There are several remote working tips for a seamless transition from an onsite setup to working from home. It’s a necessary piece of information given the growing trend of remote offices since the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns that affected businesses.
The use of the Internet is associated with remote work. Making it easier to have quick conversations, online meetings, transactions, and maintenance efforts. For employers and business owners, remote working can ease the costs of onsite requirements such as capital leases, office rentals, and maintenance bills.
However, there are also downsides to remote working, such as the lack of relationships built between employees and the lack of collaboration.
The good news is that these remote working tips can turn the cons of work-from-home setups to an advantage.
6 Remote Working Tips to Make it Work For You
Listed below are tips and tools for the trade in remote working. All of these are based on careful planning, understanding of employee behavior, and efficiency.
Create a Dedicated Workspace
One of the most crucial remote working tips experienced employees will tell you is to create your workspace. A dedicated workspace where it’s quiet with few distractions and ample lighting is suitable for remote office workers.
Important things to consider in a dedicated workspace are high-speed Internet, proper desk height, good ventilation, and an ergonomic chair.
Establishing a Routine and Schedule
A remote work schedule must be a routine. Adjustments to a work-from-home lifestyle may be difficult at first if not nurtured into becoming a habit. Ensure that employees have a set time to work where they focus on their productivity and tasks.
Consider using a four-window time management strategy on Excel sheet schedules. Prioritizing high-priority tasks and working down to the low-priority ones with a schedule at hand will be effective in keeping a routine.
Communication and Collaboration
Communication is one of the key worries in remote working. Tips on collaboration and communication with clients and colleagues largely include recommending remote tools for collaboration.
Communication in remote work must be a high priority. Hiccups and delays are possible due to employees not being able to respond quickly to calls or responses. Ensure using a singular platform for communication. Preferable ones would allow employees to relay a set status such as in a meeting, on leave, or working from home.
Staying Focused and Avoiding Distractions
Remote working tips and techniques on concentration are important for productivity. Consistently avoiding distractions while working remotely can be difficult without proper management. Consider using project management systems such as Asana, excel, Monday, or Trello while working.
Remote work productivity also includes warming up your mind before starting work. Prepare an hour or so just before you clock in to get into the mental state of productivity. Make sure that you don’t do multitasking as well, seeing as this could lead to poor outputs and delayed products.
Maintaining a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Remote working tips aren’t just for productivity alone. It’s important to set a boundary between home life and work life. Remote work and work-life balance can be difficult to maintain, especially when your office is just next to your bedroom.
The biggest cause of concern is burnout. Many employees simply cannot put down their work phone when at home to fix issues despite it being their off-schedule. This causes morale during WFH to lower and have breakdowns in productivity.
Keep a mental note to yourself to stop all work-related affairs once you clock out. Things can be dealt with once you clock in. Establish healthy boundaries and reply only when necessary during your off hours.
Building a Sense of Community
Remote work community building is more difficult than onsite working. Colleagues and team spirit easily dwindle since employees do not see each other on a day-to-day basis. Thankfully, there are many ways to create a community within your workplace.
Take advantage of virtual social events such as online parties, games, and raffles. Those working from a distance can join in the fun while everyone is present. It’s also necessary to create team-building activities outside of remote work life as well. Consider planning a lunch out or team-building vacation to foster understanding and relationships.
Conclusion
Remote working tips can greatly benefit employees given the increase of remote work in today’s society. As an employee, you can easily find yourself stuck in a rut during remote work. Especially when transitioning from an office-based setup. Use these tips to ensure you can maintain your work-life to its highest potential and enjoy your new setup.
Meanwhile, employers learning about these tips can help ensure the quality of their employee’s work-life, productivity, and mental health.