# How to Make Remote Work *Actually* Work # How to Make Remote Work Actually Work ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/05rXkpM3afU/maxresdefault.jpg) ## Introduction - [[Remote work]] has become a necessity in many industries, offering flexibility but also presenting challenges in managing time effectively, with one solution being calendar management through counter blocking and productivity principles [(00:00:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=1s). - A powerful way to regain control over one's schedule is through calendar management, specifically by using a pessimistic mindset when time blocking, which involves stretching the scheduled time for a task beyond the initial plan [(00:00:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=14s). - This approach helps reduce stress by assuming tasks will overrun or unexpected obstacles may arise, and it also allows for extra time to be gained if tasks are completed earlier than expected [(00:00:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=53s). - The Plan Faly Theory explains how people tend to underestimate the time needed to complete tasks, and incorporating productive pessimism into time blocking can help avoid over-scheduling [(00:01:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=117s). ## Calendar Management for Remote Work - Digital calendars can be used to build flexible time blocks that leave room for delays, and features like drag and drop can be used to adjust blocks as necessary [(00:02:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=130s). - Meeting overload is a common complaint in [[Remote work | remote work]], and scheduling time between meetings is essential to avoid overspill and maintain the integrity of one's schedule [(00:02:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=148s). - Allowing 10-15 minutes between meetings can help team members rest, recharge, and use the buffer in case the previous meeting overruns [(00:03:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=181s). - Even if one is not a project manager, they can still recommend scheduling time between meetings to others, and digital calendar systems can be used to easily insert buffer blocks into one's day [(00:03:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=197s). ## Deep Work Scheduling - In remote work, it's essential to carve out time for deep work, which is even more important when working from home due to the ease of distractions [(00:04:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=242s). - To minimize digital distractions, scheduling meetings with oneself can be an effective way to block out time for deep work, allowing one to appear busy to their team and prioritize tasks, [(00:04:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=271s). - Using digital calendars can help manage schedules, identify less active periods, and plan deep work accordingly, while also allowing users to select their availability and share links for meetings, [(00:05:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=318s). ## Optimizing Meeting Length and Frequency - Breaking down long meetings into shorter, more frequent ones can help increase productivity, as most people cannot maintain maximum productivity during long collaborative sessions, [(00:05:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=357s). - Shorter meetings can benefit individuals with undiagnosed ADHD and allow everyone to have shorter bursts of concentration, making it a good practice to schedule more meetings with shorter time slots, [(00:06:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=397s). - Scheduling shorter meetings can ensure discussions remain focused, decisions are made quickly, and energy levels stay high, while also making it easier to manage a series of meetings with a digital calendar, [(00:07:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=450s). ## Strategic Meeting Scheduling - Scheduling meetings during times of the day when one feels the most unproductive, typically around 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for most people, can help optimize productivity and make the most of one's time, [(00:08:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=502s). - To make [[Remote work | remote work]] effective, it's essential to manage meetings efficiently, as they can be unproductive and waste valuable energy and productivity, especially if scheduled during peak productivity time [(00:08:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=526s). - It's recommended to schedule meetings during times of lower energy levels, reserving peak productivity hours for tasks that require deep thinking or problem-solving [(00:09:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=562s). ## Color-Coding and Time Blocking - Color-coding and labeling deep work time blocks based on energy levels can help maximize productivity [(00:10:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=600s). ## Establishing Daily Rituals - Creating rituals, such as morning and evening review sessions, can help establish a routine and provide a sense of structure while working remotely [(00:10:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=633s). - A morning review session can involve reviewing work goals, emails, and pending messages, as well as recapping the previous day's events and planning for the week ahead [(00:10:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=641s). - An evening review session can help review accomplishments, note unfinished tasks, and prepare for the next day, providing a clear transition between work and personal time [(00:11:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=701s). ## Daily Planning with AIFlow - Using a calendar and task manager, such as AIFlow, can help with daily planning and provide a clear overview of tasks and events [(00:12:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=736s). - A daily planning ritual can involve reviewing tasks from the previous day, identifying loose threads, and planning for the new day [(00:12:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=748s). - AIFlow's features, such as the inbox and project allocation, can help with task management and provide a clear understanding of the day's events [(00:12:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=767s). - The idea is to review tasks and decide whether to add any to the "today view", which includes both general to-dos and scheduled tasks color-coded by project. [(00:13:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=784s) - The "today view" is the third section on the screen and includes individual tasks as well as "slots", which are windows assigned to a project that can be filled with individual tasks. [(00:13:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=788s) - The last section on the screen is a calendar for the day, where tasks can be clicked and dragged from other sections to calendar block events, tasks, and slots. [(00:13:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=812s) - This productivity method provides a bird's eye view of everything that needs to be done and ensures that the necessary time is dedicated to each task and project. [(00:13:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=828s) ## ACU Flow for Streamlined Counter Blocking - ACU flow streamlines the counter blocking process by integrating tasks from project managers, email, [[Notion (productivity software) | Notion]], and other apps into one place. [(00:13:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=835s) - Tasks can be imported from other apps, such as [[Ocean]], and dropped into the ACU flow calendar, making it easy to organize and schedule tasks. [(00:14:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rXkpM3afU&t=845s)