Due to today’s pandemic and the many stay-at-home orders put in place, working remotely has become a necessity. However, not every professional has experience working from home and may struggle to do so initially.
Stick to Your Schedule
One of the most proven ways to stay productive whenever working remotely is to stick to your regular schedule. Begin your day at the same time every morning, plan out what you want, and/or need to work on, and do your absolute best to stick to these “office” hours. You’ll likely have to make adjustments like you would working in an office, but following a schedule can still help you stay on track and not fall behind.
Set up a Dedicated Work Area
Part of the reason why working from home can be so difficult for people is simply because they are at home surrounded by unfinished chores such as cleaning or cooking, television, and other things that quickly become a distraction. It helps to set aside an area that is strictly for work, whether that is a separate room in your house or a spot at your kitchen table away from recreational areas or other non work-related tasks that you’ve been meaning to complete.
Over-Communicate
Communication is essential in business, even more so when all of one’s employees are working remotely. Now that getting up from your desk and walking over to your manager or coworkers is not an option, the responsibility falls directly on you to stay in touch with your team. Be sure to schedule any necessary meetings and check in with your supervisor on a weekly basis at the very least. Highlight the successes and challenges you come across and your plan for any given day. While this may seem like overkill, keeping your coworkers in the loop is the best way to help during a time in which communication may be heavily stifled.
Don’t Neglect Self-Care
It’s very easy for your personal and professional lives to seemingly blend together when working from home. Of course, working past standard office hours is sometimes required, but it should never become a daily occurrence in which you are compromising your personal time. Stick to your usual post-work routines whether that be exercising, cooking, or spending some time outside.
With all of that said, it is very important to know when to log off for the day following a full day’s work, which is crucial when working remotely. While this does come with a great amount of flexibility, it can be easy to let professional responsibilities creep into your personal life and create a sense of never-ending work. Set a standard that works for both you and your business.