10 helpful tips for working remotely (and staying productive)

The New World Order is here, and knowing how to work remotely is right up there in it as the number one future of work mantra.

For remote VAs, this is music to their ears – it’s something they’ve been doing well before COVID times, and with great success.

So while we started to cover the topic in our eBook 0-10 Clients: Setting Up a Profitable & Fulfilling VA Business, we wanted to expand on it more here. For our top 10 tips to add to your working from home guide, read on.

1. Put your posture first

Remember, your workspace is the number one productivity booster – if it’s set up right.

How you sit is critical, and our best advice is to keep everything in line.

Ideally, you need your table height to be in line with your elbows, with your wrists facing straight down and not arched.

Your backrest should support the natural arch of your back and your shoulders should be down and relaxed, with your head upright and not bent at all.

Keep your feet off of any sort of incline, and put down a good coaster for coffee and tea. This will help you avoid coffee rings and keep the blood pumping in your arms while you sip.

2. Remove distractions

While crucial for VA’s, technology comes with the risk of precious time wasted through social media scrolling, notification pop-ups and wandering minds.

So, tuck them away during peak productivity hours and utilise focus modes and productivity timers.

To encourage regular hydration (and minimise tension headaches from blue light), keep a dedicated maximum volume water bottle nearby so you’re not tempted to leave often to fill it up (and procrastinate with other tasks).

3. Set a daily intention and keep it front and centre

While one of the benefits of working remotely is that you can structure your own working day, you might struggle to find focus and purpose in what you’re doing without a daily intention.

We love Momentum for Chrome as a homepage extension tool that can remind you of your most important task, lift your mood with beautiful imagery and outline three top to-do’s or sub-tasks to be completed.

4. Create a cosy workspace

Lifestyle brand mogul Cynthia Rowley once said: “I’ve got a theory: if you love your workspace, you’ll love your work a little bit more.”

So, when it comes to learning how to work remotely in an efficient way – focus on sittin’ pretty.

Keep your space clean and uncluttered, with any important documents within arms reach and key apps or softwares (that you use more than once a week) on your desktop.

Soft, textured furnishings with plenty of natural elements and white space can create a haven of comfort and productivity – hide any wires as well.

5. Create focus nooks for uninterrupted work

While having the things you need close by is a good idea, completely tech-free work and focus zones really up the ante.

Have places – even a beanbag or sofa – where you can just go and really zone in or brainstorm an idea.

Keep pens and notepads within reach in these spaces at all times for quick ideas.

6. Light is life, and keep things cool

One of our top tips for working remotely?

Ensure that plenty of mood-boosting natural light can filter in, with the option of a blind or sheer curtain to pull for minimising glare or shadows in times of high sunlight.

Not only can this reduce headaches and eye strain, but it’s also a great way to keep your circadian rhythm well in check. Where possible, temperature control is also important to maintain, whether it be a full-service heating and cooling system, or simply a desk fan and the option to hide away the heat beating in from the sun on a glass window.

7. Use the best tools for productivity

While we don’t quite believe the age-old adage that a worker is only as good as their tools, there’s no denying that a good toolkit certainly helps a good VA be better.

From plugins to PDF converters, password manager systems to collaboration tools, check out our recommended virtual assistant Tools of the Trade library for the tech we feel has proven to be the best out of everything we’ve tried.

8. Plant it up

Not only do plants brighten up a space and reduce noise, but they also work to breathe more life into a room… literally.

Bringing in an oxygen-pumping plant like a pothos, dracaena, or fiddle leaf fig is a staple rule here at the VA Lead Network’s home offices, and if you’re after even more vine inspiration, this House Beautiful working-from-home guide has you covered.

9. Move intentionally on a regular basis

As tempting as it can be, sitting all day is no bueno for your back, neck or hip alignment.

So, using standing desks is a solid way to protect your posture and ensure continuous blood flow through your joints.

Alternatively, an exercise ball that you can sit and bob on while you take calls, listen to podcasts or start jotting down notes for a blog is a great way to keep mobile and moving.

10. Encourage collaboration

Everything is better done together, so to maintain freshness and fun when wondering how to work remotely, you can consider setting up virtual coworking sprints with colleagues or peers in the same industry.

If location isn’t a problem, invite a friend over once a month to co-work (and vice versa) to aid collaboration.

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