Software development is a complex, knowledge-based field. It requires a lot of focus and long uninterrupted work sessions. With that, it's also a job that relies heavily on collaboration, teamwork, and exchange of ideas.
So, can you work remotely as a developer?
The answer to that depends on how much time and thought you put into organizing your work. Working from home can be a dream come true. It may reward you with lots of personal freedom and flexibility. However, when not planned properly, it also has the potential for being quite a nightmare.
Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to build a productive environment when working from home.
How to Stay Focused While Working from Home?
There are several simple things you can do to make working from home a positive experience. The most important thing, however, is to get started. Even if not all of these solutions apply to your situation, they can be a great way to get some inspiration for setting up your remote office.
Create an Office Space
Even when working in the comfort of your own home, you need a space that you can call your "office". There are no specific rules as to how this area should look like. All that matters is that you have a dedicated space that allows you to focus on work assignments. It can be a desk in the living room, an area in your backyard, or even a neighborhood coffee shop.
Having a workspace can help you curb a number of challenges of working from home:
â— You will be able to limit distractions. Tell your friends and family that you can't run errands or chat when you are at the "office".
â— It will be easier to get into the working mode. Once you enter your home office, your brain will know that it's time to work. This will help you get started faster and limit procrastination.
â— Your office environment can be customized to your needs: a comfortable chair, a large keyboard, etc. All of these can help you stay concentrated longer and avoid minor inconvenience-related distractions.
â— Having a dedicated office can also make it easier to break routine. Simply leaving your home office and spending a few hours working in the living room can be enough to shake things up.
Set Limits to Your Working Day
When you are working from home, it's easy to turn your whole day into a working day. In fact, according to one work from home productivity study, working remotely increases working hours by about 30%.
As a developer, you may often find yourself so engrossed in a project that you may end up working overtime. While it's definitely great to be passionate about what you do, overworking can also prove to be counterproductive. You may end up burning yourself out and actually feeling discouraged by new projects rather than excited about them.
This is why it is very important to give yourself the space to rest. Set a limit to your working day and try to leave "the office" on time. This will give you the time to recharge and stay consistently productive throughout the working day.
Learn When You Are Most Productive
Working remotely is a great way to get to know yourself better. By analyzing your productivity during different hours of the day, you can plan your day better. Learn when you find it easier to concentrate and save this time for the most challenging tasks. When you find it hard to focus, do some routine work instead.
Using these personal insights can help you build a very productive working day. They can also help you improve the quality of your work and make the most out of working remotely.
Use Digital Tools
Digital tools are one of the main reasons why working remotely is possible in the first place. So, it makes perfect sense to use such apps to make your remote working day more efficient.
To plan your time, you can use a time tracker. This can also be a great way to report to your employer without making it a separate task. The best time tracking apps will work quietly in the background and let you know where you are spending the most of your time. This data can also be used by your employer for billing, assigning work, and analyzing performance.
To work in a team, use a project management app. A project management tool can give you a clear overview of how a project is going. It will also show you at which stage of the project each team member is so you can adjust your own schedule accordingly. This can help you save lots of time on "manually" exchanging updates and curb workplace distractions.
To help you concentrate, you can use a focus or a meditation app. These tools are designed to help you both relax and improve productivity. Just a few minutes using an app like this can help you minimize stress and approach a task with renewed energy and concentration.
Check out more productivity tools for remote workers on https://softwaretested.com/software-apps/best-remote-work-tools-to-stay-productive/.
Stay Connected
While being a developer may come with the "loner" stereotype, you probably won't want to be alone all the time. Staying connected to your co-workers is important for a number of reasons. It can be great for emotional support - especially when working on a challenging project. It can also help you stay up-to-date with the recent developments in your field and feel more "alive" professionally.
Luckily, there are lots of ways to keep in touch with your team when working remotely. You can set up a casual chat room, exchange comments on a project management platform, set up unofficial brainstorming sessions and more.
What Makes a Good Remote Developer?
As you adjust the new working paradigm, you should expect new challenges to come your way. Using some or all of the strategies above can be helpful - but it's not a one-fit-all solution. What makes a good remote developer (and a good remote worker in general) is the willingness to learn. A changing work environment can be a great opportunity to learn more about yourself, your habits, your productivity - and more. You can use this knowledge to grow as a professional and to get ready for what's to come.