**I've been working remotely for several years (since 2016),** for local, national but also international companies. **My experience is based on different working methods**, with colleagues not always used to remote work, sometimes even with big time differences. **So here's a list of some tips that are valid regardless of context** and that, I hope, can also be useful to you! ## 1 - Force yourself to maintain a healthy work routine The temptation, when no one is there to watch your every move (at least not your management), is to save time in the morning by **getting up at 9:29 to start your day at 9:30**. Even if those few dozen minutes can be very pleasant early in the morning, your productivity won't be any better for it—quite the opposite. **Use the minutes you save to take the time to have a proper breakfast**, to get some fresh air and to **start thinking about how to organize your day** calmly. Even if you don't sleep or work any longer, **the motivation to complete your planned tasks one by one will help you move through your day faster**! Whether you have a partner or children at home, it's important to define and **explain the schedule and rules during your remote work period**. This step is essential because there's nothing worse for concentration than being interrupted every 5 minutes. **If needed**, make yourself a small sign with an "I'm available" side and a "Do not disturb" side that you'll display clearly, which can especially help children understand (from a certain age onward). ## 2 - Get dressed (even the bare minimum) I know, it's tempting. But believe me, an urgent video call invitation or an unexpected delivery (which normally never happens) **will make you regret not having taken the time to put on something simple**, comfortable but above all presentable. _Come on, at least a t-shirt, but make sure you don't get up from your chair during the video call!_ ## 3 - Take care of your work environment I worked on my couch, with the computer on my knees, for more than a year. **If my back could talk, it would still be calling me every name in the book.** Besides the poor posture, it's essential to have a work environment separate from any distraction and from the rest of your daily life. Even if you live in a small apartment, **set up a small dedicated space that you'll use only for working**, it will be your concentration's best friend and will keep you from mixing up your work and personal life too much. ::: bookmark [![](https://cellar-c2.services.clever-cloud.com/content/2021/07/IMG_20201026_075019.jpg)Mon setup de développeur web freelance (édition 2021) - Blog - Code-Garage](https://code-garage.fr/blog/my-freelance-web-developer-setup/) ::: ## 4 - Favor asynchronous communication When you make a phone call, you know that you're available, but most of the time you don't know if it's the same for the person on the other end. **By training your colleagues and collaborators to favor emails/messages and to only use phone calls in case of emergency**, you'll be able to gain precious focus time and, at the same time, **give yourself specific time slots during which to check your notifications**. Also remember to structure your messages well; don't bury your important questions or information in long paragraphs, **favor bullet lists**. Pay attention to your "non-verbal" communication, **think about your phrasing** and don't hesitate to add a few emojis if the context allows it, as this can prevent misunderstandings between colleagues over poorly interpreted sentences. _Bonus tip: Information written in an email can be found again, while information dropped casually during a call is very easily forgotten._ ## 5 - Save the information you receive Once you've received information by email, **take it out of your inbox to gather and organize it, by topic, by task or even by collaborator**. This will save you from having to dig through your emails every two minutes. _I can't recommend enough using the Trello platform, where I organize my professional (but also personal) tasks._ > [https://trello.com](https://trello.com/nicolasbrondin/recommend) ## 6 - Clear your mind _I'm not going to advise you to go sit in a café to work for a few hours just to get out of the house. At least, not for now..._ What's certain is that **staying home all day without breathing fresh air or talking to another human being for several days can drive you crazy**, and I know what I'm talking about. Take your laptop and go sit on a bench, outside (thank goodness for tethering) and **soak up some Vitamin D**, take breaks, drink water and **keep in regular contact with your friends and family** by message or by phone (without being bombarded with notifications either), it can completely change your experience. _It's in moments like these that you can truly appreciate remote work!_ ## 7 - Report on completed tasks **There's nothing better for reassuring your colleagues or your management** than regularly sending a report on the progress of your current projects and tasks. **Be concise, reassuring but honest**, and if your experience is going well, you'll have proof to show that **remote work is a good solution for you, but that it's also a good solution for your employer!**