THE WORK-FROM-HOME DEBATE
The debate over working from home has been raging on for a while now. Remote work has clear benefits as well as downsides and whether you are in favor of it or not, it is becoming increasingly popular. But I am not joining the remote work debate right now. This blog is not about convincing you to work from home, rather it is about helping you work better from home.
I have been working from home for Jones IT for over six years now. During this period, I have adapted to the remote work environment fairly well. In this blog post, I’m sharing the strategies and tips that have helped me improve my productivity and overall happiness while working from home.
My top tips for working from home effectively
Here are my top 9 tips for working from home effectively:
In the following sections, I will describe each in detail.
1. ACCEPT THAT NOT EVERY STRATEGY OR TIP WILL WORK FOR YOU
The most important advice that I can give you is to ignore any advice that doesn’t work for you. Don’t feel compelled to use any strategies that are difficult to implement for you or if they just don’t work for you.
Working from a cafe or co-working space didn’t work for me. I felt most comfortable when working from my home, so I stopped working from cafes after trying it for a couple of days. Another suggestion that didn’t work for me was getting dressed for work. It didn’t feel natural to get dressed and then stay at home. Moreover, I would rather use those 10 minutes needed for dressing up to plan my day instead.
Don’t force yourself if anything doesn’t feel natural. Getting things done is the main objective, therefore, adopt only those suggestions that help you achieve that goal.
2. HAVE A DEDICATED WORKSPACE
When I started working from home, I literally worked from every place in my apartment. I worked from the couch, dining table, bed, and even the floor. While the flexibility was good, I was finding it increasingly difficult to shut off from work. The problem was that there was no clear boundary between work and home. My entire home was my workplace so work never left my mind.
All that started to change after I created a dedicated space for working. My workspace consists of a desk, a gamer chair, and a bean bag. This space is my office at home and my work doesn’t go out of that space. This may seem trivial but it has been instrumental in bringing a balance between my work and personal life.
3. DON’T EXPECT IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO MESSAGES
When you are in the office, it is easy to see who is at their desk, whether they are busy, and what they are up to. As a remote worker, you don’t have that luxury. Even though you may have access to your team’s calendar, you may never know for certain what they are doing. Their meetings may overrun, unexpected issues may arise, or they may be actively working even though their calendar shows they are free.
So the messages you send to your team may not get immediate responses. And that is okay. Your teammates will get back to you when they can. Once you get used to this asynchronous communication, you will feel a lot better about working from home.
4. TRUST YOUR TEAM
Every member of your team is accountable, not just to the team but also to the company. Remote work is no excuse to check in on them every hour. Establish a simple process that everyone can follow. Have daily or weekly stand-ups and use that opportunity to address any roadblock that your team may be facing. Rather than checking in on your team every now and then, focus on removing the impediments.
Trust your team to get their job done and your team will repay your trust with exceptional work even though they may be working remotely.
5. TAKE BREAKS
In the office, you usually take breaks without even realizing it. The quick chat with your colleague may go off on a tangent and you end up shooting the breeze. Or on the way back from your coffee break, you stop by a colleague’s desk. But when working from home, you don’t have such opportunities. Your meetings take place at your desk, your coffee break happens at your desk, and sometimes even lunch is at your desk.
Sitting at your desk all day, staring at your screen is unhealthy. So you need to take breaks. Instead of keeping a big bottle of water at your desk, keep a small glass. This will force you to get up to get refills. Keep your snacks in the kitchen and that will give you another reason to get up from your desk.
Intersperse your work with short breaks to stretch, relax your eyes, and to rest your mind. Taking breaks is not just good for your body but also helps you get back to work refreshed and can spark new ideas.
6. REACH OUT IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING
Remote work can be difficult because you don’t have many opportunities for interpersonal interactions with your team. Couple this with asynchronous communication and you may feel alone. This is a very real problem and can lead to a feeling of isolation. This will not just be bad for your productivity but may also severely impact your mental health.
So it is very important to reach out to your work friends if you ever feel lonely or isolated. It is also a good idea to occasionally schedule chats to just socialize and shoot the breeze with your team.
7. LISTEN TO MUSIC
Not everyone likes to listen to music while working. For the first couple of years, I didn’t like to either. But about a year or so ago, I found music that really helped me to concentrate. Nowadays I regularly listen to baroque music when working. There are many people who swear by the efficacy of classical music on concentration but I don’t. It just works for me and I know others who listen to hip-hop or rock music while working.
I don’t listen to music when the work requires deliberate thinking such as analysis or calculations. But for routine tasks such as data entry, report updates, and blog writing, I find that baroque music helps me to concentrate and be productive. In case you are wondering, I mostly listen to the compositions of Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi.
An added advantage of putting on your headphones while tapping away on the keyboard is that it shows your family that you are hard at work and they are less likely to disturb you.
8. MAKE A TO-DO LIST
Many people find the home environment not very conducive to work because there are a lot of distractions. In addition, as a remote worker, you will be dependent on messages and emails for collaboration. This can cause notification overload and you can easily get inundated with tasks, requests, and FYIs. It’s so easy to get lost in all the notifications and distractions around you, that you won’t even realize it. And at the end of the day, you may realize that all you did that day was respond to messages.
A plan will help you stay focused on what needs to be done. There will be distractions and occasional interruptions but you can always refer to your list and get back to what needs your attention. Also, crossing out the items listed on your to-do list will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to keep going. I generally use the checklist feature on Trello cards to manage my daily as well as weekly action items. But sometimes I go old-school and use a notepad and pen.
9. ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL BE UNPRODUCTIVE SOMETIMES
You are allowed to have off days. It’s okay if you occasionally feel unproductive and are not able to accomplish what you have set out for yourself. Everyone has bad days and you shouldn’t beat yourself up about it. Some days you will be highly productive and accomplish a lot, while other days you may not be as productive. That is perfectly normal.
If you aren’t feeling productive and aren’t able to concentrate, take a break and move away from the screen. Go for a walk, read a book, or go out for lunch and get back to work afresh. But if you continue to struggle, it’s perfectly okay. Let your team know about it and call it a day early. When you are feeling motivated and super productive, you will easily compensate for your off days.
For tips and tricks on how to stay productive, check out our blog: How To Increase Productivity
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About The Author
Hari SubediMarketing Manager at Jones IT
Hari is an online marketing professional with a focus on content marketing. He writes on topics related to IT, Security, Small Business, and Mindfulness. He is also the founder and managing director of Girivar Kft., a business services company located in Budapest, Hungary.