Working remotely is more popular than ever following the Coronavirus pandemic as companies get used to people working while not being in the office.
However, the initial buzz of working from wherever you want can quickly disappear if you don’t follow some simple rules.
I should know, I’ve been working remotely since 2012 when my wife and I sold everything we owned and booked. a one-way ticket to Thailand.
So, if you’re new to working remotely or are starting to feel burnt out because you’ve been doing it for a while, this 7-step pro-guide is designed to help you survive and thrive in the world or remote work.
My experience working remotely
I started working remotely in 2012 after my wife and I sold everything we owned and started a new life travelling the world and working online.
That journey took us through 22 countries and I’ve probably worked in just about every scenario imaginable; from beaches in Thailand to hotels in Vegas, a ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, to coworking spaces big and small.
And of course, working from home.
So, with that experience in hand, here’s your guide to working remotely (and surviving).
The pros and cons of working remotely
In their State of Remote Working Report in 2019, Buffer.com found the biggest upside to working from home was… freedom.
Of course, it was 🙂
Yes, the ability to work from anywhere you want, when you want gets the biggest thumbs up from those in the know.
Then, there are the downsides.
Low motivation, loneliness, a lack of creativity, lack of leadership, communication issues, too many distractions (kids, social media, chores) and not being able to fully switch off.
The downsides can sometimes make an office environment seem idyllic, but the pros know how to make working remotely a success, and by sticking to the following 7 steps, you can thrive too (or survive at least).
7 pro-steps to working remotely
1. Practice self-discipline
At home, there are a million distractions.
Quickly tidy this up, tidy that up, go to the shops, check your Facebook feed… and before you know it, it’s 11 ‘o’clock. Doh!
Having a schedule and sticking to it is vital if you’re going to succeed working remotely.
I’ve detailed my very best productivity tips, including how to avoid social media traps in this post. Vital when working from home.
2. Set up a professional workspace
Make your ‘home workspace’ as much like a ‘work workspace’ as you can.
When your breakfast table is also your desk, it’s going to be much more difficult to get focussed and into a work mindset.
Wiping jam off your laptop is a nightmare too.
If you’ve got a spare room, set it up with a decent desk, chair and lighting. Empty the clutter and make it as clean, light and inviting as you can.
Install a monitor, keyboard and mouse to make the experience as similar to an office as you can.
Without the luxury of a spare room, then you’ll need to make the best use of the space you have. Whatever you do though, don’t work from your sofa. If nothing else it’ll ruin your back.
If you struggle for motivation first thing in the morning, then work from a local café for an hour or two to get you going – unless you’re in a Coronavirus lockdown!
3. Set clear expectations
Working from home can be very different from working in the office, so you must set clear expectations about what’s expected of you, and others.
If you’re juggling work with the kids being at home then you need to tell your company that your workflow may be affected.
Try not to be too judgemental or harsh on yourself either.
Trying to juggle family and work life at the same time is like trying to make a cheese souffle blindfolded – give yourself some slack.
4. Define your hours
When you’re working remotely, especially if you’re working for an employer, you need to have clearly defined start, end and break times.
You then need to tell your colleagues what your schedule is and stick to it as best as you can.
When everyone knows your hours they know when they can expect to hear from you (or not).
Don’t be tempted to wake up and open your laptop or emails immediately, and it’s essential not to let work run over into your own time – unless they’re paying you.
5. Have a daily check-in
If you can, organise a video call first thing in the morning to run through your key tasks for the day with your manager, client or team.
Keep the call brief and let them know your plans for the day and what they can expect and by when.
Then you can schedule your day as you want it.
Face-to-face interaction will help to alleviate loneliness, and any lack of direction and boost your motivation.
6. Use the best technology
Working remotely is effortless these days if you have the right tools.
I’ve worked from some of the furthest corners of the world and had successful meetings without my clients knowing I was thousands of miles away. As long as the wifi was working!
Some simple and effective tools I’ve used when working remotely:
For communication:
For project coordination:
For file sharing:
7. Stay professional & fresh
It’s so easy to quickly slide from the breakfast table to your laptop while you’re still in your pyjamas, but pretty soon you’re going to feel lethargic and inattentive. Don’t do it!
If you want to make working from home a success, then stay professional. Get up as you usually would. Shower and dress so you feel like you’re in ‘work mode’.
If you’ve got extra time on your hands because you don’t have to commute, then you could do a quick workout at home, go for a run or take a stroll around your local park to get some fresh air and let your creative juices flow.
Getting outside early (virus permitting) mimics your daily commute and can help you settle into your workday much quicker.
Leaving the house at lunchtime and when you finish for the day is also a really good way to disconnect, and stop cabin-fever setting in.
Conclusion & dealing with kids
So there you have it. My top tips to help you survive and thrive when working remotely.
Although they may seem simple and obvious, it’s easy to get into bad habits when working from home which could affect the quality of your work.
Following these steps will help to keep your workflow running smoothly despite being away from the office.
Working with kids at home
Of course, any success you have working from home is going to be hugely dependent on who’s at home with you.
If you’re at home alone or just with your partner, then working remotely is going to be a breeze.
If the kids are at home, then that’s another story – especially when they’re young.
There’s no easy way to work around this. It’s gonna hurt, but here are a few ideas to try.
Give your attention to your kids first so they don’t feel ignored, and set them up with enough tasks to keep them busy while you work.
Write out a timetable so everyone knows what to expect and when they can have time with you.
Give primary-age children short bursts of academic work, followed by longer sessions of creative work like art, music, creative writing, physical activity, board games, dance routines or some basic home DIY (that comes directly from one of my mates who’s a teacher, so he knows).
If they’re still small, try setting out an activity table close to you with enough to keep them occupied for 15-minute stints, and if you have to make a call, make sure you schedule it with a Paw Patrol session!
Good luck.