Did you recently land a new remote job? Did your employer finally allow you to work remotely? If yes, then, congratulations! Working remotely has become the trend, with the pandemic wreaking havoc all over the world.
But, while the idea of working remotely sounds tempting, it also comes with its own challenges. Your level of productivity, creativity, and inspiration can all be affected. How will you prepare yourself for this new kind of working lifestyle, then?
Check out the following five tips to start working remotely:
1. Set Up a Dedicated Workspace
It is all too easy to fall into the trap of just bringing your laptop with you on your bed and work surrounded by your cozy sheets. While there is nothing wrong if this works for you, it is a wiser decision to work somewhere else instead of the spot where you usually sleep and relax. You can set up a dedicated workspace that will draw the line between office and home. You can get into work mode easier if you have a designated spot for working.
2. Schedule Your Day
Planning your entire day in advance is important if you want to boost your productivity since working remote means your workday doesn’t have a specific start and end time. When you structure your day, you can distinguish your free time and working hours so you don’t have to spend your whole day at work. Create a schedule you will follow through that includes all the tasks you have to do and finish for the day as well as your lunch breaks and snack time.
3. Go on Quick Breaks
Speaking of lunch and snacks, taking breaks is also applicable for remote workers. However, when you work remotely, it can be very easy to forget taking your regular breaks since you don’t have a colleague you can grab a coffee with. It is recommended to take 5 to 10 minutes from time to time and move away from the work area. This will benefit not only your productivity level as it will also help refresh your mind and eyes.
4. Communicate
Communication and trust are two important factors in any remote work. Your boss and colleagues trust that you will be doing your job and you also expect the same from them. Over-communication is the secret to remote success. When it comes to over-communication, you don’t need to report everything you do. This means you should communicate as often and as clearly as possible to everyone involved. Never assume that your colleagues will know right away what you will work on. Explain it to them and allow them to ask questions.
5. Log Off
A major challenge when you work remotely, especially if you are a beginner, is knowing when you should log off. Everyone works in different schedules and some even in different time zones. It means that notifications will keep coming on the whole day. But, you don’t need to be on standby all the time. You will have to work round the clock if you never set time off. So, make sure you log off when you’re done for the day.
Follow these five tips to start working remotely and have a fun time with this new working lifestyle!