Working Remotely Successfully

As more companies implement remote work situations and more businesses go online, it’s more important than ever to know how to work remotely. While it may sound easy and perhaps even fun, there are a number of factors you should keep in mind to be able to successfully work remotely.

Remote work requires more than just a strong Internet connection. It entails a complete shift in your workflow and communication style, and you’ll likely face issues with productivity and collaboration as well. The shift to remote work is not to be taken lightly.

However, remote work can also be a boon to your work style — if done correctly! Let’s go over the basics of remote work, then explore some techniques to help you be successful in your new remote position.

What is Remote Work?

To enforce social distancing guidelines, many businesses have transitioned their employees to remote work. However, remote work is nothing new: It’s a way of life for many companies who hire people from around the world or who have limited office space.

Remote work entails the use of specialized technology to permit the worker to perform their tasks outside an office environment. This includes videoconferencing tools such as Zoom, instant messaging apps such as Slack, virtual collaboration platforms such as Google Docs, screen sharing apps such as Skype, and many more options.

Remote workers typically log their time with time-tracking apps. Remote work is coordinated via apps such as Skype or Slack. There are many collaboration tools available to help replace in-person meetings, work sessions, or consultations.

Teams that are used to remote work often find that collaboration is easier than it might be in an in-office environment. As we’ll discuss shortly, these needs can be met through remote work, but it takes some special attention.

Because remote work helps employees avoid the time drain of a daily commute and enjoy the convenience of working anywhere, many remote workers believe that it makes them more productive. So far, research has indicated that they might be right, although remote work can also be detrimental to productivity in some situations, as we’ll discuss in a moment.

Boosting Productivity in Remote Work

As mentioned above, remote workers believe that they’re more productive, but are they really? Remote workers tend to remote longer hours than their in-office counterparts, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to productivity. It’s important not to confuse busyness with true productivity. However, there is evidence that remote workers take longer breaks, which does contribute to productivity by helping keep your mind fresh.

Indeed, a regular work schedule filled with plenty of breaks is the best way to ensure that you stay productive, no matter where you are working. The key difference between a remote environment and an office environment is that remote workers can better control their environment.

This can help reduce their distractions. For example, it can be hard to stay on task when you’re in a room with 30 other people, each in their own cube typing away or swinging by your cube to visit. At home, or even in a quiet coffee shop, there’s a greater potential for periods of deep focus.

One excellent productivity technique is called the Pomodoro Technique. In this approach, you work for 25 minutes in deep focus, then take a 5-minute break. In an office environment, this can be challenging if you don’t have a relatively private place to work. However, in a remote setting, people do tend to overwork, so the Pomodoro Technique can be a way to force yourself to get up and take a break.

Using Tools for Remote Work

As mentioned above, videoconferencing tools such as Zoom and messaging apps such as Slack are the bread-and-butter for remote work. Workers may also need to use VPN software to connect to their employer’s network and log in to secure servers. Timetracking and screen recording apps are also common, especially when workers are paid hourly.

Let’s take a look at the best practices for each of these:

Videoconferencing tools: In the face of the pandemic, many companies are hosting virtual meetings through Zoom, Skype, or various other tools. These tools work by using each person’s webcam and microphone to share their image and speech with other people on the call. (That’s one reason why it’s important to still get dressed for work, even if you’re working remotely.) As with any meeting, it’s important to practice basic etiquette:

Identify yourself when you get on the call.

Don’t speak out of turn.

Ensure that you’re dressed and in a clean, tidy room (or use background blurring).

To help your colleagues understand what you’re talking about, you can share your screen with them, which is a helpful way to collaborate on files. In fact, some videoconferencing tools permit you to virtually circle or highlight parts of your screen. Research the various video conferencing options to determine which one is best for your team.

Messaging tools:

Now that we’re all remote, our emails are piling up as we no longer have in-person contact to chat about projects — or share that funny cat picture. To help avoid an influx of email and approximate the organic conversation that would be easier in an office environment, many businesses have turned to messaging apps such as Slack, Google Hangouts, or even WhatsApp. As with any sort of business communication, it’s important to remain professional, even if you’re being casual. Supervisors can and should schedule regular check-ins, especially if the team is newly remote, to help coworkers retain a feeling of connectedness and collaboration. As people adjust to remote work, they’re susceptible to feelings of loneliness and irritability.

A morning “scrum” or GIF drop on Slack might be just the thing to getting everyone on the same page and lifting their spirits. Time-tracking and screen recording tools: These tools might get some getting used to. It’s important to remember that many of them track everything that you interact with on your screen, so if you keep Facebook open in a tab, they will know. Keep your personal and work activities separate while you’re on the clock so that the apps don’t record anything embarrassing. It might be a good idea to disable notifications for personal accounts, such as Messages or Twitter, if they’re linked to your computer.

In general, it’s better for both your professionalism and your productivity to only have the programs open that you need for work. Also, take care to ensure that you’re correctly logging your time. In a program like Harvest, it’s easier to forget to switch it to a new task. Set reminders to check every 15 minutes that you’re still working on the assigned task, and switch it if necessary. As a bonus, using a time-tracking app often helps boost productivity as you learn which tasks (such as checking email) are drains on your time.

You’ll also be better able to predict how long a given type of task generally takes you to complete. This, in turn, can help improve your time management skills.

Staying Motivated When Working Remotely

The final piece of the remote work puzzle is to ensure that you can stay motivated to finish your tasks. It’s harder than you might imagine to get into work mode when your couch and bed are nearby, and feelings of isolation might also distract you from your work. The best cure for a lack of motivation is to get active.

Consider starting your day with some gentle stretching or a brain-teasing activity such as a crossword puzzle. You’ll get your creative juices flowing and help yourself transition into work mode.

Once you’re in work mode, stay though. Don’t bounce between your work and your chores. After all, you wouldn’t be doing laundry if you were at the office! It’s also helpful to keep your personal phone or tablet on silent just like you would at the office.

Staying focused can help you stay motivated. As mentioned above, be sure to check in regularly with coworkers. Feeling connected to others is a powerful source of inspiration and motivation, which can help you stay on task. Make it part of your daily schedule to record your achievements and share them with your team.

Wrapping Up

Remote work is now a necessity for many businesses, but it has the silver lining of being a boost to productivity and collaboration. With an arsenal of powerful tools at their disposal, workers can better track time, prevent themselves from overworking, understand what’s happening with projects, and enjoy clearer communication with coworkers.

In fact, your company just might keep some of these tools around once things get back to normal. The key to working remotely successfully is to be diligent in your approach.

Look for ways to maximize your productivity while providing clarity in your communications. That means carefully tracking your accomplishments and being mindful of what your coworkers need to know. You might just find that going remote makes you a better worker and collaborator.