Personal Growth While Working Remotely

1.     Make a dedicated work space at home

2.     Keep work and life separate and set boundaries (as much as possible)

3.     Wake up and start early

4.     Be disciplined. You have responsibilities

5.     Plan activities around your meeting schedule

6.     Schedule focus time for deep thought to minimize interruptions

7.     Get dressed and look sharp

8.     Use your cam and hands-free audio device

9.     Wear a cap and be authentic

10. Don’t skip meals

11. Deepen the relationship with your pets

12. Do errands to avoid traffic and crowds. Take advantage of schedule flexibility.

13. Avoid burnout. Know when to stop.

14. Ambient music and news alerts are fine. Never turn on a television.

15. Go outside and breathe

16. Seasons and weather doesn’t matter unless it’s extreme

17. Have a contingency plan and make a ‘Go Bag’

18. Make evening appointments for networking, family and friends

19. Build an emotional support team

20. Forgive yourself for lapses in discipline and routine. Allow the occasional procrastination or cheat

21. Don’t explain yourself to others that don’t comprehend

22. Keep learning

23. Enjoy quiet time and solitude

24. Use late nights strategically and sparingly

25. Plan vacations and ‘sharpen the saw’

I started my career with an education in Industrial Engineering and Business Administration as a quality and productivity improvement specialist in manufacturing environments where factories were driven by shift work and a time clock. Since then, knowledge work for many people has evolved extensively over the years. Technology has enabled exponential gains in productivity, but it has also transferred immense responsibility to individuals that are accountable for managing commitments to their customers and employers. This transformation in work provides freedom and flexibility while also increasing stress, leaving people to feel more isolated and socially disconnected. 

 As my career progressed, I became a traveling road warrior as an enterprise software implementation consultant. I learned to work in multiple time zones, going anywhere - customer offices, airports, hotel rooms, coffee shops, lobbies, hospital waiting rooms, soccer fields, and automobiles in freeway gridlock. If I had a laptop, mobile phone, and an internet connection, then I could work. Now, in the current stage of my career, I reflect on the last 7 years as things are constantly changing again/still. This time, the nature of work is virtual, remote and mobile. I’m still learning, but in a way, it has become second nature to me. Yet, to many this is a new development and a new way to work and live. Authors, actors, song writers and other creative vocations have dealt with these opportunities and challenges for decades or longer. This is now becoming mainstream for the rest of us. Can you relate to 'writer's block'? If you have worked remotely, then you probably can. Procrastination can afflict anyone with a deadline (Tweet this).

 The following is a list of productivity tips that I have collected for working remotely . I have violated most of my own rules over time. I still do. However, with practice, I become more disciplined and reap the rewards of benefiting from new habits and a growth mindset. I’ve provided a brief explanation for each of these tips. Please connect with me to discuss those that interest you. Which of these tips are your favorites? What additional ideas do you have?

Meanwhile, try using my lessons learned for yourself, and decide if they make you a more productive and happier person. Can you successfully work remotely from Hawaii, the Caribbean, or a ranch in Wyoming? Maybe for a week or two, but I'm still trying to figure that out.

1.   Make a dedicated work space at home

Have a table or ergonomic desk, comfortable chair, desktop computer or laptop with a docking station, monitor(s), camera, speakers, printer, WiFi, good lighting, and office supplies. Make this a clutter-free area that you enjoy working in even more than a cubicle in a corporate office with shared spaces and annoyances. This should be your sanctuary – a place to do your best thinking, enabled by technology and devices that make you more productive.

2.   Keep work and life separate and set boundaries (as much as possible)

Allocate quiet space for a home office. Ideally this should be a converted spare bedroom or a finished basement or attic with a door for privacy that is used exclusively for the purpose of doing work and separate from your living quarters. A former team member of mine even works from his boat in the UK when weather permits. Windows, plants, and art are a good thing. A laptop on a kitchen table or on your bed works for short time periods, but this is not a long-term solution to avoid distractions from food, sleep, and family life. Use a door for privacy while working. Establish house rules for when you can be disturbed; for example, ‘please knock on the door if I’m not on a call'. Go mobile if you need a domicile escape.

3.   Wake up and start early

Don’t use the new freedom of working from home as an excuse to sleep in later because you don’t need to leave the house for a commute. Set a start schedule ahead of your first calls or meetings to plan your day and prepare your work. Early mornings are your friend.

4.   Be disciplined. You have responsibilities

We have transformed from the industrial age of being measured by time and duration to the information age of being measured by results. Although you may no longer be bound by the clock, you need to have discipline in planning and delivering results of your work. Gain trust from your customers, managers, and peers by being proactive and a self-starter.

5.   Plan activities around your meeting schedule

This is a very personal point depending upon your role in the organization. Plan your activities around the meetings and deadlines for the day. Fill in your time in-between these events to follow-up and complete your assignments and commitments. Use blocks of free time for personal development tasks (exercise/gym?) if you have that luxury.

6.   Schedule focus time for deep thought to minimize interruptions

Make appointments with yourself to get work done when not in meetings. Many collaboration tools allow you to set your online presence to make your teammates aware of your status. Use blocks of time to focus on your activities that require deep thinking with minimal distractions.

7.   Get dressed and look sharp

Working remotely means that you can dress and feel more comfortable than if you spent all day in the office. However, you want to look and feel professional while performing your work. Be presentable and visible when you attend virtual meetings with your customers and co-workers. Show them you are present. I always have a pressed collared shirt and a sport coat ready if needed in a pinch. Flip flops are optional.

8.   Use your cam and hands-free audio device

While attending virtual meetings, turn on your camera to let others know that you are engaged and serious about the topics discussed. Communication is improved if you can see facial expression, body language, and have eye contact. Be a trend-setter when others won't use their cam. Go hands free with audio so that you can write or type freely without a phone handset craning in your neck.

9.   Wear a cap and be authentic

It happens… When not feasible to shower, shave, style hair, put on makeup, etc., then put on a hat or baseball cap, be authentic, and engage in conversations with the camera on for the reasons stated above. Not all meetings are with customers or company executives. Your co-workers that you meet with in your daily team activities will understand that we can’t always be presentable as if we are in the office. They will appreciate that you are working hard and engaged even if you haven’t had time to look as nice as you would like.

10. Don’t skip meals

Skipping meals is easy to do if you don’t have discipline and a routine. This is a false productivity hack. You will be better balanced by staying hydrated and nourished. Skipping meals can make you ‘hangry’, edgy, listless and sleepy, and prone to making mistakes. I usually get headaches if I don't each lunch. Meal prep on weekends or the night before. Make your dinner in a crock pot and check it throughout the day.

11. Deepen the relationship with your pets

Let your pets hang out with you in your office. They will appreciate your company and provide you with comfort when you are with your favorite companion. I know many of my colleagues' pets' names as they bark at the mail person during the most inopportune moments of a meeting. It's our new reality.

12. Do errands to avoid traffic and crowds. Take advantage of schedule flexibility.

If you are in-between meetings while the rest of the world is working, try to accomplish personal errands such as medical appointments, banking, supermarket, dry cleaning, etc. You can get things done quicker and easier with shorter queues and less traffic. Use these times to your advantage rather than trying to do them when everybody else is also doing the same thing. This hack gives you time back for work and family.

13. Avoid burnout. Know when to stop.

Freedom can be your worst enemy because you feel like you should always be doing more work. Make your plan of essential tasks for the day and work to accomplish them. You may give yourself extra credit to keep going, but you will ultimately be more productive when you start fresh the next day and work on completing your next set of essential tasks in that day.

14. Ambient music and news alerts are fine. Never turn on a television.

Some people don’t like silence. Ambient music, whether it's a classical genre or rhythmic sounds, can be soothing and inspiring. Listen to anything that puts you in your zone. TVs are distracting productivity traps. Turn them off and keep them off. If you enjoy watching your favorite shows, then defer until your work is complete and use this as a reward for accomplishment.

15. Go outside and breathe

Remember to take frequent breaks between meetings or periods of intense thinking. Stand, stretch, breathe, get some fresh air and sunshine on your face. You will feel happier, healthier, and better balanced. Keep your perspective.

16. Seasons and weather doesn’t matter unless it’s extreme

You’re more productive working remotely because you don’t need to take extra time to travel and prepare for the elements. You can be more productive while enjoying the view from your window. You don’t have to worry as much about external conditions unless they are extreme such as tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards or flooding. Santa Ana winds are the scourge of wildfires in Southern California. If these things happen, plan for contingencies.

17. Have a contingency plan and make a ‘Go Bag’

If you lose internet connectivity, power, communications, what would you do? Can you work from a coffee shop, internet café, library, or local hotel lobby? Pack a bag with essential items (laptop, phone, headphones, MiFi, etc.) that you can take with you to continue working with minimal disruption. Think like an NCIS field agent would in your favorite TV show or novel.

18. Make evening appointments for networking, family and friends

Solitude in a remote office can be liberating, but it can also drive you crazy without personal interaction with other humans. Technology enables productive meetings and calls, but it is not a substitute for being present with other people. Join local networking groups, engage in community events, spend time with family and friends to offset isolation you experience in your remote work environment.

19. Build an emotional support team

Create a list of trusted co-workers, friends, partners that you can reach out and talk to when you need to vent, or seek advice, or just talk to. Your pets may be good listeners, but they can’t talk to you and help you work through your thoughts. Use this team for inspiration, solving problems, and overcoming boredom or procrastination.

20. Forgive yourself for lapses in discipline and routine. Allow the occasional procrastination or cheat.

Like following a rigorous diet, nobody is perfect. Focus on essential deliverables and keep perspective on accomplishing things most important to you. When you occasionally fall short of your expectations, then don’t be too hard on yourself. Re-plan, adapt, move on.

21. Don’t explain yourself to others that don’t comprehend

Not everybody understands what you do to make a living, especially neighbors, in-laws, acquaintances, etc. Your remote working lifestyle is unique for your situation. Never feel competitive or guilty. If somebody doesn’t understand your situation or is judging you, then don’t waste your energy trying to seek their approval. Their lack of comprehension is their problem, not yours. Times have changed, and you are in the lead.

22. Keep learning

Remote work may make you feel isolated at times. Use your resources and access to technology. Leverage online training courses to grow your career, or use the internet to discover new interests and hobbies when you have down time and can afford a break.

23. Enjoy quiet time and solitude

Working remotely allows you to create a work environment that best suits you. Avoid feelings of FOMO (fear of missing out) and enjoy your environment. Think about the things that you are really missing such as traffic, annoying habits of coworkers, smelly kitchenettes and break rooms, noisy offices, gossip and banter. Your situation is enviable to most people.

24. Use late nights strategically and sparingly

I'm a morning person. I only work late at night if it is crunch time. Unless you are a night owl and a shredding workaholic, then set your limits. Some parents are most productive after the kids have finished homework and have been put to bed. If that is your case, then embrace it and do it. Just make sure that you carve out your time for after school pickups, practices, and family time to be present with them. Then you can be focused and productive when burning the midnight oil without guilt, and you will have a feeling of mutual benefit and fairness with your employer. My only reservation of this approach is that you lose your early morning opportunity the next day.

25. Plan vacations and ‘sharpen the saw’

This is the hardest tip for me to follow personally. Just like you need to manage your time every day to balance work and life, you need to balance your longer-term goals by allowing yourself to rejuvenate. Humans are not machines, and hopefully with new technologies like artificial intelligence, machines will begin replacing repetitive tasks better suited for them. This will allow more time for you on critical thinking – and hopefully some better-quality leisure time. Take advantage of these opportunities and follow Stephen Covey's advice by sharpening the saw.

About the author: Mike Fahner is a Customer Success Manager for the Modern Workplace at Microsoft. He helps his customers leverage Office 365 and Microsoft Teams to unlock business value in the investments they have made in software collaboration tools.