Remote Work: How to Make it Work
The economy has been hit hard by the pandemic, but business owners are doing everything they can to continue providing work for their employees without putting them at risk.
REMOTE WORK: HOW TO MAKE IT WORK
Nunzio PrestaSenior Sales and Marketing Executive
BENEFITS OF REMOTE WORK
There are many reasons why a lot of people are now deciding to find companies that offer work-from-home setups or freelance work that can be done remotely. Let’s find how this works so we can help you in deciding whether remote working is the right fit for you.
Work Anywhere You Want
This is one of the most common reasons why people want to work remotely. It is because you can work anywhere you want, whether it is in the comfort of your own home, in a coffee shop, or a shared workspace. You can even work in a park or sometimes in a concert hall as long as you have a device with a charge that will last for a long period of time and a decent internet connection. Any place could work as long as you can still work productively and join Zoom meetings if need be.
Save Money
Working from home can allow you to save more because you won’t need to budget as much for transportation and food. Getting lunch at a restaurant and buying your coffee from your favorite coffee shop daily costs you a huge amount without you realizing it. So, imagine all the savings that you can acquire if you are working at home with the ability to cook your own food and brew multiple cups of coffee if you wanted to.
More Me Time
Since you are working from the comfort of your home, you will be able to save some time during your day as you won’t need a long prep time just to go to work. No more traffic to be stuck in every time you are going to your office or even when you are driving home. You can use your saved time to do some house chores or personal meditation so you can start your day with peace.
Work Independently
Not having a colleague that you can talk to anytime about work can help you develop your skills proactively and make you learn new stuff. You will learn how to do some research so that you can answer your own questions and finish the tasks that you have. It’s a great thing to learn to be independent when doing projects for your client, as it will not just enhance your current skills but will also give you additional skills that will be helpful to you moving forward in your career.
Staying Focused
Working remotely can help you stay focused on the job you are doing because you will have fewer distractions compared to when you are working in an office. You won’t have co-workers stopping by anytime to chat with you or ask questions about different tasks. Having control of your work environment can increase your productivity and you can get more tasks done by the end of the day.
WHAT TO AVOID WHEN WORKING REMOTELY
It is obvious that working remotely is an ideal work setup but as good as it may sound, it still has its downfalls if done incorrectly. These things may affect your work-life balance and productivity so it’s best to know what you should be avoiding when working from home.
Avoid Working Beyond Office Hours
Working remotely can give you more time for yourself and other stuff but not needing to clock out on time to avoid traffic when traveling back home could lead you to work beyond your office hours. That additional work time and workload for the day could lead to burning out if you exceed your limit. To avoid that, follow your schedule and clock out when you are supposed to. Make sure to shut down your computer so that you will have fewer temptations to continue working.
Build up Your Network and Ask for Referrals
By building up a good network, you will have connections to possible clients. You can start by getting referrals from your friends and family. Giving excellent outputs for your clients may lead to spreading some good word about you and your business, and potential clients might get in touch with you afterward. You may also attend networking events to expand your network even more.
Wing Your Schedule
Having a schedule that you can follow can help you be more productive in your personal life. Setting a specific time when you should be doing your reports or when you should be preparing your lunch can ease away anxiousness from your head. Sticking to that schedule day in and day out can help you build a routine that can lead to a more organized and productive work setup at home.
Don’t Isolate Yourself
Working in a peaceful environment where people won’t be able to bother you is great but it can sometimes take its toll on you due to being in isolation for a long period of time. Isolation can sometimes make you feel demotivated so it is still important to take some time to socialize with other people. Chat with your colleagues if you have them. You can also go out with your friends and family to relax and relieve pressure from work.
Make your Bed the Workspace
If you are working from home, having a dedicated workspace is advisable so you can be away from distractions around your house. Working in the living room or kitchen could be distracting as you are surrounded by random stuff that can take away your focus from working, like the dishes in the sink or the remote control of the TV you are itching to turn on to watch a movie. Even your family members, roommate, or pets could be a distraction that you will want to avoid while working.
Be a Wallflower
Keeping in touch with your colleagues is a good way to avoid feeling isolated. It also helps you easily approach them when you are in need of help with a task assigned to you. Try to participate in work activities prepared for employees instead of just staying in the background. This will help relieve the stress from work! Getting to know your colleagues can help you build a great relationship which is important to finish projects successfully as a team.
CONCLUSION
Working remotely is an ideal setup for anyone who wants to have control over their work environment. Take note that this work setup is only as good as your work attitude because working at home needs a decent amount of work independence and control when surrounded by distractions. Always bear in mind that working remotely works well if you can manage your time and stay organized to keep track of your responsibilities at work and also at home.
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