Working remotely is a great way to find more balance and freedom in your life. It can also be a lifesaver for those who need or want to care for their children full-time, as well as those who are recovering from an illness or injury. But remote work comes with its own set of challenges: Heavy workloads, isolation, limited social interaction, and more.
However, it doesn't have to be that way by simply applying a couple of managing tactics. So today, we will go over a couple of tips to help you manage the heavy workloads while working remotely.
Let's take a look!
1. Task Management Apps
Task Management apps are excellent for managing a heavy workload. These apps help break down projects into smaller sections to help you manage each task individually while keeping track of what needs to be done next. There are many options out there, some of the most popular being Trello, Asana, Basecamp, Evernote.
These apps allow you to set up projects, assign tasks, set time limits, and track your time spent on a project. The list is limitless with how much you can get organized with apps like these.
Other Project Management apps like Jira are great for remote teams. Jira allows users to prioritize and assign tasks, and track and report with ease.
If you have a heavy workload, using one of these should be a priority to help you stay on track.
2. Make Time For Planning
Speaking of staying organized, you can't get organized without actually taking the time to plan. Planning is key to any successful team, individual, and business, and it holds even greater importance when working remotely.
Not only will planning your daily tasks help you manage your workload, but it can also help you stay focused and keep track of what you need to do next.
Lastly, planning will help reduce your stress levels which is a significant issue when you have a heavy workload. Once you have planned out what needs to be done, schedule time in your calendar (or one of the fantastic apps we just talked about) so that you don't get distracted with other things while working on one task at a time.
3. Focus On Priorities
Don't focus on everything at once. Instead, focus on the things that matter most such as generating revenue, maintaining communication with clients, and meeting firm deadlines.
If you properly plan and are using the planning apps, you'll already know what has the highest priority and you should focus just on that until it's completed.
When you do this, you will get better results and your workload won't seem as overwhelming.
4. Work With The Team
When working remotely, it's easy to be isolated from the rest of your team and business. But don't fall into that trap! Just because you work remotely doesn't mean you can't collaborate with your team!
In Fact, it's quite the opposite. Working remotely is a chance to still meet and work with your team, just like any other job but without any of the distractions. So make sure you take advantage of that by frequently communicating with all who work for you.
It's a good idea to find a way for everyone on your team to check in with one another throughout the day or week. When you and your team hold each other accountable it helps you stay on top of your tasks.
There are several services out there designed specifically for this purpose, including Trello, HipChat, Slack. The list goes on!
Using platforms such as Slack is a great way to stay in the loop with your team and work closely together on projects. You can even schedule 10-minute breaks with your team and have a chat on Slack at designated times.
5. Managing Time & Distractions
Lastly, let's talk about managing your time and blocking out distractions. You may have heard that you need to set aside 30 minutes for planning, 30 minutes for working on the task at hand, and then 15-30 minutes for breaks in between—but there are many different ways of managing your time.
For example, if in your plan you have a couple of hours in the morning to work with no distractions, there is no point frittering away your time responding to emails or checking social media sites when you could be getting more done during that time.
All of this goes back to purposeful planning! If something does come up that is sure to take up too much of your time, schedule it out into blocks during different times throughout the week where you will be less likely interrupted by other tasks.
If you are prone to distractions easily, consider using a couple of these apps:
These will help to block out distractions and allow you to stay focused on the task at hand.
Working Remotely In 2022
Working remotely has a lot of perks, but if you don't manage your time wisely, it can become overwhelming. Therefore, it’s important to plan ahead and manage your time properly if you want to be successful at working from home.
If you apply these 5 tips for working remotely with a heavy workload, you'll be sure to see a massive difference in your workday and stress levels.
So, if you’re ready to start tackling new challenges then make sure to apply these tips to your routine!