Blog Layout

7 Essential Tips for Working Remotely

May 07, 2020

7 Essential Tips for Working Remotely

The COVID-19 pandemic has businesses worldwide advocating and in many instances mandating, that staff work remotely. Most of us may be familiar with taking our work home and clocking in those extra hours but working from home full-time is an entirely different world.

It’s sudden, it’s uncomfortable, it’s isolated and current conditions imply it might last longer than expected. You’ve turned your dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens or garages into your new home offices. New uniforms have been assigned; conference calls are being led in PJ’s. This is your new work mode, but in retrospect how much productivity does this working structure promote?

Here are 7 tips to aid in minimizing your stress levels, preserving your mental health and promoting your productivity:

1. Get Dressed
Insignificant perhaps? Tempted to stay in your PJ’s all day? Getting into this routine makes it harder for you to get off the starting line and makes you less productive during the day. Maintaining your image can help boost your confidence and it defines the lines between work and home life. Formal office wear is not suggested but the simple act of getting dressed makes you feel human and it’s an indicator that now is the time to get going.

In this digital age, we are also engaged in many visual meetings and that’s about to increase as we adapt to this new working routine. Looking good helps you to feel good and to perform at optimal levels.

2. Designate a Workspace
Designating a specific area in your home will help you to stay focused. Find an area that allows for natural light to flow in. Your space should also feel separate from your house as well because on the flip side you must be able to disconnect from work, or you run the risk of your work productivity suffering and your home life being negatively impacted.

“Don't forget drink water and get some sunlight because you're basically a house plant with more complicated emotions.” - unknown

3. Define Working Hours
Regular hours and accountability, you’re the manager in this office and you need to self-evaluate your performance daily. Manage your time and recognize when enough has been accomplished for the day. On days you find yourself clocking longer hours and not being able to produce determine if it’s time to take a break, recharge, and begin again tomorrow with a rejuvenated mindset.

For those in collaborative roles setting the same schedule makes the transition smoother. Establish boundaries within the household environment so you can minimize on distractions. Separating your time and space to work will allow you to be fully present with the task at hand.

4. Mental Transitions
Getting to your work locations allows your brain the time to condition for work. On your daily travel if you usually use this downtime to listen to music, read or simply breathe… you can still practice these equivalent routines at home to help you ease into your workday.

Getting home from work does the opposite, sometimes we take for granted the time spent in the car or bus used to decompress from a chaotic workday. Hopping into your home routine immediately doesn’t allow your mind time to reboot, making you less present at the moment as you transition back into your personal life. Create equivalent routines for the end of the day to help unwind also.

5. Avoid the “Infodemic”
Undeniably the main distraction is the news reports. Constantly monitoring COVID-19 updates is at the forefront of our minds. Stay informed but don’t let yourself get distracted by every available piece of information. Be selective when choosing information sources.

6. Effective Communication
Critical to your success is effective communication during this pandemic. In these uncharted waters, clear expectations must be outlined and communicated to staff. For businesses new to working remotely expect to encounter some obstacles along the way. Goals and objectives are prone to change and there are several tools that can be used to navigate these occurrences.

Schedule your check-in’s and communication outlets that will be used to convey any changes or new projects. If you require assistance or a second opinion reach out to colleagues as you usually would while at the office. To reduce miscommunication and maintain corporate culture check-in with your boss and colleagues on the phone, conference calls or through video chat.

7. Remotely Socializing
Times are uncertain and anxiety levels are high right now, isolation may amplify these moods. Schedule morning calls with your entire team and make space for adjusting into work-mode small talk. Reach out to colleagues just to see how they are doing or how their day is progressing. Designate time for additional check-ins throughout the day.

Remember we are in this together, reach out, connect, respect, and take care of each other.

#workingremotely #genesisttinspired #purposedriven

Share by: