How To Make Remote Working Work For You

More people than ever before are operating from home as a result of the ongoing global pandemic crisis. That is not necessarily a bad thing; it allows people more autonomy and control, can help to solve some childcare problems, and removes a lot of traffic from the roads, relieving pressure on public transportation systems. It is a working practice that may well stick around long after the pandemic has passed.

However, if this is something that is likely to be around for a long time – or even permanently, it may well mean that we all have to make adaptions to the way we do things in order to make it work for everyone.

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Where are you going to work?

To work effectively, you need somewhere comfortable to work. Many people were thrown into working from home at the deep end and were balancing laptops on their knee on the couch or in bed or from the dining table. . While for a couple of weeks or so this can be fine, in the long term this is not going to be helpful. Of course, not everyone has space for a dedicated home office, and in those situations, other solutions need to be considered, such as coworking office spaces. However, if you do have space at home, a decent desk, comfortable desk chair and sound proofing walls will provide you with somewhere comfortable, productive and secure to work. 

When are you going to work?

Obviously, this depends on your employer and the business that you work for. However, if you have flexibility over your working hours, spend a few weeks looking at your circadian rhythm. This is your internal body clock and will help you to identify the times of day that you work more productively. Some people are night-owls, so work better in the evenings. Others prefer to get up early in the morning and get it all out of the way then. There is no right or wrong way, but you should look at identifying the best pattern for you and work to it if that is possible. 

Stick to set working hours

One problem with working from home is that making the distinction between your home life and work life. It can be tempting to just work for another twenty minutes or so, and before you know it, you have put in another couple of hours and will not get paid for it. Whatever times you decide to work – or are paid to work – stick to them. When that time is up, grab your sneakers and leave the house for a walk, hit the gym, go for a swim; do something that stops you from going back to your desk and sending one more email. Delete the email app from your cell phone so that you are not tempted to check outside of your working hours.

Working from home is something that could be around for a lot longer, if not forever. Taking steps now to make it work for you in the long term will make it much easier for everyone.