What are the skills you need to become a successful remote worker? You can improve numerous qualities for a better remote working career. Nothing is set in stone. Depending on your current state, it can be additional expertise or soft skills.
But one thing’s for sure; you need to hone your executive functions as a foundation for every skill, especially if you have home-based jobs with numerous distractions.
What Are Executive Functions?
What the h*ck are executive functions? Why should I bother when I’m not an executive? That was my first reaction. But it’s not actually a work position.
If you haven’t heard of it, executive functions are cognitive skills that help you get the job done. These are critical for accomplishing tasks. You can say it’s a ”management system of your brain.”
Mastering them will trickle down to more things done, not only in work but also success in other aspects of your life as well.
The problem is some have lapses in some areas. Don’t get me wrong; we’re not perfect. Some are genetically challenged with these functions because of conditions such as ADHD.
But knowing how to control our executive function will significantly help our cause. And it can be improved. So here are some essential executive functions and how to improve them for your remote working career.
Attentional Control
In our environment, many things can distract us from our goals. It can be that social media notification, a new Netflix episode, or even your housemates demanding your attention.
One executive function you should hone in this area is Attention control. Attention control is your ability to focus or concentrate on tasks.
Inhibitory Control
When distraction comes, you can choose to ignore it or give in. Saw that notification? You have a choice if you want to engage.
Your inhibitory control plays a vital role in this predicament. It is your ability to inhibit any response from your desires and choose to be more productive.
Working Memory
When you have a task at hand, you should be able to process current raw data into a digestible output. But sometimes, we forget critical information. Overwhelming data may cause it, or maybe you are just thinking too many things.
Your working memory is excellent for this task. It allows you to keep certain information to complete a task.
Cognitive Inhibition
Speaking of multiple information, not everything is essential to finish a task. There will be information that isn’t of any use to your goals. It’s pretty essential to filter it from your system.
That’s where your cognitive inhibition will come into play. Cognitive inhibition is your ability to know irrelevant information.
Mental Flexibility
But even if you’re focused on a task, there will be distractions that are indeed important. For example, your boss calls for an urgent meeting in the middle of a task.
Your mental flexibility will come in handy for this. It’s your ability to switch from one cognitive task to another.
How to Improve Your Executive Functions
Improving your executive function is quite interrelated. One technique will improve multiple executive functions at the same time. Here are some tips.
- Organise a visual timeline for task deadlines and targets.
- List down your tasks at hand and rank them by priority for the day.
- For more significant tasks, divide them into smaller tasks to zone in on what’s important today.
- Give yourself time to switch from task to task.
- Try the Pomodoro method to play on how your brain works and systematically accommodate your distractions.
Conclusion
It’s not as easy. But improving your executive function will definitely help you in growing your remote working career. More productivity means more happy clients! Let’s improve more every day! Cheers!
