Tips for Successfully Working Remote | Tackle Your To Do
I’ve been working remotely for the better part of the past 20+ years. And while I would classify myself as very much an extrovert, I do love the peace and quiet of working from home. I get so much more accomplished and find myself able to stay on task so much easier. Not that these steps will work for everyone, but this is how I’ve made it work for me.
If possible, set up an office or workstation away from your everyday living space (spare bedroom, finished basement, out in the camper). Make your workspace someplace you need to “go to”.
Routine is key!
Continue with your same routine as if you were leaving the house to go to the office:
Get up at a set time.
Have breakfast.
Make your bed.
Brush your teeth.
Get dressed in something other than your PJs (not going to even lie, this does not always happen for me, but I tend to feel better when it does). Even if it means putting on leggings and a t-shirt (bra or no bra...whatever makes you comfortable ladies.)
Grab a cup of coffee and head to the “home” office.
Keep distractions at a minimum (yeah, hard to do with kids and possibly significant others at home with you). I don’t have a TV on, or even nearby, and don’t listen to the radio. For me, I’m better focused if I don’t have distractions in the background. Now, how you handle this with everyone home...I’m no help there, sorry! Right now, it’s just me and my crazy cats. Hubby is still working, but if he was home, more than likely he’d be downstairs anyways. (Working on a Honey-Do list, shhhh, don’t tell him I have a list ready for him.)
You need to take breaks once in a while. Get up and walk around. Get on social media for a few minutes (key here…a FEW minutes. I set a timer.) Since my office is upstairs in a spare bedroom, even though I have a bathroom a few feet from me, I make it a point to go downstairs any time I need to use the restroom.
Stay in contact with others. COMMUNICATION IS KEY! If others rely on you for help or information, be sure you reply in a timely manner. Whether it’s through a messenger app, email, text, or a phone call (do people still call other people??) Keep the lines of communication open.
Have a hard start and end time to your day. This was hard for me in the beginning, and I felt the need to reply to people no matter when they emailed me. That’s not healthy. Just because you are home, you shouldn’t feel you have to email someone back on Wednesday night during the Masked Singer. Besides, why are they emailing you then anyways? Unless something is critical to the operation of the office, wait until your regularly scheduled hours to reply. And don’t expect someone to reply to you just because you emailed them after hours or on the weekend.
Again, this is how I work successfully from home. Are there any tips I missed? Anything you do that helps you to stay productive while working at home? Share in the comments below.
Working remote not your thing?
Let's face it, working remotely isn't everyone's cup of tea. And that's OK! If you struggle with working remote, contact me and let's see if there is something I can do to help.
