Being a remote worker is the standard right now, but, are you doing what it takes to be successful working from home?
Here, we share with you 10 golden rules to take your remote work to the next level!
Jump in the shower first thing and put on something that makes you feel ready for the day yet looks professional.
Remember that “early in the morning” will mean different times for different people, and this will depend on where your team is located.
If your team is located in the East of the United States, early in the morning will mean 7 AM! So if you are an hour behind, in Mexico, for example, that will be 6 AM for you. Being aware of these time differences is crucial for remote workers.
Prepare a big cup of coffee or tea, get some nuts (including some salty ones), cranberries, dark chocolate, and water / oral saline solution, and go to your working space to start your day! This will keep you and your brain fed and hydrated.
Your working space should be a calm and quiet place, where you have a good internet connection, and also comfortable for you to work from there all day. A place where you have no interruptions from family members, for example.
Make an extra effort to communicate with your boss, co-workers, and team. Frequent conversations — by phone, text, email, or video chats — may be your only way to share the progress status of your projects.
Catching up with your boss through a weekly virtual or phone one-on-one can give you both a chance to stay up to date with each other. It is subliminal and human nature for bosses to be wary when employees are out of sight, so protect yourself.
Always have all the information ready, available, and at hand just in case. That’s why the organization is a must. In some cases, taking a course helps you develop these skills. In fact, Google offers free online courses that you can take advantage of.
Be sure you handle urgent matters first, but do not forget about the others. All the tasks must be completed in a timely manner.
To work from home successfully, you’ll need to plan out and structure your days so the hours don’t get away from you.
Create to-do lists, set goals, and come up with a daily schedule. Complete it with breaks and times when you’ll be able to focus on deep work.
Depending on your specific job, you may even want to break your day up into chunks of time dedicated to different tasks (i.e., 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., respond to emails; 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., work on project #1).
The more structure you can build into your remote working days, the less likely you’ll be sidetracked.
Take Breaks. Without the rhythm of an office around you, it’s easy to get in a groove and forget to take a lunch break or stretch your legs with a quick walk. If necessary, set an alarm to remind you to take occasional breaks. You’ll find this helps you focus and keeps you refreshed so you can be the most effective and efficient worker possible.
And some simple advice: Don’t leave till tomorrow what you can do today
D.G.
Stafi Team
Stafi Team
