People worldwide were forced to adopt a new working method – remote work. Even if many continued their daily activities from home without a hitch, not everyone had the same success in remaining productive.
According to Statista, 25% of remote workers claim their main challenge is being unable to unplug and set proper boundaries regarding their work hours. Some also struggle with distractions at home. In some households, it may lead to conflict, but the opposite also seemed accurate for others.
In contrast to the challenges, 67% of remote workers claim that the main benefit of this setup is the ability to have a flexible schedule. This could mean more time with the family alongside a comfortable work environment, and other advantages make it the perfect way of working for those with a more introverted personality or that need more flexibility in their work day.
Still, remote work dominates as the preferred work model after many have returned to a regular work day, according to PR Newswire. The only question for these workers is: how to be successful at it? Below are some pointers for these employees to achieve this goal:
1. Set up a proper workstation
Where people do their office work is critical to a successful remote position. Keeping personal and work life separate could be challenging for some, so making this clear distinction could be beneficial. Every remote worker should ensure that they have all the equipment, stationery and tools available at their workstation to prevent them from getting up and distracted.
Another vital setup to include is software applications like those from Jobber or something similar to help track work hours and improve productivity. Applications like that will ensure that remote workers get all work-related tasks done on time and don’t miss anything important.
2. Keep regular work hours
One of the aspects most remote workers struggle with is something they need to address early in their remote working career. Firm boundaries with friends, family, and co-workers will ensure proper time management and a better work-life balance.
Convenient ways of sticking to regular work hours are to automate some functions or use helpful aids like a free invoice template to save more time and effort. Although these could contribute to proper time management, having a daily routine that includes setting work hours for the day is still crucial.
3. Dress up for work
It is a well-known fact that a power outfit can boost confidence and self-esteem for the wearer, confirming the powerful connection between clothing and mood. Remote workers shouldn’t forget about this and still dress up for work each day.
Not only will they put themselves in the right mindset for tackling their workday, but they will also be prepared for online meetings or surprise video calls from colleagues or clients. When remote workers dress for the occasion, it does more for them than they may realise. They should always make an effort with their workwear daily, even if they only go to their home office.
4. Prioritise important tasks
Working from home could give the person the false impression that they still have plenty of time to complete all their work. If they don’t finish on time, there is no need to pack up and rush home before peak hour traffic, so many just continue working. Following this work ethic could lead to burnout if they aren’t careful, so prioritising their essential tasks for the day and setting up some goals could help to keep them on track.
5. Stay in touch with colleagues
Humans need connection, whether it is to family and friends or their co-workers at the office. With a remote position, it could be more challenging to maintain meaningful relationships with the rest of the team.
According to an article for Harvard Business Review, employees with close connections at work are more productive, creative and collaborative, meaning they all stay on target. This aspect of their day is even more critical for remote workers, so they have open communication channels for guidance and support from management and the rest of the team.
6. Ask for help when needed
In an office setup, it is easy to turn around to a colleague for assistance, but being more isolated at home, it may prove challenging for workers to ask for help. To succeed at remote working, team members should remember to voice their concerns. If they don’t, no one will know about their struggles.
If anything, remote working makes sorting out issues slightly more convenient as workers can directly contact the person that will give them the best advice to resolve the situation. Moreover, this intentional approach was discussed in an article where they highlighted how remote work could strengthen teams and make them operate more effectively.
Wrapping it up
Remote working can be a blessing or a curse, depending on who you ask. Those who swear that it improves work-life balance would have a few tricks up their sleeve for achieving success during their workday, some of which are in this article. Ultimately, each person will succeed in their own way, so the best advice would be to find the processes and routines that work best for you.
