How to Nail Remote Work?

Whether you wished to work from home or not, it doesn’t matter. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced you to try out this work arrangement for the time being. It doesn’t seem the pandemic is going to end anytime soon, which means remote work will be around a while longer. For this reason, you should make an effort to tackle such a difficult challenge in the best way possible. All it takes for you to nail work from home are a few tips and tricks. Here are some to assist you commencing.

Dress the Part

To nail remote work, you have to acquire a peculiar mindset. It is the only way you will be able to focus and be diligent when it comes to deadlines, projects, and meetings. Otherwise, you will become a slacker and procrastinator which could cost you your job. What you should avoid at all costs is working in your sweatpants or PJs. Wearing such an outfit while trying to work will make your brain believe it is time for a nap or relaxation not for work. To acquire the right mindset, you should for example dress the part. This means getting up on time, taking a shower, putting on some makeup, and dressing up for work. As a result, you will be ready to tackle work assignments.

Be Disciplined

One of the easiest things to do when you work from home is to give in to distractions. Binge-watching Netflix all day, cooking, and doing nothing are too attractive to let such good opportunities pass you by. To avoid this common remote work trap, you should be disciplined and resist temptations. In particular, avoid working in your bed or in the living room where the rest of your family spends most of their time. Therefore, try to find a peaceful corner in your home and set it up for a home office. More importantly, use this designated space only for work, so you can easily shift to work mode when your workday begins.

Stay in Touch with Colleagues

More than any other work arrangement, remote work puts a serious strain on professional relationships and communication. It is out of sight, out of mind for most employees. This poses a huge problem for managers because lack of communication leads to greater issues such as low productivity and engagement in the long run. If you are looking for ways to stay on top of your game in the workplace, you should do what you can to maintain professional relationships.

The easiest way to do so is by staying in touch with colleagues through regular communication. Alternatives to Teams can help you text members of a particular department or a specific coworker privately and discuss different matters directly. Maintaining communication help you do your job better even though you aren’t sharing an office with other team members.

Plan in Advance

Most remote workers dislike remote work because it lacks the structure employees are used to. When you worked in an office, you followed a specific routine. Now that you work from home, that routine got lost between work and family commitments. To keep things under control, you should consider making plans in advance. For example, in the evening or early morning, make a plan for that day and set attainable goals. Also, make priorities, and finish those tasks first. If you have time, try finishing other tasks from the list too. This will help you pick up where you left off when the kids or partner interrupt you. Moreover, it will make you more efficient in completing tasks and reaching daily goals.

Cherish the Experience

As much challenging as remote work can be, you should always try to enjoy the experience. For the first time in your life, you have a say in your work hours and workload. You can finally be in charge of your day and make the most of it. If you prefer, you can work around your family schedule and lead an active social life. Therefore, every now and then, stop and smell the roses.

Reward Yourself

As an employee, you are familiar with rewards and incentives. You know how much they stimulate you to work hard and evolve professionally. Then why not use the same system as a motivation for delivering the best work while working from home? For example, if you go through your to-do list, you can reward yourself by watching a movie after work hours or enjoying a relaxing and warm bath. Similarly, whenever you tick off an item from your list, you deserve a 15-minute break to have a cup of coffee or check social media. You will quickly realize how productive this move makes you.