You're working remotely. How do you know if you're being productive and successful?

Work collaboratively with your leader to determine clear expectations. I recommend developing a position scorecard based on your job description and bring it to your leader during your next one on one. Have at least three outcomes based on a measurable objective and one on your organizational values. Measurable outcomes could be “establishing a project plan…”, “reducing time to value by 10%”, “hire 20 new people monthly”. Each outcome could be written as a SMART goal. Whatever you choose I also recommend under promising and over delivering. “25% increase in sales” may sound impressive and ambitious - however not reaching that 25% is an ouch. You got this! Set yourself up for success!

I have often been in this position, however, with projects or with a caseload, you can set your own parameters. Future proof yourself, if there is something coming down the road, prep in readiness, proof read what you’ve done already, check for errors. Look at what you have written already, could it be more concise? Hybrid working/working from home requires trust on both sides. Trust from your company that you will complete the work and tasks required to get the job done, And, trust in yourself, to not procrastinate, and your trust in your company that they set fair goals and achievable caseloads.

If you don't have clarity on the expectations for your role, what you should be doing in the day and what your deadlines are - ask! If you need further training or support to get there and reach your goals, make additional goals to follow-through with development.

I've found it particularly beneficial to use calendar blockers and share my schedule with my manager. It also helped to create a culture of openness and mutual respect for each other's time, contributing to overall team and individual productivity.

Know yourself. What works for you. What doesn't. Start thinking about your day as if you were just about to manage your alter ego. If you find it hard to work at home - do something to change the environment. If your most productive time is in the morning, block time and avoid any distractions during your "office hours". Make sure the routine helps to reinforce good habits and weakens or eliminates the bad ones. Do not shy away from honest evaluation of your progress during a day, week, or month. Is there anything in your routine you should stop or modify to get more productivity? How could your colleagues help to keep you on track? E.g. clear deliverables and deadlines, built-in dependencies, review meetings...

Working remotely makes it hard to switch off or separate home and work life. When we live in our offices we need a marker that the workday has begun or ended. I knew someone who wore a lanyard 9-5 through lockdown!

Habit formation is my favorite system. Here's how: 1. Identify your most important tasks and schedule them for dedicated "focus blocks" in your calendar. This helps avoid distractions. 2. Craft a Routine: Establish a consistent sleep schedule, wake-up time, and dedicated workspace to signal to your brain "it's work time." 3. Minimize Distractions: Silence notifications, avoid multitasking, and inform housemates/family about your work hours. 4. Schedule short breaks throughout the day to stretch, move around, or step outside. This helps refresh your mind and boosts focus during focus blocks. 5. Reward Yourself: Celebrate completed tasks or achieving goals with small rewards. Remember: Consistency beats intensity!

Communications can get out of hand easily so clear guidelines and letting your team know your availability will really help you set those boundaries.

Seeking 360 feedback is an invaluable way to uncover your development areas and level up the way you work. While seeking feedback from your line manager should be a norm, you should also look to regularly ask your peers, skip-level manager, and key stakeholders from other departments to share their thoughts on what you're doing well, and what you could be doing differently or better.

Build in the slow time or crisis management. Allow for the controlled departure from the routine, which shouldn't be disruptive enough to easily get back on track. Change your routine or modify slightly if you feel stuck or burnt out. Sometimes a minor modification can re-energize you. If unsure, designate a day in a week for experimentation with habits, trying something new or unorthodox - until you are convinced you get a better way of organizing your day. Make the time off part of the routine as well. Switch off when you assigned the time for rest.