About two weeks ago, I received long-awaited approval from my supervisor to begin working remotely one day a week. Prior to changing jobs in November, I was working remotely every Friday. For me, it was life-changing. I live nearly an hour from my workplace during rush-hour commutes, and one day at home made me more productive and drastically improved my mental health in eliminating one of five long weekly commutes. My position, at the time, was split between IT support and marketing communications work. Nearly everything I did was digital.
Since changing positions at the end of 2019, one of the contingencies of accepting my new role was the flexibility of workplace in a telework arrangement after the completion of my probationary period. My work is even more digital now, as a higher education social media manager, and can almost entirely be completed virtually. I am an extrovert, however, and love being around my colleagues and working collaboratively, in person. My one remote work day is my time to plan long-term, write copy, review analytics, and catch up without interruptions.
I had plans to write this post to share helpful tips for successfully remote work at home or other locations before the introduction of the coronavirus. Now, more individuals in the US and beyond are transitioning to remote work. Many have never done so before and are exploring the ways their work can still be productive and successful in new places. Many of these tips assume you have a healthy in-person work environment with a supportive supervisor. Likewise, they most often apply to those who work for an employer rather than employ themselves. Below, I’m including my best practices for successful remote work with examples from my own experiences.
Get Up and Move Your Body
While you might be tempted to sleep in because you have a few extra minutes without a commute, physical activity is an important part of a work day. In our current circumstances, visiting the gym isn’t ideal. If the weather’s great, get outside for a walk around your block. If you’re able, stretch when you wake up. Chair exercises are great too for those with limited mobility. I find step counters more helpful than ever during remote work. I average about 10,000 steps daily working on a college campus. Remote work in a one-story house can have me under 1,000 without intentional movement. Use a watch, step counting device, or phone to get your movement in for the day.
Shower and Get Yourself Ready
I am fully guilty of wanting to roll out of bed to immediately start my day any time I work from home. Treating your time like a normal work day gets you in the right mindset. Showering and putting on clothes that I wouldn’t sleep in help me feel prepared for a successful remote work day. I almost never wear shoes or dress clothes, but I do wear comfortable athletic wear that I don’t use as pajamas. Wear a bra. And pants. Wear clothes you’d be comfortable been seen in by your colleagues if you had to jump on a video call with your team.
Set a Schedule for Your Day
Changing workplaces affects people in different ways. Some people power through the whole day, distraction-free. Others find every speck of dust they’ve never seen in their house and all the projects they’ve always wanted to tackle. Physically write out or type a schedule for your day at home and try to keep the start and end times consistent if you’re remote for multiple days at a time. Checklists work so well for me and feel very empowering! The schedule should include breaks to move and stand, if you’re able, as well as diverting your eyes from the inevitable screen you’re on 100% of the day. My daily remote work schedule looks a bit like this:
- 6:45 AM – Wake Up
- 7:00 AM – Stretch or walk on the treadmill
- 7:30 AM – Shower, dry hair, get dressed
- 7:50 AM – Make breakfast
- 8:00 AM – Sit down at desk to work
- 10:00 AM – Put in load of laundry, take dogs out
- 10:15 AM – Morning work tasks
- 12:30 PM – Make lunch, take dogs out, stretch
- 12:50 PM – Afternoon work tasks
- 2:00 PM – Change load of laundry or load dishwasher, take dogs out
- 3:30 PM – Move laptop to kitchen to stand and work at counter
- 4:30 PM – Move back to desk for home stretch
- 5:30 PM – Log off for the day
Sit in a Chair, at a Table
I am the first person to try to convince myself that the couch or bed is just fine for remote work. It never fails that I feel less productive and/or more tired at the end of a day when I haven’t sat in a formal seat. If you don’t have a desk at home, your kitchen table, counter top, or even a card table works just fine. Sitting upright mimics your office workspace and helps you find that same mindset faster. If you can, choose a seated location with the least amount of distractions. Kids, pets, clutter, and television are all major distractions to successful remote work. If you can dedicate 1-2 small spaces for work and keep the others for play and general living, you’ll reinforce your productivity mindset.
Wear Headphones
This tip might not work for everyone, but it is so helpful for me. I typically only listen to music when I’m organizing files or doing tasks that do not require writing. Otherwise, I’ll start typing the words I hear. I often listen to instrumental music or silence! Headphones, again, help reduce distractions from ambient sounds in your home. These are without question a splurge, but are noise-cancelling headphones that have revolutionized my work day.
Talk to Others in Your Home About Your Plan
Whether significant others, roommates, or children are sharing your space, it is important that everyone involved understands what you need to accomplish. Have a discussion about your remote work plan with everyone impacted by your transition to teleworking before the day it takes effect. Avoid disagreements or confusion about needs by keeping lines of communication open in shared living spaces. If your home allows, put a door between you and other people while you’re working to limit your distractions.
Take Leave When Needed
Because you’re working remotely, there is a tendency to skip sick days or vacation leave. There can be major consequences from an insurance standpoint for yourself and for your employer if you work remotely or travel while sick. If you’re sick, take the PTO day if you have it. If you need a break, take a vacation day if you have it. Remote work gets a bad rap because individuals do not use leave in the same way as in-person staff and therefore provide subpar products or limit communication. In this specific time, as illness is rapidly spreading, take your health very seriously and communicate all concerns to your employer.
Ask for What You Need to be Successful
In normal telework circumstances, an employer should provide accommodations as part of your agreement that promotes successful remote work. As many people are currently transitioning to remote work without ample notice or planning, resources may be limited. Make sure you have access to the necessities to perform your job including technology and internet. If possible, try to keep sensitive documents off personal devices. If working with secure information, ask your employer to use a VPN. Keep lines of communication open with your employer about how remote work is going for you and be honest if something is not working well.
Seek Out Professional Development
Just as you would leave your main work place to attend a training, workshop, or conference, seek out digital opportunities to sharpen your skills. Now, more than ever, virtual options for certifications and trainings are available online. Just because you aren’t working in a shared office space does not mean you should not pursue offers to gain professional experience and expertise. Attend webinars, digital summits, listen to lectures, and read case studies. I make a point to do this for at least 15 minutes daily every time I work remotely.
Limit Digital Distractions
I’ve already discussed a number of real-life distractions that bring challenges to remote workplaces, but digital distractions are equally as difficult. Try to minimize the number of windows and browser tabs you have open at any given time. Log out of social media (unless your job requires it) and only check in on breaks. Do not work with a television on in the background – you likely wouldn’t do so in your normal office. Unless you need to make or are expecting a call, keep your phone out of reach from your seat so you are not tempted with apps and incoming messages. Turn on push notifications for your news outlet of choice during these current circumstances to be made aware of press conferences as they are held daily by local and national officials.
Eat Thoughtfully and Hydrate
Working from home usually opens up food options with a pantry and refrigerator just steps from your chair. It may be easy to grab quick snacks or even tempting to cook full meals. Regardless of your style, be mindful of your time. Don’t over-commit to cooking a large meal if you’re only allotted a 30-minute lunch break usually. Powering through your work and avoiding meals will throw off what your body expects and can cause changes in mood and energy.
Be likewise mindful of portions when you’re working from home. Fewer steps to and from your kitchen than to your car or local cafe if you would normally eat away from your office may leave you feeling too full and sleepy. Be thoughtful when choosing what foods you eat and how much. Because your schedule is inherently more flexible when remote, consider 4-5 smaller meals or snacks during your day. Keep water nearby at all times. At home, you’re likely closer to a coffee pot, soda, or even alcohol. Treat your remote work day beverage consumption just like you would in the office.
Use Tools to Collaborate with Coworkers
Depending on services for which your employer pays, platforms like Skype, Slack, Zoom, Google Hangout, etc. are extremely effective for remote collaboration. If possible, don’t cancel meetings or default to phone calls. Try to use web cams on laptops and phones to connect and collaborate with colleagues to keep morale and accountability high. If you have a remote day planned with no meetings, make a point to have a phone call with at least one colleague. Communication reminds people that this setup is working well.
