Hybrid workers are fast becoming the present and future of the global economy. If you're one of them, this means adjusting your work-life balance all over again.
Here are some ideas for how to do it...
Over the course of the last year or so, a lot of people have had to adjust from spending most of their days in an office to suddenly working 100% remotely. There were pros and cons to this new lifestyle, but for the most part we adapted well and life carried on. Some of us started to believe that this shift was permanent (and in some cases it will be), while others always saw it as just a temporary arrangement. Now, we’re starting to see the emergence of a new trend that both works within the limits imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic and gives us a framework for what could come after.
Hybrid work has the potential to help us strike a new balance in the workplace and truly get the best of both worlds. It also poses a new set of challenges that we will need to face on both an individual and collective level. Empowering hybrid workers to maximize their potential is one of the greatest tasks businesses face in the immediate future, while employees themselves will also need to discover what works best for them as individuals. Here’s how to maximize your potential if you’re a part of this new wave…
Analyzing and adjusting your productivity patterns
The best thing about combining remote and in-office work is that this new formula provides an unprecedented opportunity for people to customize their work schedules in ways that maximize productivity. Many businesses now offer their employees at least some freedom when it comes to determining how much time they need in the office vs how much can be spent working remotely. But too much freedom and flexibility can lead to inefficiency. In that sense, whether you have a set amount of days in the office and at home or the ability to choose your own schedule, it’s important to know what patterns of activity work best for you.
Tips for building efficient productivity patterns:
The 3 pillars of productivity are energy, context (the time and place that work takes place) and focus. If you learn to use all three effectively, you’ll soon find that you get more done in less time. The extra free time you create by being more efficient can then be used for exercise, recreation and spending more quality time with the people you love. Having more time for these types of things is proven to increase productivity as well, meaning that once you get it right you can create a positive feedback loop that will benefit you in every aspect of life.
Energy
Figure out a routine for in-office and remote days that allows you get enough nutritious foods and water in throughout the day. These are the basics of maintaining your energy levels and can’t be overlooked no matter where you’re working from.
Getting enough rest after work and at least some downtime during the day are other vital aspects of increasing your productivity no matter where you’re working from. Most of us already had established patterns when all our work took place in an office setting, but working remotely is a whole different ball game. You’ll need to build in your own breaks while also ensuring that you don’t drag your work out to the point where you cut into sleep or recreation time.
Context
In terms of place, office spaces are obviously created to facilitate work (although how well they do this varies wildly depending on their design). When it comes to your remote days, the first decision that you need to make is whether you want to (and can) work from home. Is your home environment conducive to work or would you be better off in co-working space or cafe for a few hours a day? This may largely be determined by whether you have access to a dedicated work area at home and the kinds of distractions you face there. Besides having a separate room to work in, having a good chair and a large screen also help immensely to increase your productivity when working remotely.
When it comes to the time of day that you work, there is also much to consider. As a hybrid worker, it’s important to strike a balance between being available to coworkers and clients, as well as maximizing your efficiency by working hours that suit your personal needs and preferences. Sometimes this balance occurs naturally as you interact with the people you work with, but generally speaking it requires planning and time-management.
Focus
Experiment with your patterns of work to figure out how many hours at time you can TRULY focus for. For some people this means working in shorter bursts interspersed with brief periods of downtime, while for others having 4 or 5 hours of uninterrupted time to concentrate might be enough to get through all their work for the day.
Besides creating a pattern of work that helps you to maximize your focus, its equally important to consider ways that you can increase it with external assistance. When it comes to increasing focus this way, there are plenty of tools worthy of consideration:
- Natural methods
such as meditation, exercise and brain-boosting foods & nutrients
are a great place to start. After some research and a little trial and
error, you’re sure to find a few natural focus aids that work for you. - Pharmaceuticals such as Adderall and Ritalin can be highly effective focus aids, but should be used with caution and preferably only after trying natural or technological solutions. Relying on drugs for focus often can lead to dependence or even addiction and they may take a toll on your body and mind if used long-term.
- Technology is often the enemy of focus, after all, the internet and social media are basically designed to attract and keep a hold of your attention. That said, tech can also be your biggest ally when used correctly. That’s where software such as FocusMe comes into play. Imagine a digital tool that can help you to better guard your attention and increase your productivity by leaps and bounds. Sounds interesting, right?
Avoiding digital distractions with FocusMe
In the 21st century, distraction is the single biggest obstacle to productivity. Every direction you turn there is some form of digital media fighting for your attention. So how to fight back?
Easy… block out the noise, properly! And that’s exactly what FocusMe does. It’s the most powerful app available for online workers who want to lock themselves out of websites, apps and games on their phone or computer. If you’re ready to finally put a stop to procrastination and ramp up your ability to accomplish your most important goals, this is how you’ll do it!