How do you stay on task?

Interview with Gregory, a Senior Software Developer

Strict scheduling, being ready to work the moment I sit down, and having a dedicated workspace are key.

I have ADD, so I've learned over the years how important a strict schedule is to me. I need to schedule chunks of time dedicated to a specific task, and I need to stick to it.

Interestingly enough to those who don't know, ADD can have an aspect called "hyperfocus" where you generally become so engrossed in a specific task that literally hours can go by without you even realizing.

Hyperfocus might sound like a blessing, but very rarely is it a good thing for me. Most of the time if I get hyperfocused on something, the result is not ideal.

It's often missing big parts (like documentation or testing), it's sometimes deviated from solving the actual problem (instead I almost create my own problem to solve and then solve it), and the code is often more complicated than it should be.

Making sure I follow my schedule on both when to start and when to stop a task are very important in avoiding both the lack of focus and the hyperfocus caused by my ADD.

Being ready to work when I sit down is another. Before I start working in the mornings, I'm fully dressed, done eating, well rested, and overall just ready to work. Distractions are a lot easier to indulge when you have to get up anyway to go get breakfast, or you have to go get dressed before that video call at noon so you can just slack off for the next 15 minutes since you won't get anything done in that time anyway.

I treat walking into my office like a commute: I shouldn't have any other obligations that have to be done for a while before I sit down to work.

And finally, that dedicated workspace is very important. My family is home during the day, so to be able to close the door and not get distracted by others, or to be able to keep the rest of the house out of sight and out of mind means, there is less to be tempted by in the first place.

Gregory is a senior software developer working from home - learn how he finds the balance between lack of focus and hyperfocus.

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Interview with Digital Nomad Sage, an entrepreneur and UX consultant

For intensive work that requires my utmost attention, I won’t listen to music at all. I’ll also close all my social media tabs so that I won’t get distracted.

A lifestyle hack that I implemented was removing my desktop speakers to remove the temptation of just listening to music.

From e-books to blogging, Digital Nomad Sage has become an expert on making money online—see his advice for developing an online business.

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Interview with Liz, a UI/UX designer and cowork advocate

At the beginning of the workday, I'll take an old-fashioned pen and paper to write out a high-level to-do list. It's such a satisfying feeling to check off tasks in those little checkboxes as you go through your day.

I have a small ritual with my headphones as well that's developed over time. As soon as I put on my noise-canceling headphones, I've trained myself that I have now entered productivity mode.

Liz is a traveling UI/UX designer—see her strategy for thriving as a digital nomad and her efforts to promote coworking.

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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 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 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 Laura, a communications specialist and travel writer by night

Again, Slackbot reminds me of what I need to do. But WebDevStudios also relies on project management software like Trello and Basecamp to keep things organized.

I rely on Google Sheets in Google Drive to keep my content organized and insert deadlines. I use these sheets for our company editorial calendar as well as for the freelance content I publish on the side.

Laura Coronado discusses her method for juggling her career as a communications specialist by day and her side hustle as a freelance travel writer by night.

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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 Katerina, a team collaboration consultant who sees the value of discipline

First and foremost, for staying on task getting enough sleep is crucial.

Everyone has different sleep needs. For me, going to bed and getting up at the same time every day helps. I also stick to this pattern on the weekends.

I plan my work a week ahead while keeping deadlines and priorities in mind.

Katerina fell into remote work by accident - she reveals how easy and straightforward it can be to make discipline a daily part of remote work.

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Interview with Laurel about helping companies transition to remote work

Because I juggle so many clients and projects at a time, time blocking is crucial for me to keep from feeling overwhelmed or reactive.

I have certain chunks of time set aside each week to work on each project, then try to only work on (or even think about) that project during it's slot.

If I find myself low on motivation or getting distracted during work hours, turning on a french Pandora station (if I don't understand the lyrics, they can't distract me from my train of thought), taking a break to run some errands, or taking a quick walk around my neighborhood usually does the trick.

Laurel is an advocate for remote work and helps companies learn how to work remotely through her consulting and writing.

Read full interview from Interview with Laurel about helping companies transition to remote work.