Remote work offers flexibility and comprises many challenges too. Learn and follow the right strategies to overcome the challenges of remote working to thrive as a professional.
Modern workplaces are evolving, the working style is getting diversified and companies are adapting to unconventional working methodologies like remote working and hybrid models. The concept of ‘work from home’ or simply ‘remote work’ has observed an exponential rise in popularity. The recent pandemic only has accelerated this trend.
Due to a constant rise in this trend, along with advancements in technology and changing work dynamics, this transition comes with the challenge for professionals to keep growing while achieving desired productivity, and job satisfaction. It has become essential for them to find effective ways to enhance their performance and thrive during remote work.
Best Strategies to Thrive in the Remote Work Era
Remote work is not a new concept but many professionals are still struggling to figure out how to work efficiently while staying happy and productive during remote work. The challenges of remote working can be resolved by utilizing the right strategies. Consider these ten tips to incorporate into your daily routine for thriving as a remote worker:
1. Setting an Ergonomic Workspace
Every professional needs to spend significant time sitting in front of a computer while doing work from home or even in the office. Poor posture and incorrect positioning can cause neck and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and eye strain.
These issues hamper productivity and quality of life. You can reduce these risks and maintain their health and well-being by setting up your workspace ergonomically. Choose the right chair, set up your desk properly, and use an ergonomic keyboard and mouse.
2. Allocate a Specific Time to Work
One of the major challenges of remote working is setting boundaries and allocating appropriate amounts of time and attention to other aspects of life apart from professional aspects. Effective time management, prioritization, and setting clear goals, all play a crucial role in achieving the desired level of productivity and efficiency, especially when in a remote work environment.
3. Accomplish Challenging Tasks First
Completing your hardest tasks first is the key to getting more things done efficiently. However, when we work remotely, we often go with easier tasks, and the difficult tasks tend to pile up. Take some time to determine the relative importance of each task, estimated difficulty, and duration, then proceed to act on them. Doing tough tasks first ensures there is enough physical and cognitive energy to accomplish these important tasks.
4. Prioritise Documentation and Clear Communication
Communication dynamics become significantly different while working remotely than working together in an office. You just can’t go over to someone’s desk anytime you want to clarify something. Also, you need to deal with multiple time zones and communication channels.
Avoid confusion and ambiguity with concise, purposeful and planned communication. Try to document every major idea and information. Also, make sure that everyone in your team is on the same page.
5. Use the Right Collaborative Tools
Getting the necessary collaborative tools is essential for your success in a remote work environment. Identify and accumulate reliable software and hardware to ensure that you have the resources you need to perform your tasks efficiently. The right tools enable you to function seamlessly and bridge the physical gap between team members, enabling you to collaborate conveniently.
6. Stay Physically Active at Regular Intervals during Work Hours
Many people working remotely could literally spend the entire day at their workspace without moving much. This approach may leave you feeling unhealthy and lethargic. Your fitness and wellness are necessary not only for your health but also for productivity and job satisfaction. Staying physically active is necessary to keep your mind sharp and alert. It also functions as a stress buster and yields physical and emotional benefits over time.
7. Take Regular Breaks During Your Work
A long stretch of work can make you feel tired, stressed, or unfocused after a while. Taking regular breaks during your workday while working remotely can be a smart way to boost your productivity, creativity, and well-being. Schedule breaks in between your tasks and use them wisely. It will help you avoid mental fatigue, enhance your concentration, memory, and decision-making and also reduce stress and prevent burnout.
8. Mindful of Remote Etiquette
Remote work requires a different kind of etiquette than in the office. Be mindful of how you engage with your team members and try to be respectful of their work and time boundaries. Mute your microphone when not speaking during a virtual meeting to limit background noise. Keep coworkers’ time zones and quiet hours in mind before connecting with them.
9. Flexibility and Work-Life Balance
One of the most prominent advantages of remote work is flexibility. But this flexibility often becomes a nuisance and begins harming your work-life balance. Boundaries between professional and personal life get blurred. The work environment and the home/life environment merge into one inseparable entity.
Create physical boundaries between yourself and your work. Recognize your autonomy and take control of your own routine. Structure your workday so you can be productive, and focused, get your tasks done efficiently, and save valuable time for your friends, family, and activities outside of work.
10. Visit Your Office or Meet Your Colleagues
Remote work has many benefits but face-to-face interaction with colleagues is invaluable. It can’t be replicated remotely. Occasional visits to the office or meetups with your colleagues increase bonding among team members and boost job satisfaction levels. It strengthens your professional network and also opens more career opportunities for you.
Remote work is no longer a temporary measure. Employees as well as organisations are embracing remote work due to the number of benefits it provides. Learn and follow the best strategies to thrive while working remotely and experience the best of both aspects of your life, professional and personal.
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Smita D. Jain is a Certified Life Coach, Executive Coach, and NLP Practitioner. Smita’s ‘Empower Yourself’ Personal Clarity Coaching Programs enable busy professionals unhappy in their jobs to tap into their passions and transform them into professions so that they work because they want to, not because they have to.
Before her journey as a coach, Smita had extensive experience 14 years as a corporate and business strategy professional with Fortune 500 companies. She is also a speaker at various public forums, a published writer, and an Amazon bestselling author.
You can learn more about Personal Empowerment Life Coach and Executive Coach Smita D Jain’s ‘Empower Yourself’ Coaching Programs by visiting www.lifecoachsmitadjain.com and book a strategy session at https://www.lifecoachsmitadjain.com/booking.
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