Tips for Working From Home From a Remote Employee
As more and more companies elect to have employees work remotely during these scary times, I figured that I would offer some advice for those who are being required to transition to home offices. Roughly a year ago I transitioned from an office setting to my home (or sometimes a Starbucks) and it took me a while to set boundaries and be efficient.
(1) Set a Schedule
With less distraction, it is much easier to get wrapped up in one project for a few hours. Blocking off certain hours of the day for different tasks / meetings can help. I also make checklists every day of what I need to accomplish and what I hope to accomplish. Often times these tasks will spillover into the following day, but it is still helpful to visualize responsibilities.
(2) Get up and stretch periodically
You may also find yourself sitting in one place for a long time. Just as you'd typically move around for meetings or refreshments, remind yourself to grab some water or take meetings in a different room.
(3) Take Breaks When YOU Want
Working remotely has its perks. One of my favorite, besides skipping traffic, is being able to take my lunch break when I desire. In most cases, remote employees plan their own day. I've found that taking an early or late lunch break is usually better for my ongoing projects. If you're feeling tired at 10:30am, take your break. If you're fired up and it's already 2pm, keep going.
(4) Use The Wonderful World of Collaboration Tools
Regardless of what kind of collaboration you're seeking, there's probably an app for it. Project and task management? Trello. Video meetings? Zoom. Messaging? Slack.
Final Words
I hope that these tips help you, they won't change your life, but they may relieve some stress. If you're having a difficult time adjusting, feel free to reach out to me and remember, with the technology that we have today, we are the most prepared that the world has ever been for embracing remote work. Stay safe.
Adapting to manage your sales team remotely? Checkout this guide from Commercient.