Remote Access Tips for Beginners

Schools and companies are now making use of remote access in order to teach students and to allow workers to work from home. Remote access is becoming the new norm, but what can you expect and what tips should you know as you begin this new way of life? You need to know how to stay productive, sharp and focused. Where before you had to leave your home to go to school or work, you are now being asked to stay near the most comfortable location you know....your home.

Having studied and worked from home, and also having personally deployed remote access to thousands of workers, I have included a few things below that may help guide you through what you will consider uncharted waters.

Get the instructions

Each school, or company, will need to provide you with a list of basic instructions on how to can connect to their network so that you can study or work remotely. These instructions also need to provide information on the user id that you will need to login to the school or company site, your system bandwidth requirements, and who to contact if you are having issues. Make sure that you test the instructions way beforehand. Do a dry run and see how things perform. Prep for your first day before it arrives. Make sure that you have the name and numbers of other classmates and coworkers that can help you and that you can help if they need it. Don't wait until the last minute to login because you will try to rush through, have issues and it will become the most stressful experience in your life. If you work through all the issues in advance, you will then have the most enjoyable experience moving forward.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Communication is key to students in classrooms and workers in the office, but when it comes to studying or working remotely communication is key and the most important asset.  Since you’re no longer a few desks from your students, other teachers or coworkers, it is every individual’s responsibility to make sure that they schedule some 1-on-1 time with their teacher or manager and make sure that they are on track with homework, projects, and daily tasks.

Make sure that you clearly state the progress you’ve made in the past week, which assignments you’ve completed or surpassed and which projects you’re focusing on. When you’re not in school or in the office, it can be difficult for your teacher or manager to be aware of what you are doing, so don’t be afraid to bring things up on your own.

Make sure you have reliable tech

Anyone that is studying or working remotely will tell you that reliable access to consistent wi-fi is key to their success, but also remember that there's more to a successful setup than an internet connection. Along with having the ability to access school documents or work files without losing connection, you should also consider what tools and tech you'll need. A good thing to consider is investing in a good pair of headphones (noise-cancelling if possible) so that you can prevent from being distracted by background noise. Other items may be a wireless keyboard and mouse. Finally, you may even be able to setup a second monitor so that you don’t have to switch between applications constantly. You can keep one application open on one screen, i.e. email, and do work on another, such as a spreadsheet. 

Lean on your friends and coworkers

The biggest misconception is that if you are studying or working remotely you don’t talk to others and will get lonely. In today’s society, everyone can connect via social media. You want to make sure that stay connected to your friends, teachers, and coworkers and this can be done virtually via Facetime, Skype, a phone call, or simple texting. Surrounding yourself and being in touch with students and coworkers that are successfully studying and working remotely will inspire you to stay focused and they can even provide you with some tips on how they are succeeding.

Think about your study space or workspace

An important factor is to make sure that your study or work environment is conducive to making sure that you are successful. You need to be able to focus and concentrate on your work. This may mean unplugging the game console, hiding the remote to the TV, and even closing the door to your room or office and putting a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the outside of it. In the end, make sure you create a designated spot for you to study and work at home. Make sure that it is your haven and that it makes you feel motivated and ready to tackle whatever you need to do.?

Determine your best studying or working environment

It is important that you determine the your best and most productive studying and working environment. For remote access to work for you, you need to make sure that your environment is the way it needs to be in order for you to be successful. You may like to work in silence, so consider noise-canceling headphones. If you like what is known as white noise, you may want to have music playing in the background. Also, determine if you need to take small breaks to stretch your legs and circulate the blood. Sitting for too long could make you too relaxed and start to fall asleep. It’s also important to re-focus your eyes away from the screen every 2 hours.

Don’t forget to take care of yourself

When you stay in front of the computer and are so focused on what you are doing, you can begin to lose track of time and you will find yourself stuck there longer than expected. Though this may be necessary when you have to complete an assignment or task, you still need to make sure that you give time to yourself. You have to commit to setting time aside to get up, do some exercise, eat healthy meals so that your body can maintain its high efficiency and your mind will stay sharp. The benefits of studying and working remote can consume your personal life and you need to make sure that you’re not missing other important moments.

Time to disconnect

Knowing when to shut things down can become blurred. With constant notifications from friends, family and coworkers on your mobile devices, you are now asked to pay attention to notifications for school and work. You’ve been told so many times to disconnect from electronics, but now you have to stay connected to them. This balance of staying connected and disconnecting can be the most challenging. You worry about missing a notification or alert.  Though you are always going to receive emails and chat notifications at any hour, it’s important to into the habit of setting a specific time when you officially “disconnected” for the day.  Start getting people used to you not being available 24/7 or you will never get any rest.

Enjoy the perks of being remote

Remember, although you are not next to your friends and coworkers, studying and being remote does have its advantages. For one, you will definitely learn a new skill, because being able to successfully study and work outside of school or the office is very important. It requires self-discipline, self-awareness, focus, and tech-savvy self-troubleshooting. This is something you can definitely put on your resume. Being remote also allows to concentrate on important assignments without interruption from others. You will also learn to organize things like contact lists and documents so that you have them readily available when you or someone you know needs them.

So, welcome to the new norm and enjoy the ride.