COVID-19 is making a significant impact on how the world works and plays, studies, communicates, and communicates, at least temporarily. You’re not the only one who has recently moved to remote work. Although sharing your workspace with your partner or children can be difficult, there are many ways to get the most out of working remotely.
Research shows that working remotely increases productivity. This is why you should consider your MBA program. Many part-time MBA students work full-time jobs. We’ve seen our students make the most of their remote work hours.
These tips can help you make the most of your executive MBA experience, whether it is part-time or full-time.
1. Creative tools can help you elevate your virtual collaboration
Zoom and Slack are two popular tools for remote collaboration in the workplace. You can go beyond the basics to incorporate tools that make virtual collaboration even more beneficial with coworkers. These tools might also be useful for your MBA classmates.
- You can create, conduct and share poll results in real-time with a direct poll.
- Miro is a virtual platform that allows you to brainstorm in real-time or asynchronously, and it’s free!
- Breakout rooms allow you and your group to separate in a virtual meeting. This allows you to discuss or work in smaller groups.
Also, check out the joint degree Executive MBA in India by IIT Bombay and Washington University in St. Louis.
2. Profit from your extra time
Remote workers save on average 8.5 hours per week because they don’t have to commute. You can also save time by not being distracted by your boss or coworkers and suddenly you have a lot of time. This time can be used to pursue a full-time, Part-time, or Executive MBA.
You can, for example, listen to a recorded lecture or case study while you commute. You can also listen to business podcasts while you run or do chores.
3. Establish boundaries
It pays to set clear boundaries when you work from home or study. When work and study are happening at the same time, it can be easy for them to bleed into one another. This is not ideal for productivity or concentration. It is best to have a designated workspace as well as a separate study area. You can optimize your space to make a distinction if you don’t have enough.
- When you are working, keep MBA-related notebooks and textbooks off your desk.
- While you are studying, close all tabs that have work on it and disable email notifications from work.
- Keep a piece of paper or a digital notepad handy so that you can write down distracting thoughts later.
Ask your family and housemates to respect your space and time while you are studying or working. Turn off the sound and use headphones to drown out any background noise.
4. Find out where and when you are most productive
Although it is important to have a space, you might find you need to change things up from time to time. You can get the best out of your work and study environment by being creative.
- Find your most productive hour of the day and focus all your strategic tasks around it
- You can increase your productivity by reading or reviewing materials outside for a certain amount of time.
5. Make a schedule of MBA
It is crucial to manage your time and be productive on the job, especially when you are simultaneously earning an executive MBA degree.
Setting work hours is one of the best ways you can stay productive at your home. This is also true for your MBA studies. This will make you feel more organized, which can help you be more efficient.
- Keep the same hours of work as when you were at the office
- Make time to exercise
- Breaks are a great way to stay productive. Make sure to plan them!
- Schedule short breaks on social media if you are concerned about it deterring you from working. This will allow you to “get your fix” but keep your boundaries in place
6. Concentrate on one task at the time
Evidence is mounting that multitasking is not effective. Use the Pomodoro Technique or a modified version to ensure you are focused on only one task.
Many people have had success with the Pomodoro Technique’s structure.
- Pick one task.
- You can set a timer to work for 25 minutes.
- Put a checkmark onto a piece of paper when the Pomodoro rings.
- You can set the timer to run for five minutes, and then take a break. You’ve just completed one Pomodoro sprint.
- Take a longer break after each four Pomodoro sprints. It should last around 20 minutes.
- Keep doing this until the end of your workday.
Write down any additional tasks you realize you must complete in the remaining 25 minutes if you suddenly feel the need.
7. Set daily and weekly goals MBA
Setting goals can help you make better use of your time and help you manage your workload. Write down the things you want to do the next day before you go to sleep. This will allow you to get up in the morning and start studying or working. As you work through the week, you can set weekly goals and make adjustments to your daily list.
- Notify your boss and MBA of important dates in a digital or traditional calendar.
- The 1-3-5 list can be a creative and effective way to prioritize your work and set goals for your part-time or full-time MBA.
- Your lists can be color-coded to help you keep your MBA-related and job-related tasks separated and organized
- To track your progress on study and work projects, you might consider Trello, an online project management platform.
Lists not only help you organize your work and manage your MBA program but they also allow you to celebrate your achievements.
Keep in mind that change is the only constant in our lives. While we cannot control COVID-19 or the “new normal”, we can control how and when we deal with them. You may have the perfect opportunity to get the MBA program that you’ve been contemplating with your new work-from-home lifestyle.
