Online Collaboration Tools: 5 Simple Productivity Hacks

With work space in the cloud one of the major advantages is that you can work from anywhere. If this is from your home, then there are times when productivity can be low, and distractions plentiful, but there are several ways to stay on track:

1.      Have a designated workplace

This can be a desk, or even outside, but be sure to always stay in the same location when working. This accomplishes several things: your mind gets conditioned to associate this place with work, family members know that when you are there you should not be disturbed, and it also helps creates a routine.

2.      Keep the work zone gadget free

The temptation to check your phone’s notifications or log in to Clash of Clans on your tablet can be very distracting. Try to keep any gadgets (or even TVs) away from your work area. When you are not constantly reminded of other things around you it’s easier to focus on your assignments.

3.      Stay away from using email as primary information tool

If you have questions, or need to chat about a project with one of your colleagues, opt for using video calls or instant chat instead of email. When actually talking, meetings are usually much quicker, and results are instant rather than drawn out. This will result in less time wasted and more productive work.

4.      Exercise in the morning

Anything from 10 to 30 minutes of exercise in the morning will energise you, lower stress, make you wake up and improve your productivity. If you have a dog, take him or her out for a walk, or you can go for a run, or even do some morning yoga.

5.      Plan more

If you are in the habit of feeling overwhelmed by the number of tasks you have to work through, create a schedule where you dedicate time for each area of work. It can be as detailed (or not) as you want, but be sure to include all your daily tasks. Anything from answering emails to taking a break should go in the schedule, which makes it easier to focus on the task at hand instead of worrying over something that will be started in an hour.

Once you have all these steps in place, you will notice that you can get more done in the day, and you will feel much more productive. Start using online collaboration software, work from home and see your results soar!