Living in a world where there are about 1.84 billion websites as of March 2021, web development is much of a popular career. Whether you’re working on-site or remotely, you’re highly likely to be amongst the most valued members of the team. But of course, this popularity and demand come at a cost. Because being a web developer isn’t easy.
The entire process of web development includes everything from laying the foundation to the site to making it presentable and safeguarding it legally. The responsibility becomes even heavier when you’ve to work all alone from home.
It is a concern that touched heights during the pandemic. The lack of office hustle-bustle and discipline led to lots of web developers either overworking themselves or procrastinating. Thus, cutting down their productivity in the long run and costing themselves and their team’s collective effort all too much.
So, today, let’s look at a few hacks which can ease your life a bit and maximize your productivity as a remote web developer.
Set Up a Proper Work Space
First things first – you need to designate a certain area of your place, particularly for work. Psychologically, working from your bedroom, lounge, or any other space could mess up your mental peace. Your brain will eventually start associating your bedroom with the workplace, and soon enough, you won’t be able to sleep soundly. The air stress will not dissipate into thin air even as you shut down your laptop. In the long run, this can damage your mental and consequently your productivity.
For that very reason, it is highly essential to create a separate workplace, even if it’s just one corner. Make sure you get yourself a modern work desk, an ergonomic chair, and supporting equipment. There are loads of affordable options available out there!
Abide by a Schedule
Just like your workspace, your schedule also impacts your mental stability and productivity substantially. If you abide by a routine, you’re likely to achieve more in minimal time. The daily practice of working in one rhythm boosts your capacity by bringing about better focus.
Create Virtual Boundaries
Working on your laptop all the time with no supervision at all does not mean that you switch to Facebook’s tab every other second. It doesn’t mean you should scroll through your Instagram feed after 5-minute intervals. Doing so will only minimize your end-of-the-day output and divide your focus quite a lot. So, even the little work that you do may not be up to the mark. Surely, that threatens your position as the web developer in the team.
And so, you should set clear boundaries between your social media time and work time. It is a measure that purely depends on self-discipline. So, unless you train your mind and pour in enough will, you might not be able to follow whatever boundaries you create. So, begin with aligning your focus first and then switch to separating devices for separate uses.
Allocate Off-screen Time
With that said, off-screen time is just as much necessary. Staying at home glued to your screen working 24/7 won’t boost your productivity. Rather, it will damage it permanently in the long run. Make sure you take at least a fifteen minutes break after every 1-2 hours of intensive work. Switch off the laptop or put it to sleep. Go for a walk in your garden, bake something, cook, sit with your kids, pet your cat, water your plants, or maybe do some exercise.
Backup Your Data All the Time
Electricity, faulty devices, stormy weather, the pandemic, and bad luck – Perhaps this is an inventory enough to reinforce the idea of instability of life. Every minute that we spend is composed of 60 different possibilities – 60 different frames. They comprise both good and bad, and so you ought to keep yourself ready for the bad just as much as you keep yourself ready to enjoy the goods. And as a web developer, this is particularly important for you.
One ill-fated second can cost you your entire project. For that very reason, backup your data every 2-4 hours. Or perhaps, after completing your day’s work. You can back it up on a hard disk drive. These are available in various sizes ranging from 25 GB – 1 TB. But again, devices and drives may get corrupted for some reason, so it’s better to backup your data up in cloud storage.
Switch to Better Communication Tools
Lastly, consider switching to direct and specific communication tools with team members and clients. Instead of wasting yourself away in email inboxes or sharing memes via WhatsApp, consider moving your entire team to a platform like Slack, InVision, Trello, Conceptshare, etc. Doing so will get things more organized, accessible, and disciplined. Thus, boosting productivity.
Plus, they save time on your end too. Say you have to share a project with your client. Instead of spending hours uploading it on email or awaiting their response, connect right away. Share your screen and know your clients’ live feedback. Even more, in tools like InVision, you can even convert your work into prototypes with animations.
