In this article, I will share 9 productivity hacks for remote developers that I’ve found to be helpful in my time as a remote developer for the past three years.
In this post-covid era, remote work has become an increasingly common practice, with 41% of developers saying they now work fully remotely.
Whether you’re looking for tips on setting up the perfect environment, ideas for improving time and energy management, or productivity hacks for coding, I’ve covered these key aspects of remote development to improve your efficiency and focus.
Environment Hacks for Remote Developers
- Create a Dedicated Workspace A designated work space tells your brain it’s time to focus. I’d also invest in an ergonomic and comfortable keyboard, mouse, and monitor, as you’ll be spending huge amounts of time using these peripherals. A simple laptop is also fine, but make sure you’re not sacrificing productivity for portability.
A comfortable chair is also essential, or a standing desk if you’d prefer that setup. Just make sure your working space is a comfortable place to spend 8+ hours per day.
Change Your Environment Occasionally
Switching up your work environment can make you more creative and give you a new perspective on your work. You can also use a co-working space that’s frequented by other remote developers to meet and network with other devs.
One of the biggest drawbacks of remote working for developers is a lack of interaction with other devs, whether to bounce ideas back and forth or to learn from each other, so this can be a great strategy to mimic this.Invest In A Fast And Reliable Internet Connection
This is fairly obvious, but make sure you have a fast and reliable connection to prevent issues when collaborating with your team or clients. You don’t want a dropped connection in the middle of a crucial video call!
I also prefer to use an ethernet cable to connect to my router rather than relying on Wi-Fi, as I’ve found this helps me to get a faster and more stable connection. In a nutshell, if your current service is not stable, switch to a new provider.
Productivity Hacks for Time & Energy Management
- Use Async/Sync Tools for Collaboration Your success as a remote developer will partly depend on effective collaboration, so you’ll need to strike a balance between real-time communication and uninterrupted work time.
In 2023, this means using real-time or synchronous tools like Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams and asynchronous tools like Jira, Asana, and Trello. You’ll also need to think about software for collaborating with your team, whether that’s Office 365 or a range of Microsoft Office alternatives.
I also like to use tools like Loom to send video messages to teammates or clients, as this can reduce the back-and-forth that comes with sending screenshots or texts.
- Establish Working Hours
As a remote developer, you have a lot of freedom, which is great! But if not managed properly, this freedom could lead to burn-out or decreases in productivity. That’s why you need established working hours.
If you’re part of an international team that works across time zones, this can introduce its own challenges, as you might need to shift your working hours to fit with your colleagues. Whatever you choose to do, set up a routine and stick to it.
Equally, if you have the freedom to work at any time, try to maintain regular working hours and days to set boundaries between your working hours and personal time.
- Take Regular Breaks
As software developers, we spend long hours in front of a screen - that’s the job! We’ve all had times when we get so lost in the work that the hours fly by. This is normal, as sometimes we need immersion to solve a problem or to stay in the flow.
That said, make the time to disconnect from the screen regularly by stretching your legs, going for a walk to think about a problem, or using a pen and paper or whiteboard. These are all simple ideas, but they can really boost your energy levels.
Coding Hacks for Remote Developers
- Take Advantage of AI Tools
Like most devs in 2023, you’ve no doubt heard about AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot. I’d encourage you to use these to help with documenting your code, debugging, refactoring, writing test cases, or generating dummy data.
- Use Code Snippets
As a developer, you’ll often repeat certain tasks or write the same functions in numerous projects. That’s why I use code snippets to speed up the work process and to reduce the likelihood of bugs by using tried and tested snippets. If you use VS Code, check out the marketplace for code snippet extensions.
- Learn Keyboard Shortcuts
Learning to master the keyboard shortcuts in your preferred IDE can be a great time saver that significantly improves your workflow. I’d recommend taking the time to learn and practice these shortcuts regularly.
Final Thoughts
There you go! I hope these 9 productivity hacks for remote developers will help you to boost your efficiency and focus. And feel free to let me know if you have any tips of your own, as I’m always looking for ways to enhance my own workflow.
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