With the increasing popularity of remote work, it’s crucial to adapt and excel in this unique professional setting.

Setup Your Workspace

Keep your environment free from distractions so you can do your best work. Making sure that you are comfortable and appropriately dressed will help you to stay relaxed, but ready for calls. Maintain an organized and inviting workspace for a better peace of mind and focus. It’s worth paying for a strong and reliable internet connection to work without interruptions. Keep a pair of headphones or earbuds in case there is background noise in your environment. Always test your equipment before using.

Prepare for Emergencies

As a remote worker, you are in charge of setting up your environment for success. Prepare for possible issues that may impede your ability to work:

• Prepare alternate channels of communication (phone number, messaging platform, email).
• Create an emergency backup plan for your workload in case of technical issues. Ideally, you should plan this with your manager.
• Get a backup generator in case of a power outage.
• Learn how to connect your PC to your phone’s internet in case your home internet is down.

Maintain Social Interactions

Remote work can sometimes feel isolating, so you’ll need to make extra effort to stay socially connected. Try to engage in meaningful conversations with your colleagues through the channels they prefer. During a busy season, some people prefer the flexibility of instant messaging for quick connections.

Checking in with a coworker or scheduling a quick touch base will strengthen your relationships and increase your sense of belonging.  Setting up a meeting just to chat may be too formal, but it’s best to check with others and only during a slower work season.

Stay sensitive to their interest in the conversation. Keep your conversations professional but not stale. If you sense that they are not available or interested in having an extended conversation, don’t keep pushing for conversation.

While it’s great to know the people you work with, it’s not appropriate to have a non-work related conversation for more than a 30 minute meeting or for more than 10 minutes in a casual chat. An exception would be if you and your colleague have no assigned work or are having a deep conversation. Please make your own judgements. These tips are just a guideline!

Communicate Your Struggles

You may have a crazy workload, but it’s important to have healthy habits like taking breaks from your computer and going outside. Being glued to your work is not a sustainable lifestyle, and will quickly lead to burnout. With the aspect of missing face-to-face interactions, it’s difficult for others to know if you are experiencing burnout without being able to read your body language. Make sure to ask for more support when you need it. Ongoing communication is vital to thriving in a remote work environment. 

Stick to Your Schedule

Aside from the occasional emergency, avoid working outside of your established working hours. List out the people and activities that are important to you, and keep those in mind as your motivation to stop your work on time. Spending time away from work will help you to recharge and tackle it with more energy the next day.

If your lunch break keeps getting disrupted or ignored, try scheduling time on your calendar or having a talk with your manager about the issue. If you allow this situation to continue, it will not be good for you physically or emotionally.

Set Goals and Prioritize

Establish clear goals and break them down into smaller, manageable tasks. Prioritize your work based on importance and deadlines, allowing you to stay organized and focused on what matters most. Having a backlog of long term goals will provide you with ways to be productive in your free time at work.

Continual Learning and Development

Find opportunities for growth and skill development. Take advantage of online courses, webinars, and virtual conferences to expand your knowledge and stay up to date in your industry. These events provide opportunities to network and be inspired about what you do.

You are the best advocate for your professional development and career growth. Set aside dedicated time every 1-2 weeks for self-guided learning around topics or areas that align with your career goals. Identify any skill gaps you can work on improving.

Stay adaptive by learning about new technologies and emerging trends. It’s equally important to focus on developing soft skills such as communication, leadership, adaptability, and collaboration. By continuously learning and developing, you position yourself as a valuable asset and demonstrate your commitment to personal growth and professional excellence.

Benefits of the Remote Life

• Save time and money by skipping the commute
• Have more flexibility to coordinate personal appointments
• Avoid catching / spreading germs
• Quicker to access lunch or make at home
• Personalize work environment
• Babysitting at home instead of spending money on daycare
• Allows women to deal with the pain and inconveniences of a period while they work
• New mothers can breastfeed from the comfort of their home
• Caring for pets

While these are common benefits for remote workers, be careful not to let these detract from your ability to work with excellence. Some of these benefits may not be feasible at your workplace; it’s best to check your employer’s rules before assuming flexibility of your schedule or benefits.