Agents and advisers are frequently on the move. Some actually choose the job for the flexible schedule many of these positions provide, especially for those who are loathe to go in to an office every day from 9 - 6 pm. The rise of mobile devices and good connectivity make it especially conducive for the digital nomad to work efficiently, but how does one ensure discipline and the efficient use of one's time, especially those gaps in between appointments?
Here are some tips from Alex Ivanovs, a digital marketer and blogger who travels widely on how to be an effective remote-worker in his piece at Enterpreneur.com and Natasha Burton, who cites some habits of productive remote workers in an article at Fastcompany.com—and our own spin on them too.
Find your most productive workspace
The solution to productivity is to seek comfortable workspaces. These can be coffee shops, or coworking spaces which are mushrooming rapidly in many Asian countries nowadays. Coworking spaces in particular have a lot to offer, as they help you to connect with like-minded individuals whom you can network your ideas with and exchange contacts. Word of mouth is great for expanding your reach.
Figure out your most productive time of day
What makes remote work great is that you can create your own schedule and work during the hours you’re most productive. Besides the appointments that are made at your clients’ convenience, finding a good balance between that admin work that has to be done and play is essential. Experiment with your schedule; see if your productivity is better in the evening -- when the heat of the day is starting to wear off -- or maybe early in the morning, while everyone else is still waking up.
Make sure you have the equipment you need and stay active at home
You’ll be surprised how many people don’t have a printer at home. By investing in the quality of your workspace, and even going the extra mile to get cheap low-end photocopiers, you could actually save plenty of time in the long run, responding to situations that arise after hours without having to always pop by the office. And new inventions like the treadmill desk even help you to exercise effectively while you work, so you don't always need to set aside gym time.
“Three-minute” rule
As one freelance writer and yoga instructor advises, give yourself three minutes out of a fixed duration like every hour (or longer or shorter as you like it, but it should be systematic) to tend to anything that is urgent, even though it may not be an official task on your to-do list. Sending out those important client birthday gifts, getting that credit card waiver helps to put your mind at ease without derailing your day. This is because these are small yet necessary tasks that bog you down eventually anyway, and you will be grateful that they do not accumulate into an unmanageable pile at the end of a long week.
Time-delay email responses in order to manage expectations
Some advise that it is better to time-delay every single email sent. It may not always be the best idea to respond immediately to everything, as people, be it client or managers, should not get the impression that they control your workday and expect an immediate response every single time, even late at night.
Have the habit of building in prep time for client meetings in your schedule
Each time you schedule a meeting with someone outside, set an alert for 30 minutes or an hour before, and then another alert for two hours before as a “go take a shower and make yourself presentable” alarm. Sounds like the obvious? You’ll be surprised how many people find themselves scrambling and late for appointments just by being too distracted when they are online and hence losing track of time.
Give yourself yearly reviews
It’s not just how much you earn. Yes, do this for work performance, but note when you are most effective and productive, how you improved in your work-life balance and overall wellness. Over time, mapping out trends in your personal behaviours helps you understand yourself better and function at a higher level.
Block off time for professional development.
Leave some space for planning and networking meetings, cocktails and do keep up attending courses on persuasion, negotiation, effective speaking. There are tons of online courses on Coursera, edx and Udemy going free or cheap nowadays, just to name a few.
Write a goal list
If you don’t work a fixed schedule, try having your personal and professional goals written down and posted at your desk. This allows you to see them every day—it’s easy to get caught up in task-mode and only focus on checking off items from your to-do list. Having written goals displayed openly forces you to remember the larger reason why you are performing these tasks and take a step back to examine whether you’re on track to meeting the overall long term goals you set.
Read the articles from Fast Company and Entrepreneur.com.