We all know the struggle: you get to the coffee shop in the morning to begin your remote workday to find that all of the outlets are taken. The music’s too loud, your laptop battery is dying, and you’re constantly fighting the urge to click open your internet browser and check social media. How do you stay productive when working remotely?
Remote workers face several challenges that you don’t face when working from home or from the office. Distractions, space limitations, and a lack of access to your normal tools are all obstacles that can limit your productivity and leave you feeling stressed. With a few easy tips, however, you can turn your remote workplace into a relaxed and productive environment.
Here are several tips to help you work remotely in style:
Bring The Right Gear
To turn a coffee shop or coworking space into a productive remote workplace, you’ll need to bring certain tech accessories and gadgets besides your laptop. These can keep you connected, charged, and organized to help you stay productive and block out any distractions. These are a few of the best tech accessories to bring:
Backup Chargers
You don’t want to rely fully on one phone or computer charger. By bringing your typical charger with you everywhere, you run the risk of losing or damaging it along the way. Bring a backup charger with you when you work remotely and make sure it has a long power cord to reach any far away outlets.
Extra Battery Pack
Working remotely doesn’t always ensure you access to a steady supply of energy or unlimited access to outlets. If you bring with you a backup battery pack, you ensure that you have enough power on hand to get the job done until you can successfully charge.
USB Hub
For workers who need to connect multiple devices to their computer at once, a USB hub is a vital tech accessory. These can give you additional slots to allow you to plug in devices such as cameras, flash drives, and external hard drives all at the same time.
Headphones
While a remote workspace can be a blessing for those who’ve grown tired of the office and the home, it can also be noisy and full of distractions. A good quality pair of over the ear headphones can help block out the noise and keep you focused on your work.
Wireless Mouse
A wireless mouse is an excellent tech accessory that can make your laptop feel more like a desktop. These can help you work faster and more efficiently, especially if you find laptops to be too compact.
Sticky Tabs
If you’ve got physical planners or documents to work with, sticky tabs are cheap accessories that can help you keep them organized. These can save you time by allowing you to quickly mark pertinent pages, especially since you can’t exactly spread them out across a large desk all at once when space is limited.
Stay Organized
Staying organized is a vital component of working remotely. Not only do you need a tidy workspace, but you also need to keep all of your accessories organized when commuting to and from your remote workspace. Here are several ways to stay organized:
Create A Work Schedule
A work schedule can help you organize your time, allowing you to maximize productivity and minimize distractions. Working remotely lacks some of the structure that the office provides, so you need a detailed work schedule in order to stay focused. Plan out your tasks by the order in which you need to complete them throughout the day. This can help you keep an eye on the time and know whether or not you’re meeting your productivity goals.
Limit Distractions
Distractions abound in a remote workspace, so make an effort to limit them as much as possible. In addition to a pair of headphones to block out noise, you can put your phone on do not disturb or silence it during working hours. A social media blocker on your computer browser can help you resist the temptation to stray from your tasks when your mind begins to wander throughout the day.
Organize Your Documents and Gadgets
A tidy remote workspace is important to make you feel more relaxed. Sticky tabs can help you organize physical documents, while a digital filing system can help you organize files on your computer.
You’ll also want to keep organized any tech accessories you bring along with you. A travel organizer like the Pocket for Gadgets is a versatile storage pouch that can handle anything from portable batteries to laptop chargers to USB & SD cards. This travel organizer comes with several elastic slots and mesh pockets to organize and secure gadgets of all sizes.
Protect Your Gadgets
In addition to keeping your tech accessories organized, you’ll also want to keep them protected. Most people think to bring a laptop case in order to keep their laptop safe from scratches and spills, but few people do the same for their accessories. A tech pouch organizer like the Pocket for Tech Accessories will help you keep you these small accessories safe and organized while you’re on the go. This tech accessories organizer comes with a durable, cushioned exterior that uses water-resistant fabric to protect your fragile accessories from various bumps, spills, or fraying.
If you like to bring along a wireless mouse, then the Pocket for Laptop is a tech pouch organizer that can protect your laptop charger, mouse, and other tech accessories. It comes with a safe storage pouch using a compact design and a non-slip, rubber grip lining. This tech accessories organizer also doubles as a mousepad when you unzip the pocket and lay it flat on a table.
Working remotely doesn’t have to be a struggle. These tips can help you make the most of remote working. If you bring along the right accessories and keep them organized and protected, you can work virtually anywhere you want.