{"id":3636,"date":"2016-09-21T16:35:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T16:35:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=3636"},"modified":"2023-10-18T17:35:54","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T17:35:54","slug":"tech-tips-increase-productivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ca\/blog\/tech-tips-increase-productivity\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology Tips that Help Increase Productivity When You Work from Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Working from home can be both freeing and confining. While it\u2019s great to set your own schedule and work at your own pace, there are different, and sometimes more distractions at home than at the office. Some people may feel a sense of isolation if they spend 8 hours working from home with no one else to talk to and other people may struggle to cross just one item off their to-do list if they work in the same house as a roommate, spouse, and\/or kids.<\/p>\n

Whether you made the conscious choice to work from home or it\u2019s just the nature of your job, there are plenty of apps and other forms of technology that can help make your day a little easier and a lot more productive. Read below to learn some tips and tricks to ensure you\u2019re productive and satisfied with your work at the end of every day.<\/p>\n

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Set a schedule and take regular breaks<\/b><\/h3>\n

It can be really tempting to sleep in every morning when there\u2019s no need to look presentable and commute to an office. Setting an alarm to wake up early may be right for some people, but if you do some of your best work at night, sleeping in may not be a bad thing. It\u2019s all about finding what works best for you. Figure out when you are most productive then carve out a chunk of time during those hours every day to complete the bulk of your work. It\u2019s important to set a schedule, even if it is flexible so you don\u2019t get distracted with laundry, cooking, or other household tasks when you\u2019re supposed to work.<\/p>\n

Despite the distractions working from home can pose, it\u2019s important to take scheduled breaks throughout the day; powering through several hours of work without a break can be draining. Take breaks to eat, stretch, and move around, then get back to work feeling a little more refreshed. You can enter your daily schedule into your phone or computer\u2019s digital calendar so you can access it throughout the day. <\/a>Toggl<\/a> is a helpful app that allows you to track how much time you spend on various tasks. You can track from your browser, smartphone, or computer to see exactly how much time you spend working on a small task, a big project, or time-wasters (like browsing Instagram). It also allows you to create timesheets you can send to your employer if necessary.<\/p>\n

Use cloud-based file sharing<\/b><\/h3>\n

While it\u2019s smart to have a dedicated computer and office to work from, it\u2019s not always realistic. But for many people, working remotely offers the chance to change the scenery. Some people prefer to work a local coffee shop or library. Remote work may also allow more travel opportunities. To make yourself more mobile, consider a cloud-based system to store all of your files. <\/a>Dropbox<\/a> <\/u>and Quip<\/a> help organize and store everything you need so you can access it anywhere you work. Plus, both programs allow users to share documents with others so they can collaborate with colleagues and turn in projects without ever having to be in the same room with them. If you need a change of pace, or can\u2019t quite handle day after day of isolation, a cloud sharing system will allow to maintain momentum on important tasks no matter where you work from.<\/p>\n

Stay connected to colleagues<\/b><\/h3>\n

Working from home doesn\u2019t necessarily mean working alone; in fact there are few jobs that allow you to work completely independently. But if you constantly run into the office for meetings or to collaborate with colleagues on a project, you\u2019re not technically working from home\u2014and you\u2019re probably wasting a lot of valuable time commuting. That\u2019s why programs like Chatter<\/a>, <\/a>Skype<\/a>, <\/a>Google Hangouts<\/a>, and <\/a>Slack<\/a> are incredibly useful for remote workers. <\/p>\n

Chatter allows employees to connect with files, data, and experts\u2014anywhere, anytime. Skype facilitates virtual meetings on desktop and mobile. While phone calls can be better than email, sometimes you need to see a person\u2019s facial expressions when you pitch an idea. Have a quick question for a colleague? Use Google Hangouts. It allows users to send e-messages, video, and voice calls. Slack does a little bit of everything; direct messaging, file sharing, pre-built integrations, private channels, and more. If you want a high tech way to multitask, Slack is the program for you.<\/p>\n

A mobile CRM<\/a> will also help you stay connected to customers and updated in real-time whether you\u2019re in the office, at your home office, or on the go. <\/p>\n

Use plugins to reduce distractions<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re in the middle of a project and can\u2019t stop typing Facebook into your browser, there are plugins to help. LeechBlock for Firefox, <\/a>WasteNoTime<\/a> for Safari, and <\/a>StayFocusd<\/a> for Chrome block distracting websites so you aren\u2019t as tempted to stray during work hours. In addition, you have the option to program times into them. For example, you can allow yourself 5 minutes on a blocked site after completing 45 minutes of work. It\u2019s up to you to set the schedule and stick to it, but these tools help keep you in line.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/b><\/h3>\n

There are plenty of other digital tools to help you be your most productive work-from-home self. <\/a>Evernote<\/a>, <\/a>Teuxdeux<\/a>, <\/a>Remember the Milk<\/a>, <\/a>Goals on Track<\/a>, and <\/a>Do it Tomorrow<\/a> are a few others you may want to check out. To learn more, give this <\/a>article<\/a> a read.<\/p>\n

What do you use in order to be successful when working from home? Let us know in the comment section below.<\/p>\n

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