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When it’s time to go home from work, there are few feelings as relieving as leaving the office behind. However, for many this also means spending hours in a train or a bus again. If you’re stuck commuting from and back to work, it may be hard to get that same kind of fulfillment from your job and not just because you have fewer hours in the day. It can feel like spending hours every day on public transport is an insane waste of your time. Fortunately, there are ways to make your journey easier. Working from home is one of them, but if you don’t have that option right now, here is a detailed guide on how to get the best out of working from the road and keeping productivity high at the same time:
Finding the best workspace for your commute
The first thing you should do is find a comfortable place to work from. While you might have a desk at the office, you may not have one at home, or your home office may not be big enough for you to work from. This is where renting an office comes in handy. There are many coworking places that offer mobile workstations that can be rented by the day or month. These can be anything from a laptop in a quiet corner of a shared space to a fully stocked mini office with everything you need to get your job done. Finding a place that is designed specifically for remote workers can help you concentrate better and get more done, as well as offering a more social environment than working at home alone.
Dressing for success during your commute
When you’re working, it is easy to overlook the fact that how you look is just as important as how you act. This becomes even more important when you’re commuting from work. As far as your employer is concerned, you’re still at work, even if you’re stuck on a train. So, it’s important to dress for the occasion. If you’re going to be working in public, it can be a good idea to dress a bit more formally than you would at home. This applies not just to what you’re wearing, but also how you are presenting yourself.
Commuting doesn’t have to be wasted time
Depending on your commute and how you usually approach your workday, you may feel like you have nothing to do. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. If you are really strapped for time, you can start your day with a quick recap of your to-do list for the day. This way, you don’t have to waste your commute time but can still be in the right mindset for the rest of the day. It’s also a good idea to use this time to plan your next steps, especially if you’re working on a project that involves a lot of steps. If you’re working remotely, it’s easy to feel like you have no direction, but you can use your commute to map out the next few steps of your project so you can stay on track.
Using VOIP and collaboration tools
One of the biggest benefits of remote work is that you can communicate with your team members without having to be in the same place as them. However, you can use this to your advantage even if you’re on the commute. Using tools such as video conferencing, messaging apps like Slack, or even just an old-fashioned phone call can help you stay in touch with your team members and get your work done. If you use video conferencing, you can even be productive while commuting. You can use this as a way to keep in touch with your team members or to run team meetings even if you aren’t able to meet in person. Additionally, you can use collaboration tools to keep track of your work and make sure that everyone on your team knows what everyone else is working on.
Bottom line
At the end of the day, working remotely isn’t for everyone, but it does have its advantages. If you have a job that allows you to work remotely, it can ease the burden of commuting and allow you to focus on more important things such as family, friends, and health. It’s important to remember, though, that working remotely isn’t an excuse to slack off. It’s just a new way of getting your work done. In order to make it work to your advantage, it’s important to follow the tips in this article to make the most of your commute.