Still Missing Your Office? Here s How to Make the Most of Remote Work

In recent months, many of us have shifted to working from home until further notice. For the indie developers and boutique teams out there, remote work was always expected to be a part of life. But others weren t interested in or prepared for remote work when it suddenly became a requirement. For those who are feeling tired of working from home, we ve compiled some useful tips to help you survive and thrive through it all.

Getting the most out of remote work

How to stay focused

If you find it difficult to concentrate while working from home, you re not alone. Luckily, a few small changes can make all the difference. We ve asked some members of the Pangle team to share ways they ve improved their focus during remote work:

"Every morning, I grind up some coffee beans and make myself a fresh cup of coffee. It s like a signal that tells my mind it s time for work."

Establishing a regular routine makes it easier to stay focused. Instead of sleeping in, try waking up a bit earlier and using the extra time for a ritual that helps you shift into work mode.

"I find it much easier to concentrate now that I ve sectioned off a work zone in my apartment."

Simply doing work in your home isn t enough to make it feel like a place of work. Try to define a workspace, whether that s a spare bedroom or a corner of your studio apartment. While you can t exactly replicate an office environment, you can approximate it by creating a sense of structure and formality where you work. As you get used to doing work and only work in this space, your brain will enter work mode whenever you re there.

"A daily power nap gives me the energy to finish the day strong."

A quick nap after lunch can help you relieve fatigue, restore energy, and improve productivity in the afternoon. But remember to limit your nap to 20-30 minutes. Otherwise, your brain may enter deep sleep, leaving you drowsy when you wake up. To help you relax into a nap, try playing calm background music with a tempo of around 60-80 BPM.

"I have to monitor and analyze a lot of data every day. Sometimes, I put on some uplifting music and pace back and forth a bit to sort of jump start my brain."

When you notice your focus is lagging, try taking a moment to re-energize. A quick burst of movement or some high-energy music can be all you need to get back on track.

How to stay in sync with your colleagues

Coordinating teamwork is clearly one of the most challenging parts of remote work. Long gone are the days when we could work out issues by leaning over for a quick chat with a colleague. For app developers on Pangle, that may mean it s been harder to discuss and set up monetization integration. To keep your team synced, we recommend the following:

Keep a synchronized record of the team s progress by noting down what each team member has completed each day. Document major accomplishments and small steps alike to track your team s progress. This process can also help you monitor and improve your own productivity.

Coordinating with external teams is sometimes tricky, since every team has a different approach to remote work, and teams often aren t familiar with each other s processes. We recommend using voice or video chat when possible to improve efficiency and avoid the information gaps that can result from written communication. You may also want to record these calls to facilitate progress tracking.

Use work-oriented communication tools rather than generic messaging apps. At Pangle, we use the Lark suite. Lark is an interconnected platform combining all the collaboration tools you need, including messaging, calendar, co-authoring, and cloud storage services. These functions are always in sync, and are easy to switch between.

With the right mindset, techniques, and tools, you can overcome the challenges of remote work, and may even come to enjoy it. Rest assured that Pangle is equipped to support and accommodate you as you navigate mobile advertising in these unusual times. From our remote workplaces to yours, here s to continued health and productivity!