The Most Efficient and Effective Practices for Working at Home Remotely
It seems that working from home is not a new concept for most of us, especially those of us who have our entrepreneurial businesses – it is not uncharted territory. I have had the privilege of working from home for at least a few year, and I always got the question – how do you do it? Most gave reasons such as:
- It’s not for me, there are too many distractions.
- Not sure my boss would trust me to work from home.
- It’s difficult to manage the day to day tasks
After years of working from coffee shops and in my own office I rent out, there’s one thing I’m learned - working remotely takes a lot of focused planning. I learned that managing my own time and choosing my hours at first was incredibly hard, especially because I did not plan my day ahead of time.
I bring all this up because, in the awaken of COVID-19, many people (and companies) are suddenly finding themselves working remotely (or having their employees work from home remotely). Many have been in close quarters with their young children, partners, and family. However, in the midst of this, you (and the company) can create effective practices for working from home remotely. You ask how?
- Create and Nurture An Online Meeting Place (or Conference Call Meetings)
This can be every day or every other day. The company I work for (I work a contract job also) does a conference call every other day and it has benefited in a few ways:
- It helps management and other team members stay informed of what is going on through the week, as well, as any challenges that need to be handled.
- It gives management comfort known that work is still being done daily.
- It helps the team work together even through conversation whether it be online or through conference calls.
2. Start You Day As Early As You Can
I was always told that rising before the sun is a habit most successful people have in common, and it has been my motto throughout my adult life.
Truth is that one way to work from home effectively is to go straight to your to-do list as soon as you wake up and have that first-morning coffee (my 1st is my devotion time). I always tackle my high-value work 1st. Those of you who have a family – I can vouch (I have mine) that starting your task first thing in the morning before the rest of those in your house wakes up can be the key to making real progress in your day. Also, note that before ending your day, plan out what you want to have accomplished for the next day.
However, if you are not that early riser – work when you are more productive (I learned that from others I have managed - not everyone is one the same schedule). I also have been known to be a night-owl (especially when business picked up) and needed a few hours to ease into the day, leverage my afternoons and evenings.
3. Structure Your Day As You Would Normally If You Were In The Office
Working from home, it seems you manage practically everything from calendar, projects, tasks, and breaks. However, without a proper structure, you can easily lose focus or get burned out.
It really would not be a bad idea if you would dress the part and tell yourself you are in “work-mode”. I mean relaxed work clothes — not your PJs. What I have found is dressing up each morning to start my day makes me feel fresh, awake, and productive. Try to remember also to take those breaks – this helps to refresh and recover.
4. Separate Your Work Zone From Your Relax Zone
I know when you work from home remotely, it can be easy to curl up in your bed with your laptop and pretend that you are working. However, to improve your efficiency and effectiveness – try to build a separate home office/desk just for work. What this does is set your brain up for greater output — your brain thinks of the office as the place where work transpires. It also helps in working in the same space each day that you and your brain begins to associate that particular spot with “work”.
I know in this very difficult time, there are a lot of valid reasons managers and some employees themselves shy away from remote work. I urge anyone on the fence about remote work to try it out by doing these effective practices I mentioned – there are even many more I could address, but these are the basics and the ones everyone (even manages) can appreciate. It helped me through the years.
To be honest, there are plenty of benefits of working remotely for both employers and employees. We just have to trust in the process and those we hire. As we get through these difficult times - let's also remember to stay safe!