5 Top Tips to Work Remotely

 

Girl Working Remote | Daria Shevtsova | Pexels

Working remotely is more common than ever. The events of the last 12 months have caused a shift in working from home or working from anywhere faster than anyone could have anticipated. In fact, during the last 12 months, studies have found that working remotely has actually increased productivity for organizations. 

There are additional benefits to remote work that employers are realizing aside from increased productivity. Most employees like the flexibility that working remotely brings. They can work from home, a rental at the lake, the coffee shop or the office. With less employees commuting into the office everyday there is less need for large offices. Office space, the furniture that goes into it and the other facilities costs are very high for employers. If they are able to shrink their footprint they will save a significant amount of money that can be reinvested into the business. Employers that offer flexible work environments are also more competitive. A third of employees would prefer to stay remote and may seek new employment if their employers require them to return to the office. Companies that offer remote work options will be more competitive and more able to hire the best talent.

While working remotely is highly desirable to employees and is now becoming desirable to employers there are challenges that many will face in working remotely successfully. From staying focused to finding the right balance between work and home life here are 5 tips to work successfully in a location flexible environment. 

Reduce Distractions

Whether you're working from home, working in a coffee shop or working in a new location it's important to understand that distractions are all around you. If you're working from home, you have all of the things you use to relax after work close at hand. If you're working form the local coffee shop you have the conversations of others, the music or the people watching that can distract you. Working from a new spot or vacation rental is also full of distractions. What's around you? Where will you go after work?

Avoid distractions by creating more ability to focus on the task at hand. Identify what work you need to get done and by when each day. Create a checklist so that as you progress through each task you get the satisfaction of marking off the list. Each completed task is bringing you closer to completing all of your work. Also, consider a virtual commute to help change your mindset at the beginning of your day and end of your day. This virtual commute helps you mentally prepare for work and leave distractions behind. Also, make sure you work from a dedicated space. Even if it's just your dining room table or a small desk in the corner of a room. Having a space dedicated to work helps you focus on work when you are there.

Don't Work Yourself To Death

Working remotely has led some people to feel compelled to work harder than ever before. Concerned that they might not look productive leads them to working harder and longer than they have before. When you work from home, you are always at work. You also should understand that everyone is adjusting to a remote environment. Look at what your goals are, define the right outcomes for each day and work toward achieving those. If you are working methodically toward small goals today and big goals overall, you will still be achieving your targets and your managers will be thrilled with your work.  

If you find yourself feeling exhausted or overworked, stop and look at your workflow. Make a new habit to start and end on time. Feel confident in managing your workload and understanding when it's ok to say no or redirect tasks in another direction. The important thing is that you are able to complete your core responsibilities with enough breathing room to be able to take on an emergency task should the need arise.

Over Communicate

When you work in the office communication is easy because you can stand up and walk to the desk of your peer or perhaps just speak up and they'll hear you immediately. When you're working remotely that communication can become more challenging. It's important to stay connected with your peers and your boss when you're working remotely. 

You can do this in a number of different ways. Make a conscious effort to call your boss and coworkers at least once a week to touch base on projects and progress at work. This will show that you're engaged and on top of things. Use chat apps such as Microsoft Teams or Slack to stay in communication daily. Sharing updates, asking questions or giving advice on things to keep that social connection with your teams. During meetings, be sure to add value when you can. if you have an idea or perspective that hasn't been shared, speak up to show that you are engaged.  

Stay Healthy

Both your emotional and physical health are important to being able to work and produce at a high level. Find a way to add time for physical fitness into your daily routine. Exercise, even a little, releases powerful chemicals into your brain that help you feel happy and reinforce the habit of exercise. This can be a double benefit by adding it to the beginning and or end of your day, helping to create a virtual commute. This exercise can be as simple as taking a walk around your neighborhood, riding a bike to lunch or doing a quick routine of pushups and setups.

Take time to feed your mind too. Look for good books or articles that will help you develop your strengths and improve your skills.  I've recommended a number of books before that can help you get the most out of your own workflow. Try some classics like First Break All the Rules, Good to Great, Who Moved My Cheese and others to get started. 

Create Your Home Office 

A dedicated space to work from is an important ingredient to working remotely successfully. When the pandemic first hit, I built a new desk over a weekend and set up shop in the garage.  Later as the weather began to cool, I moved that inside and into my basement. I chose those particular locations because they allowed me to work with less distractions. My kids were remote learning with school and my wife was no longer traveling for work. Having a dedicated space allowed me to focus on work without distractions.

If you are working remotely, how has it gone for you? Have you experienced any challenges? If you are still working in the office but have the ability to work remotely why have you chosen to do that? Do you think these tips might change your mind? Tell me by posting below or contact me!