How Mobile IT Workers Can Stay Focused Working Remotely

Mobile IT Workers Can Stay Focused Working Remotely. A recent story by Monster.com highlighted some helpful tips on IT workers who may have to work from home due to weather conditions. It can even apply to the daily remote worker and the growing trend of more employees working from home and BYOD. Let’s take a look at some insights.

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According to Laura Stack, productivity professional useful advice for working remote  includes the following:

Workers stuck in their homes need to begin by actually putting themselves in the office … mentally.

“It’s a mindset shift,” she says. “You have to think, ‘I’m not working from home; this is my office.’”

First and foremost: Avoid high-traffic areas. Odds are that if you’re home from work, your children and significant other are home too. Stack says stay away from that kitchen table where you usually meet to pay your bills or where your family is inclined to go for a snack.

Next, feel free to call a meeting with your family to set firm boundaries, and to create a schedule with your other half to determine who manages the kids and who’s managing the team remotely.

“Tell your children, ‘I know this is unusual but I need your help,’” Stack says.

You can take it one step further and come up with a signal for your children that means: “I’m working right now and this is not a good time to interrupt me.”

If you’re among those who are just not inclined to work from home, go the extra mile in terms of feeling like you’re in — or at least going to — your office.

“It sounds kind of silly, but have a little ceremony,” Stack says. “Treat it like your work day: Get up, take a shower, get dressed normally and walk through the front door if you have to.”

And if all else fails, you can try to safely get to the closest Wi-Fi-enabled coffee shop or library.

“A four-hour shift in a library cubicle can be much more productive than attempting 10 hours at home,” Stack says.

How do you stay focused working remotely? Share your thoughts with us here!