Even though we all thought that we’d eventually go back to the office… remote work has kind of stuck with us.

And it’s been great.

We no longer have to get up early to escape traffic.

Nor do we have to pack our lunch the night before. So, what’s the catch?

Staying productive. When you work from home, you’re your own boss. This means that you need to discipline yourself if you want to get some work done and not let distractions take over. 

The good news? You can succeed at this by relying on technology. That said, let’s take a look at the (must-have) tools for all you remote workers out there struggling to stay productive.

Tools to help you stay in touch

When you’re always surrounded by people, one (quiet) day by yourself can feel like a godsend.

It’ll get you thinking – why can’t every day be like this? But when you start working from home, you’ll see that too much quiet is also not ideal. And even though 61% of remote workers report that they’re more productive when working from home, this productivity doesn’t come on its own. 

This is exactly why you need to use the communication tools provided by your company to their full potential. For example, if you’re using Microsoft Teams to communicate with colleagues, you can create group chats where you can all share your ideas and progress. Or even better, organize a weekly meeting not only to discuss work-related stuff but also to catch up on life. 

If your company uses Slack for day-to-day communication, you can use it to create a survey.

You’ll also get feedback from all your teammates… instead of reaching out to them one by one. 

And let’s not forget the often overlooked feature of social & communication tools – the ability to change your status. This is how you can let everyone know when you’re doing important work or are taking a break and shouldn’t be distracted. It’s great for those who tend to lose focus easily. 

Tools to keep your day organized

Staying organized when there’s no one to keep you on track requires a strong character. So, if you’re not used to doing things on schedule, such as getting up, eating a certain meal, and going to the gym each day at the same time…  you’ll find this incredibly challenging. 

But fret not, there are tons of tools that can help you:

• Track your work hours —  It can feel like time stops when you’re in the office. But when you work from home, you could easily lose track of how many hours you’ve spent working. This is why you should consider time and attendance tracking to help you track your breaks and working hours by letting you clock in and out with one click. 
• Keep your tasks and projects in order —  We’re no machines. When tasked with multiple projects, we can easily forget a deadline. However, by relying on task management tools, we can prioritize our work and count on them to remind us of upcoming deadlines. 
• Plan your day and meetings — But even if you’re aware of an important deadline coming up, you could be so overwhelmed that you still might miss it. (This is why you need to use calendars and scheduling tools to plan your schedule ahead of time.) That is, make it so that nothing catches you off guard — and you’re left with both time for working and resting. 

It’s not that these tools won’t come in handy at the office. It’s just that when working from home, you’re more likely to get distracted. You could get a notification on your phone, and before you know it, you’ve spent an hour scrolling through Instagram. This is why you need a helping hand to keep you motivated and focused, and in today’s world, that helping hand happens to be tech. 

Tools to help you share files in no time

Sharing files is probably a big part of your job. A day probably doesn’t go by without you needing to send something to a coworker. This is why you need to do it fast and easily. 

Different tools like Google Drive, WeTransfer, and Dropbox can help you share files regardless of their size so that your coworkers can access them from anywhere. You can even collaborate with your coworkers on these files in real time, as well as control who can access them. 

However, sometimes there’s more to it. For example, you might need to share only specific pages from a PDF, in which case you can use software to cut pages out of a PDF instead of having to send a huge file. The bottom line? There are tons of tools that can help you share files in no time and make sure you only send what’s necessary to those who need to see it. 

Tools to brainstorm and work together with your team

Why work on a solution separately when you can work on it together? Brainstorming can sometimes spark ideas you never thought could come from you. That said, tools like Miro, Microsoft Whiteboard, Google Jamboard, and Trello can help you boost productivity by: 

• Allowing all of you to share ideas regardless of where you are, so you can finish the project faster and better together.
• Allowing you to see who’s done what and who’s working on what so that you can better understand what’s left to do.
• Allowing you to store all your ideas and progress in one place so that you don’t have to dig through emails, or worse – do the same thing all over again. 

But the best thing about these tools is that they let you have fun while doing your job. After all, the best ideas are born where people are relaxed (instead of when working under pressure). 

Tools to keep your mental health in check

But even if you do all of the above, your productivity can suffer if you don’t take care of your mental health. This is why one of the most important tools that can affect your productivity are tools that are designed to help you relax and focus during your working day. 

Have you noticed that more and more remote businesses nowadays include mental health apps such as Calm and Headspace as part of the employee benefits package? This is because burnout is a national concern, especially for those who are working from home. In fact, 83% of employees have stated that mental health and well-being training can help create a positive workspace culture, and 74% think that it is appropriate to discuss mental health at work. 

That said, you shouldn’t underestimate the power your mental health has on your overall productivity in life.

So, try to find that balance between your business and personal life. 

Boost your productivity with tech

Working from home is ideal, but only if you find a way to manage it. Being alone for 40 hours a week isn’t for everyone (and can easily cause one to lose their focus and motivation). 

However, technology has found a way to help you boost your productivity even when working from home. Our company StoryBox uses many tools, such as:

• Social collaboration software
• Brainstorming tools
• Communication systems
• Time-management tools dashboards
• File-sharing tools

Plus many tools to keep your mental health in check, to make your work easier and your days more organized.