Statistics show that the work-from-home model has only grown in accessibility and desirability in the past decade. In the months that we have battled the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers have shifted their workforce to a telework model, if only temporarily. Some businesses, however, are seeing the benefit of making work-from-home a permanent arrangement for some employees.
While working from home has its fair share of benefits, it also brings some unique challenges to the table. Namely, telework demands a higher level of discipline, personal accountability, and self-management. Lacking in any of these areas can create problems — be it strained or absent communication, falling behind, poor stress management, or neglecting other important areas of life.
Working from home sounds great in theory. But if you want to be successful as a remote worker, you have to emphasize the right principles. These are just a few pointers I’ve picked up — things that transform me into a more productive, more efficient person, regardless of where I do my work.
3 Strategies That Make Remote Working More Efficient
1) Rise and Shine
One of the primary benefits of working from home is the flexibility of one’s schedule. There’s something nice about being able to break for lunch when you’re hungry, start a load of laundry during a mid-morning break, or taking time out for some exercise during the normal 9-to-5. This flexibility, however, is a double-edged sword.
Schedule and routine are important. If you work from home, establish your habits for work now. Get up early, like you would for any other job. Take some time to wake up before you work — grab breakfast, a cup of coffee, and catch up on news or emails. Get dressed for the day. These routines help establish and underscore a work mentality. As much as the flexibility of your workday can be beneficial, keeping personal tasks separate from work tasks, at least as much as possible, is key in optimizing your productivity.
Establish a morning routine that puts you into “work mode!”
2) Trim the Fat
There are a lot of things that we focus our energy on that just aren’t worth it. They steal the willpower and drive we have to accomplish real and meaningful goals. I get it — sometimes you have to do work “housekeeping.” I think, though, that we waste a lot of time on menial things. At the end of the day, we won’t feel accomplished or satisfied. That’s because we spent a lot of the day chasing rabbits!
Trim the fat from your work schedule. These are surface-level tasks that don’t require real engagement or investment on your part. Checking emails, filling out paperwork, having meetings, jumping through all of the professional hoops...Company culture has filled us with the drive to complete a lot of useless tasks. Don’t get me wrong — some of these things just have to happen. However, we have to dedicate our valuable mental resources to the tasks that matter. Sort out the little things that have to be done, then do them. Then differentiate the rest of your tasking from meaningful and unmeaningful work. What will help and what will hinder your real work?
3) Fight Isolation
While self-directed, self-motivated individuals can thrive in telework, it comes with a significant risk to every remote worker regardless of initiative. For those of us working from home, it’s easy to become isolated and disconnected from the world around you. In a personal context, a lack of human interaction can result in depressed mood and increased stress. In a professional context, a lack of real connection to your company and the people in it can cause apathy to fester.
The more disconnected we are, the less likely we are to innovate and inform ourselves of current industry news. We can easily slip behind, falling back on the old things that work rather than pushing the boundaries.
Fight isolation. Make room to connect with other employees. Be intentional in communication. While it has its drawbacks, something like being involved in a Slack chat with your colleagues can do a lot to keep you more connected and engaged to not just the work, but the people behind it.
What has helped you optimize your efficiency as you work from home? Share in the comments.