Did you know that 97% of people prefer remote working these days? It’s no question that the pandemic has shifted this style of work fast forward. What exactly makes working from home so attractive in the first place?
From a work-life balance, it’s pretty obvious—no commuting back and forth, you’re right where you need to be when you clock out. Aside from the benefits, there will be challenges along the way. If you don’t watch out for them in the first place, you may feel out of sorts.
Would you like to learn how to get a leg up and be the best remote worker you can be? Read our guide below to get started.
1. A Morning Routine
When remote working, a morning routine is crucial. If you are new to the WFH space, one of the first things you will learn is that it is a double-edged sword. Having an anchor at the beginning of the day will ground you for the perfect start to your day.
What sorts of things would you like to incorporate into your morning routine? Is it having a cup of coffee, reading “the paper”, and the morning news? You want simple practices so that you can keep coming back to that jumpstart the day the way you like.
One of the best things you can do is exercise. This will get your mind right and in a productive mode from the get-go. Whatever anxieties or pressures pop up during the day, you will feel like you can handle them with ease.
We recommend at least 45 minutes of cardio to get the blood pumping and mind right. Taking a cold bath or shower will calm your mind and allow you to breathe easier. Follow this up with meditation and you will begin to reap the rewards.
2. Get Outside
As an extension of the exercise bit above, getting outside is so crucial. Don’t take the “from home” part of work from home too literally. Your brain needs something new to chew on rather than a screen all day.
Even a walk around the neighborhood will reset your mind in a more energized space. Seeing other people, being in nature, exercising will benefit you in ways you may not realize. Use your breaks for a chance to get outside, see your neighborhood, and reduce stress.
3. Change Your Environment
The beauty of remote working is that you don’t necessarily have to be at home when you do so. If the energy in your home office is starting to feel stale, you always have the option to work in another setting like a coffee shop.
Much like our “Get Outside” tip above, having somewhere new or different to work from will help your brain immensely. Your creativity will be stimulated as your brain takes in new information.
Your motivation and ability to focus will improve as well. If it’s been a while and you’ve seen your work take a gradual decline, why not mix it up and work somewhere else for a day?
4. Have a Schedule
As we mentioned earlier, working from home can be a double-edged sword. If you do freelance, this is especially true. When you work from home without a boss, you are free to do as you wish.
While you may first be excited about this, you will soon realize that you will need to discipline yourself and create a set schedule. When you imagine yourself in the workplace, you will take yourself that much more seriously. It’s not time to slack off, it’s time to get to work!
5. Communication
If you’re a part of a team or company, you’ll want to keep communication as a top priority. When you’re working remotely, communication can be a difficult thing to keep up with. Make it a point to use your regular communications such as Slack or Zoom.
Take advantage of the tried and true tools at your disposal. You’ll want to at least keep in touch daily. Even a quick e-mail or phone call does wonder.
You don’t want to be an island unto yourself. Branch out and reach outside of yourself and your computer. Follow these best practices when remote working.
6. Socializing
Aside from keeping in touch with your co-workers and freelance hub, you’ll want to remember to socialize with friends and family. Working from home, especially in the pandemic, make it difficult to connect with our loved ones.
Since you’re not working from a building with other co-workers, you won’t have a built-in way to socialize. This is why you must contact your circle. This is especially important if you suffer from mental health.
Mental health (during the pandemic especially) takes a toll on your psyche. If you’re careful, you could fall into a depressive episode. This is even more important if you’re introverted.
Do your best here. Even a phone call to a friend can get you out of your head and into the world. Do yourself a favor and try it right now.
7. Diminish Distractions
While there is no way to cut out all 100% of distractions all of the time, there are things you can do to diminish them. Again, you need to discipline yourself to start seeing progress. If you have a hard time focusing, use apps like Freedom to block off time and cut out distracting apps and websites.
Turn off all of your notifications on your smartphone too. Put your phone on silent. You could even put it in another room if you find it too distracting.
In combination with this, use methods like the Pomodoro to give you a set time to work. It also has built-in breaks for your brain to breathe. Try Brain.fm to give your brain a focus boost as well.
Remote Working Is Here to Stay
Remote working has forever changed our relationship to work. With our guide below, you will be well on your way to a superb worker. There are some things you will need to learn along the way though.
There is nothing that can replace the lifestyle it provides. If you’d like to learn more about how to be more productive at home, be sure to read our blog. Enjoy working from home!