10 Slack Tips for Remote Workers in 2025 (That Actually Make a Difference)
Slack’s come a long way from being just a slightly cooler email alternative. If you’re working from coffee shops, co-working spaces, or your kitchen table with questionable, it’s likely your team lives on Slack. And while it’s easy to use, it’s also easy to drown in pings, gifs, and threads that spiral out of control.
So, if you’ve ever muted an entire channel just to reclaim your sanity or missed something important because Slack turned into a meme fest, this guide is for you.
Below are 10 up-to-date Slack tips that’ll help you work smarter (and maybe look like the tech wizard in your team too).
1. Summarise Chaos with Slack AI Recaps
The Problem: Catching up after a morning off? Reading 93 messages in 6 threads? No thanks.
The Fix: Slack AI now offers instant recaps of channels and threads. Click Recap at the top of a channel to get a natural-language summary with links to key messages. It's like a TL;DR button for your team chat.
2. Use Canvases for Notes & Mini-Docs
The Problem: You lose track of onboarding docs, project links, and ‘what did we agree on again?’ messages.
The Fix: Every channel and DM has a built-in Canvas. It’s a living document you can use for agendas, notes, and action items. You can embed workflows, tables, and templates too. No more “where’s the Google Doc?” drama.
3. Automate Boring Stuff with Workflow Builder
The Problem: You send the same reminders every week or chase up the same updates.
The Fix: Slack’s Workflow Builder now includes AI-based triggers. Set up automated reminders, forms, approval flows, and status updates, no coding required. Great for teams who want consistency (without micromanaging).
4. Reclaim Focus with Smarter Notifications
The Problem: Slack is a constant stream of pings that sound suspiciously like stress.
The Fix: Customise your Do Not Disturb settings. Mute specific channels. Set notification triggers to @mentions only. Schedule focused work blocks without distraction—even if your team’s still buzzing in the background.
5. Tidy Your Workspace with Pins & Sections
The Problem: Important messages get buried under cat gifs and Friday funnies.
The Fix: Use Pins to highlight key files, messages, or links in each channel. Organise channels with Sections (Projects, Clients, Fun, etc.) to bring order to the chaos.
6. Use Clips for Quick, Clear Communication
The Problem: Endless typing to explain something simple? Or “Can you jump on a call?” fatigue?
The Fix: Record a Clip of a short video or audio message with your screen or face, so people can watch it when they’re free. Bonus: Slack auto-transcribes them now.
7. Drop Into Huddles for Instant Chats
The Problem: Scheduling formal meetings for a five-minute question is a productivity killer.
The Fix: Use Huddles for impromptu voice/video chats in any channel. It’s like tapping someone on the shoulder—ideal for quick syncs without the calendar drama.
8. Master Slash Commands & Shortcuts
The Problem: You're clicking around like it's 2007.
The Fix: Use commands like /remind, /dnd, or Ctrl + K to search or switch conversations lightning-fast. These save seconds, which stack up over a day of Slacking.
9. Turn Your Sidebar Into a Zen Garden
The Problem: Your sidebar looks like a Jackson Pollock painting.
The Fix: Use Starred Channels, Custom Sections, and Hidden Channels to streamline what you see. Clean interface = clean mind.
10. Practise Slack Etiquette (and Be That Person Everyone Likes)
The Problem: Slack faux pas can annoy your team more than a passive-aggressive email.
The Fix: Use threads, don’t spam DMs, keep gifs tasteful, and set a status when you’re away. It’s basic stuff, but makes you look like a pro (even in joggers).
Slack Tips That Work
Here’s a handy cheat sheet of all 10 tips:
| Tip | What It Helps With |
|---|---|
| Slack AI Recaps | Catching up fast without reading everything |
| Canvases | Keeping notes and info in the right place |
| Workflow Builder | Automating routine tasks |
| Smarter Notifications | Minimising distractions |
| Pins & Channel Sections | Staying organised |
| Clips | Explaining things without meetings |
| Huddles | Quick voice/video syncs |
| Slash Commands | Speeding up Slack usage |
| Sidebar Clean-Up | Making Slack less visually chaotic |
| Slack Etiquette | Being a better teammate and communicating clearly |
Want to See It All in Action?
Here's a great walkthrough showing these features in practice:
Final Thought
Slack isn’t the problem, you are… I’m joking, it’s how you use it. With these 10 tips, you'll be the person who gets things done and still manages to finish work before your oat flat white goes cold.
