The thought of working from home has different effects on different people. Some may jump at the idea, incredibly happy that they can take care of the majority of their work from the comfort of their home. A home office may be just a few steps away and you can have a peaceful morning where you don’t have to deal with rush hour traffic.
On the other hand, some people see working from home as a form of punishment. Even though work may not be a paradise, the walls may look like they’re closing in at any time. It could be days before you interact with someone again.
Working from home definitely isn’t for everyone, but there are plenty of steps you could take in order to make yourself the best remote worker possible.
Make a Schedule Early
Multi-billionaire Warren Buffet sat down with fellow multi-billionaire Bill Gates last year and the two talked about time management. The two went on to discuss the importance of time management and how you should be the master of your time.
While following their advice may not make you a multi-billionaire, it can certainly teach you the importance of making and maintaining a schedule. As a remote worker, you’re bound to have a bit more flexibility in your day. That’s certainly a huge bonus, but it also comes at the price of not being able to “switch off”.
If you plan on waking up at 8 A.M. to start work, do so. If you want to be finished every day by 4:30 P.M., make it a habit. Set firm schedules and make sure you’re sticking to them.
Walk Out the Front Door
Being a remote worker is great because it often means you can work wherever you want. It could be the cafe down the road, your living room or even while you’re traveling. Many people might have an image of remote workers being chained to their house all day.
But you shouldn’t be.
Take one day a week to go outside the comfort of your home and work away from home. It could be the cafe on your street, the local library or some place completely different. It is always nice to have a little bit of a break in the routine and making sure you get some fresh air.
Create a Productive Workspace
Working remote can also be difficult because you have all of your distractions at home. Fell asleep watching your favorite series on Netflix? Just finish the last 20 minutes. Why not just clean the bathroom quickly before you start working?
That’s why your office space needs to be distraction-free, having everything close to you and within reach. Make sure your notebooks, working tools and whatever else you need is in your area. You don’t want to go to another room for something, forget why you walked in that room or be distracted by something else. Make sure you’re maximizing your productivity in your office.
Set Up Clear Communication
If you’re part of a remote work office, then you’ll be communicating with others throughout the day or week. This goes back to your set schedule in making sure that you have your office hours set and known by others.
Instead of face-to-face communication, you’re going to be using chats, phone calls, video conferencing and more. You might want to install some programs on your phone if you’re going to be traveling, but it’s best to keep everything on you work computer so you can easily disconnect.
Manage Your Personal Health
Hopefully you already have some healthy habits ingrained in your brain, but working at home is a way to forget about some of those habits. Make sure you’re drinking enough water, standing up every hour and taking regular breaks.
As much as you may think yourself to be a working machine, taking breaks is still incredibly important. Use your lunch break to do some of those “distracting” tasks from earlier.
Perhaps one of the most important is making sure you’re moving around and standing up. At the office, a walk to the water cooler may have taken 20 seconds both ways but at home, you have everything you need. Think about standing up during calls or simply walking around your living room for a minute. Whatever it is to make sure you aren’t sedentary all day.
