How to stop procrastination as a remote developer

Procrastination is one of the biggest challenges for remote developers. The comfort of home and being around family can sometimes lead you to focus on things that aren’t related to your job. Before you know it, the day is nearly over, and you’re left feeling unproductive and frustrated. If you’re struggling with this, here are a few key tips that I recommend to help combat procrastination. Let’s dive in!

1. Identify What Makes You Procrastinate

The first step is figuring out what’s actually distracting you. These distractions can be small or big, and sometimes you might not even realize they’re there—they just blend into the background. Identifying them is crucial if you want to avoid them.

Advice: Use an app tracker on your laptop and phone to see exactly where your time is going. This helps make those invisible distractions visible.

2. Create a Dedicated Workspace

When you’re working from home, shared spaces can easily become sources of distraction. It’s important to have a separate room or at least a physically defined space that’s just for work. Your brain will start to associate this space with productivity, making it easier to focus when you’re there.

Advice: Set up a space dedicated to work, ideally somewhere quiet. It could be a corner of your room, but make sure it’s just for work.

3. Try the Pomodoro Technique

If you haven’t heard of it, the Pomodoro Technique helps you balance focused work time with short breaks. You work for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. After four rounds, you take a longer 15-minute break. This helps prevent burnout and keeps you refreshed.

Advice: Use a Pomodoro app or website to manage your time and stay on track.

4. Prioritize Your Tasks

Not all tasks are created equal—some are urgent, while others are just important. Prioritizing your tasks ensures you’re tackling the most critical ones first and not getting bogged down by less important stuff. You can use a simple note-taking app or try the 1-3-5 rule: 1 big task, 3 medium tasks, and 5 small ones.

Advice: Keep a running list of tasks, organized by urgency and importance. This helps you stay focused on what matters most.

5. Don’t Be Hard on Yourself

We’re not machines—it’s okay to have off days or moments where you don’t meet your expectations. What matters is bouncing back. If you’re not feeling great, take a break. Go for a walk, grab a coffee, do some yoga, or meditate. Sometimes stepping away can help you reset and come back stronger.

Advice: Be kind to yourself, and remember that resilience is key. Keep pushing forward.

6. Find a Support Partner

Having a buddy who understands the same challenges can be incredibly motivating. You can push each other to improve and hold each other accountable. If you can’t find someone nearby, joining a community of remote workers can provide that same support and encouragement.

Advice: Look for a work-from-home buddy or join an online community of remote workers. You’ll be surprised how much it can help.

Conclusion

These are just a few tips to help you fight procrastination. They’re not set in stone, but they can be a helpful foundation to improve your work habits. I hope you find them useful, and feel free to share with friends who might be battling procrastination too!