How do you stay on task?

Interview with Cameron, a designer who works remotely at a WordPress agency

The way I stay on task is to write out the 3 most important things I need to do that day on a note card and place it in front of my monitor.

As long as I do those 3 things I know I'll have had a productive day and can always circle around to less important things before the day is over. My company uses Basecamp for tracking tasks and goals so there is always a big list of items to pull from.

Learn how Cameron started full-time remote work after trying freelancing and starting a digital agency.

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Interview with Andrew, co-founder and CEO of Insured Nomads

Working from lists, a plan, and a focus help me stay on task.

Always remember, your focus determines your reality." - George Lucas, filmmaker

Andrew, co-founder, and CEO of Insured Nomads talks traveling while working, productivity tools, and the best advice he has received.

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Interview with Alaina, a nonprofit program state director

Planning days and keeping to-do lists are my saving graces. I am currently trying a new version of a to-do list on two pages in my notebook where I list any follow-up items from the previous week, tasks for the week, and a day by day breakdown.

Believe it or not, keeping my refrigerator stocked with lunch options and snacks for the week keeps me on track for shorter lunch breaks and snacking throughout the day.

I also don’t waste time thinking through what I will eat for lunch. And because I work from home, I might cook a burger or make a salad for lunch and it’s easy to have the ingredients available to throw together and not waste time running to a fast-food restaurant and returning—it’s also very cost-efficient.

Taking breaks throughout the day is also important; getting up and walking around helps break the monotony of staring at a computer screen.

Sometimes I will walk around while taking phone calls using my headphones or Bluetooth, and since my dining room table is bar height, I can take notes while standing up.

It takes a minute to find your rhythm in a new remote position—hear how Alaina organizes her time to hit the ground running in a new remote work job.

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Interview with Dane, a freelance writer and author with 7 published books

When you work in a creative job, I think you need to take regular breaks so that you can recharge.

That’s particularly true if you’re stuck on something, because I tend to find that as soon as I stop worrying about a problem, a solution presents itself.

Another option is to hop from one task to another, which is what I’ve always done to deal with “writer’s block”. I’m not sure that I’ve ever really had writer’s block anyway, or even that it exists. Every time I’ve ever been stuck with something, I’ve just switched tack and worked on a different project for a while and then when I return to whatever I was stuck with, I’m good to go.

Another thing that I’m quite good at is multitasking, and while I don’t necessarily do that while working on client projects (unless there’s a need to do so), it does come in handy for admin tasks. I’ll quite often be responding to emails whilst simultaneously working on job proposals or updating my website. I’ve been doing that for years though, so perhaps it’s not the best idea for everyone.

Other than that, all I really need is my trusty to-do list. I use it to plan my work out based on how long I think tasks are going to take and then I just make sure that I stay on top of it.

I actually think that one of the best ways to stay productive is to make sure that you’re always organized.

And having a clean and tidy working environment helps, too.

Dane is a freelance writer and author who works remotely, and balances client work with writing his own books.

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Interview with Chloe, a customer support freelancer and multi-project expert

I make a list at the beginning of each day with what I need to do and check them off as I finish them.

If I need to stay on a schedule of getting something done within a certain amount of time, I treat myself only once it has been completed and not before.

Chloe uses the flexibility of freelancing to her advantage—see how she successfully manages multiple projects at one time.

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Interview with Melissa, a co-founder and remote work champion

Some days I don’t.

We have a lot going on right now and, as a start-up, you are wearing so many hats. We might be having a very high-level strategic conversation and then get an email that our web site form isn’t working and I’m off spending three hours trying to figure out something in the code.

I look at my tasks on a weekly vs. daily basis. It’s less overwhelming.

Melissa started Work Well Wherever to help individuals & companies embrace remote work—see how she balances entrepreneurship, parenthood, & self-care.

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Interview with Vivek, an entrepreneur building a virtual office for remote teams

I have three strategies for eliminating distractions:

• Silence all mobile and desktop notifications. - This is the lowest hanging fruit. You can't stay focused if your device is screaming for your attention every other minute.

• Remove visual distractions - Visual distractions are often more nefarious than notifications. Even when I silence my notifications, I make sure that the windows on my screen are relevant for my deep work. If they aren't relevant, I close them. This also extends not only to the virtual world but also to the physical world. I used to have a workspace that faced the road, but even seeing my neighbors waving to each other could subtly throw off my focus.

• Reduce distractions caused by anxiety - The hardest distractions to eliminate have been self-inflicted distractions caused by anxiety about events that have happened during the day. This is especially relevant for startup founders.

Chaos is normal during startup life. A new feature can introduce massive unintended bugs in the product. Or a potential customer might not understand the product's value prop during a demo. Or an existing customer may get frustrated that you haven't shipped a feature request yet.

It seems impossible not to obsess about the craziness of the day when you want to stay focused.

Meditation has been critical in combating this self-sabotage. I recommend that everyone experiment with different meditation techniques to find out what works for them.

But, I use the Headspace mobile app to reduce anxiety and stress and use techniques from Eknath Easwaran's book Conquest of Mind to improve my mental focus.

The long San Francisco commute sent Vivek into remote work—hear about his three strategies for eliminating distractions & his must-have tools.

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Interview with Kristi, a CEO and remote team leader

I live according to my calendar and my very low-tech to-do list.

But yes, I still get pulled away from things; not every item is crossed off by the end of a day, much to my chagrin.

Kristi is a CEO, remote work author, and speaker. In this interview, she shares the impact of new motherhood and remote team leadership on her work.

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Interview with Vaishali, a content marketer and a productivity tool expert

I start by preparing a checklist before I start my day, and update it at the end of it. I then set reminders in Slack for some tasks. Next, I prioritize important tasks during the first half of the day and then handle less critical functions during the second half.

Continuous self-learning is important when you don't have your team around. So, I set aside some time each week for learning and keeping myself updated with the latest marketing developments and trends.

Also, we have quick weekly meetings. During them, I take notes and make sure to complete the tasks we discuss each week.

Vaishali persevered until she found the right remote work job for her lifestyle—check out how she uses productivity tools and time management strategies to stay productive.

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Interview with Henry, a consultant who found remote work by saying No

My main tip as a remote employee or manager is to do less interaction than you think necessary.

When people start working from home, the instinct is to be more available and check-in more. It must be something about not being seen physically at your desk that makes people feel like they can't show how much effort they are putting in.

As a result, people will respond on Slack more quickly than when working in person, set up more check-in meetings over Zoom, and respond to emails right away and outside of work hours. This erodes the ability to do real, focused work without interruption.

It's important for managers of remote teams to encourage people to sign off and set limits on meetings.

Encourage people to pick small blocks of time to respond to email and close it otherwise. The more time you have without notifications and digital communication distractions, the more efficient you'll be.

Sometimes a "no" can lead to an exceptional opportunity. For Henry, that answer led to an ideal remote work career. In this interview, Henry shares his remote work tool stack, and essential tip for remote employees and managers.

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