Over the years, I’ve learned that staying productive isn’t about having more time. It’s about building the right systems to carry you through the unpredictable days.
Here are a few practical habits that genuinely help:
1. Create a rhythm, not a rigid schedule
Instead of micromanaging every hour, set a simple daily flow:
Focused work – meetings – admin – close.
Your brain learns the pattern… and follows it automatically.
2. Protect your “transition moments”
When you work from home, there’s no commute to switch gears.
Use short rituals: coffee, a three-minute stretch, or a walk to signal that switch from “work mode on / work mode off”. It reduces mental fatigue more than you’d expect.
3. Break your day into smaller goals or tasks
Set some non-negotiable tasks for the day (choose 3 or 5 - depending on their scale).
Finishing them creates momentum, even when the rest of the day is messy.
4. Build a home/remote environment that nudges you forward and sets you up for success
It doesn’t have to be perfect or Instagram-worthy. Just intentional.
Clear desk. Good light. Headphones.
Tiny environmental cues remove friction and build motivation.
5. Let life events be part of the plan
Some days you’ll hit your stride.
Some days you’ll juggle family, appointments, emotions, or unexpected news.
That doesn’t mean you’re “unmotivated”, it means you’re human.
Plan for variability rather than fighting it. Consistency over the week, month, and year is what you’re striving for.
6. Celebrate your successes and micro-progress
Remote work blurs boundaries, so you can easily miss the wins.
Closing a loop, resolving a tricky issue, sending that proposal - acknowledge it. When we’re not around a wider team or colleagues, recognising your own achievements goes a long way for your mental wellbeing.
Progress fuels motivation.
Working remotely isn’t about having perfect discipline.
It’s about creating sustainable habits that hold you steady when life doesn’t. It’s not a perfect science (and I can’t claim to have it all figured out), but creating practical habits gives you a greater chance to incrementally improve your outputs within a remote environment.
What keeps you motivated on the days that don’t go to plan?
