At Relish, we strive to give our team a ton of flexibility. That means working from home (or elsewhere) is always on the table – encouraged even – though past nudges for this freedom have been based more on lifestyle and environmental concerns than the current health crisis connected with the Coronavirus outbreak.
Now, as we see more and more companies mandating remote working, we recognize that this poses some challenges for many of you who don’t have as much experience working remotely. After the thrill of getting to work in your “business PJs” wears off, you may be left wondering, “What special systems do I need to set up? How do I cope with the isolation? Can I do this?”
We get it. We really do.
Here are a few tips we have learned through our experience working remotely that may help:
1. Set up a “space” where you can work comfortably – preferably one away from the main flow of “life” – that you can leave behind when the work day is over. When you work from home, you can find yourself working (or at least in front of the keyboard) well beyond what is normal simply because it’s right there all the time. Creating a space to which you can go and work without distractions and then leave once it’s time to stop working is helpful.
2. Create a schedule for yourself. The contrast to the “working too long” syndrome is the lure of non-work activities that can really sap your productivity. Carve up your calendar (and stick to it) to make sure you don’t end up doing “life stuff” like vacuuming, washing dishes, staring out the window… when you should be being productive.
3. Make sure you get up regularly to walk around. There’s a tendency when one works from home to do so in the comfort of one’s couch or recliner. Make sure you take regular breaks to get up, stretch, and move around a bit. Trust us, you can get sucked in for sure and then realize it’s been hours since the last time you’ve even stood up. Creating standing/sitting opportunities for your workspace can be a healthy/helpful solution as well.
4. Leverage technology to create camaraderie. When you are used to working in an office environment, the sudden isolation of working remotely can be a lot to handle. Hop on some of the more collaborative tools with your associates regularly (Hangouts, Zoom, Skype) to soften the blow of being alone all day. And if you just need to see a smiling face, drop us a line and we’ll hop on a quick video call with you to help. Seriously. We’re here to help.
There are certainty many other items to consider when working remotely. What are some of your best coping mechanisms for remote working? Shoot us a note or schedule a call to let us know how you are managing this new challenge.
