Have you suddenly found yourself working from home due to the coronavirus outbreak? If yes, then you are not alone. Many businesses are embracing remote work in the wake of a sudden rise in global COVID19 cases. Working from home is not as bad as most people might think. In fact, it can be great.
According to remote work statistics, 85% of businesses think that working remotely has increased their productivity. 66% of remote workers said they are more productive in their home offices as compared to traditional workspaces. 77% of businesses that allow employees to work from home have lower operating costs.
Amerisleep conducted a study on 1000 remote workers and found that 57% of remote workers are more satisfied with their job. What’s more interesting is the fact that 80% of remote workers experience less stress. They stay healthier and take fewer days off. But how can I reap all these benefits and make work from home less of a hassle and more fun?
In this article, you will learn about five time-tested remote working tips that will make working from home an enjoyable experience.
5 Remote Working Tips to Enhance Your Work from Home Experience
1. Identify What Works for You
The first thing you need to find out what produces the best results for you. Ask yourself, How do you want to work? Do you like to work in calm environments? If so, you can head over to a less crowded café for some remote work or dedicate a particular room in your home for remote work. If you are an organized person who likes to follow a schedule and divide your day into time blocks, you can take that approach.
Remote work is also a great choice for people who easily get distracted, as there are fewer distractions when you work from home. You don’t have to worry about noisy co-workers coming up to you for long discussions or attending useless meetings, both of which kill your productivity. In short, the key to success with remote work is to find what works for you and stick to it.
2. Stay True to Your Company Culture and Values
Just because you are working from home does not mean that you should stay in your pajamas. You were worse last night. Dress professionally, as you do when you go to work. This can influence your approach and mindset and play an essential role in setting the tone for the rest of the day. Stay aligned with your company culture and stay true to your company values. If you tend to greet people in the morning, do so even when you are working remotely. Small things like this make a huge difference.
3. Overcommunicate
One of the biggest challenges of working from home is little to no communication. This creates a communication barrier which you need to overcome by over-communicating. If you have a diverse remote team with members from different generations, this can become even more important.
Since you are not sitting in the same room or building, you need to make sure that you don’t miss out on important developments and stay on the same page as other team members. This is only possible when you constantly stay in touch with your team members. Online task management software like TaskQue offers communication features that let you brainstorm and share ideas but also conduct meetings and even store minutes of the meetings for future reference.
4. Customize Your Workspace
Whether you are working remotely on a temporary basis or permanently, it is important to pay attention to the workspace. In fact, you should look at it as a great opportunity as now you can change everything and make your workspace exactly how you wanted it to look.
Customize your workspace to your heart’s content, so you want to visit your home office day in and day out without getting bored. Make sure you declutter your work desk so that it stays neat and ergonomic. This makes it easy for you to find stuff you need to complete your task and you don’t have to go looking for it for hours. This saves a lot of your time and makes you more productive.
5. Draw the Line
Another problem most remote workers face is they struggle to pull the plug. Just because you are working remotely does not mean that you will have to respond to emails sent to you at 9 PM. Yes, I know it’s the 21st century and employers expect you to work from anywhere at any time, but that should not deter you from shutting down your computer when your shift is over. Create a schedule and stick to that schedule. Take multiple breaks throughout your workday and it will help you recharge your batteries.
How do you stay productive during remote work and improve your work from home experience? Let us know in the comments section below.
