Even if you truly love the freedom of working remotely, there are also many obvious drawbacks. It can be hard to feel like you’re actually at work, alone in your pajamas in the same room as last night’s dirty dishes. A big issue is maintaining a healthy work-life balance, which is hard as you don’t even have an excuse to get up from your desk since there are no team members to chat with. For some, the biggest struggle with remote working is that it’s just plain hard to focus without the noisy bustle and din of an office.
A great Spotify playlist can solve the problem of an empty room and its distracting silence. For others who miss the commotion of the office, an easy answer may be a background noise app such as Noisli (a favorite of one of our clovions) or A Soft Murmur, where you can use a crackling fire, crashing waves or ambient coffee shop sounds to help you focus.
But for those who miss that friendly chat at the water cooler – talking about current affairs or a recent TV show – an effortless way to get this fix is to listen to podcasts.
Podcasts About Remote Working
A great podcast to start with is one that specializes in your current situation. The Work From Home Show looks at all aspects of remote working, with episodes ranging from a classic remote working topic, loneliness, right to “Applying Navy SEAL Training to Your Every Day.” And if you are looking for some practical tips and tricks on how to improve your time management, workflow, or habits, then A Productive Conversation with productivity strategist Mike Vardy is for you.
Water Cooler Chitchat
Maybe you want to spend your coffee break thinking about something other than work. So, how about spending it with some of the most interesting people on the planet? As with the diverse TED Talk videos we all know and love, in The Ted Interview podcast, you’ll meet fascinating people who are experts in a rich array of subjects.
And if you’re after something a bit more serious and want to stay up to date on current affairs, then try The New York Times’ The Daily. Or, if you prefer your news with a side of humor, then keep your finger on the pulse of climate change news by listening to the surprisingly funny Sustainababble.
A Light Distraction
However, maybe a lighter approach is more up your alley. If so, look no further than Spectacle – An Unscripted History of Reality. This podcast digs deep into reality TV shows, making it the perfect lightweight antidote to your day of intense concentration.
For those seeking a little comfort, we recommend the warm hug that is This American Life for your lunch hour. This is one of the most varied, fascinating, and long-standing radio shows/podcasts out there. If you don’t know where to start, we recommend the segment My Bad, which devotes an hour to embarrassing stories, or anything written by the hilarious David Sedaris. Host Ira Glass is charming, genuine, and always highly engaged with his interviewees, whether they’re serving a life sentence in prison or are a six-year-old in a school play.
Improving Your Work-Life Balance
If you want to go the distance with remote working, you’re going to need to stay healthy and sane, and the best way to do this is to get out regularly and get some exercise. While out on your daily walk, try The Dumbbells, a podcast that’ll have you laughing your way to fitness.
And don’t forget you need to look after your mind too. You may only know her as a nerd from The Big Bang Theory, but real-life neuroscientist Mayim Bialek helps destigmatize mental health in her podcast, Mayim Bialek’s Breakdown. In this podcast, Mayim opens up about her own struggles as she interviews many well-known faces (and voices) about their issues with mental health.
When You Want To Unplug
At the end of a long day, you need to be able to disconnect so that you feel like you have left your office and returned to the comfort of home. If time is short, but the need for calm is great, The Mindful Minute can help. This podcast for beginners provides bite-size meditation sessions to help you relax – especially useful for unwinding at the end of a long day in front of your screen.
And if nothing else works, lots of people who need help focusing swear by white noise.
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