Focus on the Controllables
Remote work gives you flexibility, but it also brings distractions and uncertainty you can’t always influence. Projects shift, priorities change, and clients or managers can introduce last-minute requests that throw off your plans. If you try to control every variable in your workday, you’ll burn out quickly. The key is learning to separate what’s truly in your control from what’s not, and then putting your energy where it matters most.
You fully control how prepared you are for meetings, how well you communicate with your team, and how consistently you deliver on your deadlines. You also control your workspace, your daily schedule, and the level of focus you bring to each task. These are the factors that respond directly to effort and discipline. When you invest in them, the return is predictable. In other words, your controllables are your levers for achieving reliable progress, even when everything else feels uncertain.
Don't waste energy stressing over client decisions, shifting priorities, or the economy, double down on the controllables. If you refine your schedule, show up prepared, and communicate clearly, you’ll not only get more done, you’ll also build trust with your team and reduce stress for yourself. Over time, this consistency creates stability in your work rhythm, giving you a sense of control in an environment where many things are outside your influence.
Here are some parts of your workday that are fully in your control:
Your daily schedule - When you start, when you finish, and concentrated work blocks. Intentionally set your focus time so your day runs with intention rather than reaction.
Your communication habits - How quickly and clearly you respond, how you structure updates, and how often you check in with your team. Set your Rhythm and stick to it.
Your work environment - The setup of your desk, noise levels, lighting, and tools you use to make your space productive. Find the vibe that sets you up for success.
Your preparation and follow-through - Showing up to meetings ready, keeping commitments, and closing the loop on tasks you own.
Your skill development – The time you dedicate to learning new tools, improving processes, or leveling up in your craft. There are numerous free resources available today, making learning virtually limitless.
When you consistently master the pieces you can control, you stop being tossed around by outside forces and start shaping the way you work. Control brings calm, and calm creates space for your best work to shine.
Remote Rhythm
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Trend Charts: Seeing the Bigger Picture
Daily metrics can be misleading. When you check numbers every single day, you’re often looking at noise rather than signal. A sudden dip might cause unnecessary worry, and a sudden spike might give a false sense of progress. One day’s data rarely reflects the true state of your business, it just reflects that day. Overreacting to short-term swings can pull you away from priorities that actually move the needle.
That’s why trending a metric over time is so valuable. By plotting data over weeks or months, you can separate outliers from genuine trends. Instead of asking “What happened today?” you start asking better questions: Is this change consistent? Is it accelerating or slowing? What outside factors might be driving the pattern? When you step back and look at the bigger picture, trend charts reveal insights that daily snapshots never will. They give you context to make decisions based on long-term direction, not just reaction.
Equally important, the direction of movement often matters more than the metric itself. A sales channel with flat revenue may look stable at first glance, but if you notice a steady three-month decline in conversion rate, that’s an early warning sign. On the other hand, even a slight but steady increase in engagement or productivity can compound into meaningful growth if sustained over time. Watching the movement in the line, not just the number of the day, keeps you focused on progress and helps you see whether the work you’re doing is creating momentum.
Trend charts also help you zoom out and stay calm. Instead of chasing every blip, you can confidently separate random fluctuation from meaningful change. That perspective not only improves your decision-making, it reduces stress for you and your team. It gives you the confidence to stick with strategies that are working and the clarity to spot when it’s time to make adjustments.
Here's an example of how to build a simple trend chart for social media followers and engagement using Excel or Google Sheets:
Click for Detailed Walkthrough
Create Three Data Columns: date, followers, and likes. You can enter data daily, weekly, monthly, or any other interval that makes sense to you.
Create Two Trend Columns: Calculate a rolling average for your followers and likes.
Hi-Light Your Data: Insert a line chart and select the specific columns you want to track in your trend chart
Label Your Axes: Make sure it's clear what you're measuring so it's easy to read
In under 10 minutes, you'll have a trend chart that cuts through the noise and shows the bigger picture. In this case, we've found that our follower growth is slowing, which the team may have missed if they were overly excited about the number of likes we were getting.
Building even a simple chart gives you visibility you can't get from daily snapshots. The more you track trends, the easier it becomes to spot what's working, and more importantly, fix what's not.
