10 Productivity Habits That Keep Me Sane While Working Remotely

 By Ibrahim Menni for NomadTechStack

Working remotely is incredible—but let’s be real, it’s not always a breeze. Some days you’re in flow, checking off tasks with coffee in hand and a great view. Other days, the Wi-Fi is sketchy, Slack is blowing up, and you somehow forgot to eat lunch.

After a few years of freelancing while living in different countries, I’ve learned that productivity isn’t about fancy apps or 12-hour hustle days. It’s about having a few solid systems that keep your brain clear and your work moving forward—without burning out.

Here are the 10 productivity habits that keep me grounded, focused, and (mostly) sane, no matter where I’m working from.


1. I Plan Tomorrow Before Today Ends

Before I log off, I jot down the 2–3 main things I need to do tomorrow. Nothing fancy. This helps me avoid that “what should I work on?” fog the next morning.


2. I Time Block My Calendar—but Keep It Flexible

I block out focus sessions, admin time, breaks, and meetings in my calendar. But I leave room for life to happen—missed buses, power outages, spontaneous tacos. Flexibility is part of the remote life.


3. I Mute Notifications Like My Sanity Depends on It

Email, Slack, Twitter... off. I check messages 2–3 times a day, max. Constant pings wreck deep focus, and most things are never that urgent.


4. I Work Asynchronously, Even When I Don’t Have To

I love async. No unnecessary meetings, no pressure to reply instantly. It gives me long stretches of quiet, focused time to actually do the work.


5. I Use Time Zones to My Advantage

When I’m ahead of my clients, I use the quiet hours for deep work. When I’m behind, I can wake up to their messages and knock out tasks while they’re offline. Either way, I try to make it work for me, not against me.


6. I Write Everything Down

Ideas, to-dos, feedback, future blog post titles—I capture it all in Notion or Apple Notes. My brain has better things to do than remember everything.


7. I Avoid Screens for the First 30 Minutes of My Day

I used to wake up and immediately scroll. Now I journal, stretch, or just make coffee without grabbing my phone. Mornings feel way less anxious.


8. I Use Pomodoro Sprints to Get Unstuck

When I feel distracted or overwhelmed, I set a 25-minute timer and just start. Usually, that’s enough to get the momentum going again.


9. I Don’t Work from Bed (Anymore)

It’s tempting, but it blurs every line. Now I work from coworking spaces, libraries, or cafes with good vibes. I sleep better—and work better too.


10. I Have a Shutdown Routine

At the end of each day, I update my task list, close all tabs, unplug, and physically move away from the workspace. Remote work is amazing, but you still need a finish line.


Final Thoughts

Remote work gives us freedom—but it also demands structure. These habits didn’t appear overnight. I built them through trial, error, and way too many unproductive Tuesdays.

Start small. Pick one or two habits that feel doable. Then build from there. Because the real flex isn’t working from anywhere—it’s working well, wherever you are.

— By Ibrahim Menni for NomadTechStack

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