With more cities around the world going on lockdown because of COVID-19, companies and employees alike are scrambling to figure out best practices for a remote working environment.
With our global team at FayeBSG, we have vast experience with a remote workplace. I myself have been working remotely for nearly three years.
Here are my Top Five tips for staying productive while working remotely:
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Stay Away from the Couch
When you work from home, your couch is always nearby tempting you to sit down, turn on the TV, open a book, or take a nap.
One of the best things you can do to stay productive involves building your own workspace. While you’re at home, create a mental divide between your personal and professional lives. This space can be a full-blown in-home office or a place to pop open your laptop in an oversized closet.
Maybe you still struggle when you see dishes in the sink or think about wanting to reorganize your pantry. Then try taking your workplace outside, if the weather allows.
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Create Table Activities for Kids
Many parents are currently balancing a regular workload from home with taking care of their children in-house. It’s not an easy juggling act. Your children are home, and they want your attention. But you still need to keep up with work demand.
If creating a personal space away from distractions is too taxing because you need to keep an eye on your kids, there are some solutions. Create table activities for them, so they can do their work while you do yours.
As I type this blog, my three-year-old is working hard on his hand-eye coordination by pushing pipe cleaners through the holes in a strainer. While a lockdown may not create an ideal situation for anyone, this kind of tactic will simultaneously allow you to be near your children, stimulate their brains, and get your work done.
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Don’t Forget to Communicate
When you’re working remotely, you can’t just walk down the hall and tell your colleague the status of a report. Thus, communication is more important than ever. So use office-communication tools (like Slack) to communicate via text, voice, and video.
When you have meetings on technology tools (like RingCentral), everyone on the call can easily follow along with a demo via screen-sharing or ask questions to get more information.
Do you only feel engaged when you can see who’s talking? Are you struggling with a sudden, unexpected transition to remote work? Have your team use cameras on calls to help improve engagement. Tools like Zoom can even be downloaded on a smartphone. Then you can use the camera on your phone if you don’t have one for your computer.
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Break Down Silos
Often, there’s a misconception that a remote workforce equals a disjointed workforce. But that’s just not the case. When you couple all the above suggestions about communication with your ability to better share and centralize information via software (such as CRM and ERP), your team can be more connected than ever.
Show your productivity while working remotely by tracking the status of your tasks in project management software. Then you can produce great notes in your CRM. That way, everyone who needs information from you has full transparency about what they need. When the different systems you use (like email and accounting software) work together by integrating with your CRM, you’ll have even more information available.
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Lean into Technology
With all the technologies out there, we’re equipped to have a remote workforce—now more than ever. Between interoffice communication, time-tracking, project management systems, CRMs, and more, there are all kinds of technologies that allow us to work hard while we’re at home. Lean into the technology; don’t be afraid of it.
Bonus Tip
Remember, you’re a team member that works from home. But you don’t just work at home. Since you also have a life outside your job, it’s important to set boundaries. Taking a lunch break or doing a midday workout is a great way to give yourself a boost before you jump back into your work.
In times of rapid change and uncertainty, our commitment to you remains the same. If you need help with a software issue of any kind, we’ve got your back. We are fully operational with a global remote-based workforce, and we’re here to help. Just give us a shout. Contact us today.
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