The Pandemic has changed the way we used to live, work and socialize. We had to adapt and adjust to the new normal. Technology has been our greatest friend in these testing times and remote working has become a part of the new norm of work life.

Here’s how to leverage technology to your benefit and be more productive while working remotely:

Ensure effective communication through technology

Communication plays a vital role in remote working. The major part of remote working depends on clear, prompt and effective communication. Talk in real-time by video conferencing. Use Zoom, Google Meet, Google Duo,GoToMeeting, Briefing or any other video conferencing tool to ensure consistent workflows when working remotely. Use secure messaging and calling apps that provide end to end encryption messaging features to secure your conversations and work-data exchange.

Use Anti-Distraction apps to ensure focus and timely completion of work

Social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. can take up a lot of your time; the time you could’ve spent productively on your work or other important matters. These apps distract you, waste your time and play a grave role in increasing procrastination.

Anti-distraction apps help you focus and block distractions. 

Following are the four best anti-distraction apps:

Freedom for blocking distractions on all your devices at once.

Serene for planning and following through on deep focus sessions.

Cold Turkey Blocker for scheduled system-wide blocking.

RescueTime for time tracking with built-in website blocking.

Adopt Pomodoro technique to enhance productivity 

Pomodoro is a time management method that uses a timer to break up work into several segments (traditionally 25 minutes) followed by small break intervals.

Taking smart breaks to increase productivity and avoid burnout is a smart decision that will have positive effects on your work style, mental health and productivity.

Following are the 6 best Pomodoro timer apps reviewed by Zapier:

Pomodor for a simple web-based Pomodoro timer

Marinara Timer for a shareable web-based Pomodoro timer

Forest for a mobile Pomodoro timer

Be Focused for Apple users

KanbanFlow for combining Kanban with Pomodoro

Toggl Track for combining Pomodoro with time-tracking

Keep your work-related files on the cloud

When creating a new work file or making an important document; make sure all your work-related activities are automatically backed up to the cloud. Use Google Drive , Microsoft OneNote or keep your work-related files on cloud storage apps like Dropbox , Box, pCloud, Sync

Block out  notifications during and after-work hours

Notifications can distract you from whatever you’re doing at the moment. Every time your mind wanders from your work, you waste time and energy getting back on track.

It is quite difficult to keep working hours separate from after-work hours while working remotely. Block all notifications across devices:

• During work hours, to keep you focused
• After work hours, to avoid burnout