The most cited reason members of both sexes fail to adjust to operating remotely is they don’t realise the neccesity of superior organisation and robust self discipline.

I have been toiling remotely for almost a decade since I first uncovered Quickbooks online an ‘on demand’ small business accounting software online system and was inspired by the fact that if you can do accounting on the Internet then why shouldn’t it be possible to perform other important types of work remotely?

Whilst working remotely has substantial gains there are numerous traps that people easily fall into which convert into issues that result in reduced productivity and lower motivation. The major reason for reductions in effectiveness in remote employees is interruption and it is a verified and well publicised fact that it can take a worker up to 20 mins to establish their original efficiency level after experiencing an interruption.

Deeper insights reveal that members of both sexes who are regularly experience distractions are more likely to suffer from reduced memory ability and are prone to developing mental health issues in later life. We live in an over communicated era and it is essential that you are aware of the problems this causes before you commence working remotely. When operating remotely you should do everything possible to eradicate the jeopardy of being distracted.

Here are the essentials:

1, Get a consistent schedule, make sure that everybody knows it and stick to it!

Good examples are a specific time of day when you check or write and send mail and make or take phone calls. Before I began working remotely I used to get up to 200 electronic mails a day. Now I think I am unfortunate if I get greater than five. To ’reset’ my electronic mail experience I altered my e-mail address and vigorously took steps to guard the details being made known to anyone. I then educated everyone who I gave my e-mail address to, to use it prudently. I also configured an automatic response that swiftly informed anyone sending me mail my schedule for attending to mail and if an e-mail required my immediate consideration to mark it as ‘Urgent’.

2. Get rid of alerts.

Turn off every feature that can send you a perceptible alert. This includes mobile and
conventional handsets and forms of alerts from e-mail such as visual alerts, audible warnings, screen changes to your inbox folder and of course facing a window. Get a door on your office and put up a ‘do not disturb’ sign on it.

In ‘Remote Working Part 3 – My list of essentials’ I will reveal my favourite tools and software.