistent in your everyday work schedule

These are just a few tips to help keep yourself punctual and consistent in your everyday work schedule and even for the days you’re not working. Planning ahead is also a great way to fit everything that needs to be done. The best part about working remotely is that you can create your own personal schedule according to your needs, wants, and goals.