Remote Work Digest: October 27, 2016

FRESNO, Calif. - Oct. 26, 2016 - PRLog -- How to Reduce Distractions, Improve Productivity and Leave On Time | Julia Naughton, Huffingtonpost.com.au

Whether it's your never-ending inbox or finally working on that creative project you didn't get to during the working day, we can all agree that in 2016, staying back late doesn't exactly reflect flawlessly on your time management skills.

Though, it's not entirely your fault.

Michael McQueen, author of Momentum: How to Build it, Keep it, or Get it Back explains the modern workplace doesn't make it any easier for us.

"The rise of technology has placed immense pressure on us in the form of expectations, both from others and the expectations we place on ourselves, which can be detrimental to our productivity," McQueen told The Huffington Post Australia.

Ahead, McQueen reveals his top 6 productivity tips for canceling out the noise and ticking off your to-do list so that you can get home on time.

1. Turn off notifications… all of them!
"Interruptions are an inevitable part of modern life, but by simply turning off all notifications for new mail, texts, alerts and requests you will immediately lessen the blow."

2. Make this new approach known
Basically, if you're only doing your emails in batches three times a day, let your colleagues know so they understand and adjust their expectations around receiving an immediate response.

3. Make friends with your phone's "Do Not Disturb" function
"When you hear the ping of your phone, even if you have no idea what the alert is about, knowing it's there impacts your ability to focus," McQueen said.

4. Get out of the office
Remove yourself from the environment by heading out to a cafe, park or a quiet room.
"Even if the cafe is a little noisy, you still would have removed other distractions like conversations happening around you and interruptions from other colleagues."

5. Put your headphones in
"If you can't get out of the office, try plugging in some headphones," McQueen said.
Depending on what kind of work you are doing, McQueen said listening to some music or even some white noise will help you to focus on the task at hand.

6. Set clear boundaries
"The big trend in the last five years is having office workers work from home one day a week," McQueen said.
While this has many positive effects including increased productivity due to less people spending time commuting and a decrease in cost for office space, McQueen said many people, especially those who are extroverted struggle to stay motivated in the absence of accountability.
"Sure, you have less colleagues interrupting you but at home there might be kids and piles of dirty washing waiting for you — so there's a whole set of new issues."
This is where setting clear boundaries becomes important otherwise any distraction that comes up becomes an opportunity to procrastinate," McQueen said.

10 ways to help employees achieve better work-life balance | Lauren Steed, Hrmorning.com

Many American simply feel overworked — despite what the numbers say.
As a result, people are clamoring for more of a work-life balance.
Sometimes what's needed isn't more time off, but the right time of day off. In most instances, employees want to find a way to juggle both work and their personal lives.

Read more: https://blog.worksnaps.com/2016/10/27/remote-work-digest-...