If you’re working remotely for the first time because of #coronavirus, I’ve got a few learnings from my decade+ working from home.
1. Have dedicated “work” space. It’s ideal if you can shut the door when you’re done working, but having a specific space makes it easier to *leave* it when work is done.
2. Don’t forget to eat. It’s easier than you think to forget to feed yourself. Same with hydration.
3. Change the scenery. I found that working in my house was often distracting so I’d head to the library, a coffee shop or a local cafe (Please note that the current outbreak requires discretion)
4. I put a “do not knock or ring doorbell” sign on my door. If you get a lot of deliveries, this helps. I even put a post-it on my office door so when my kid came home from school she’d know I was on a call and she needed to stay quiet.
5. Good Bluetooth headphones. Makes all the difference.
6. Take breaks. In the office, they’re built-in. People stop by to chat, you go to a meeting room, you go grab a coffee. You’ll need to pay more attention to this than you think.
7. You need a good chair. Trust.
8. Dress & groom like it’s an office day. You’ll feel more “on” and alert.
I’m *crazy* productive when I work remotely, so let me know how I can help!
I personally feel the greatest misconception of remote working is that it’s easy and a walk in the park. It’s not sitting on a beach and doing an hour of work per day, it’s bloody hard.
My top tips from my learnings since I started being remote last year?
– Focus on communication. You might need to feel like you’re over-communicating and adapt how you deliver a message over Slack compared to say Zoom.
– Have a routine. Get dressed like you’re going to work, have a semi-structured routine (whatever works for you).
– Have regular breaks. I found this one eye-opening, it’s so easy to overwork. Calls all day, focusing on delivery and you can find yourself doing regular 12-14 hour days because you want to prove you’re delivering.
– Have a place to work. Coffee shops are great, but nothing beats having a dedicated office spot.
Anyone got cool tips for what works for them?
