Best Practices for Remote Employees: Tips for Succeeding from Anywhere

In an age where technology has made it possible for people to work from anywhere, remote work has become an increasingly popular option. According to a study by Global Workplace Analytics, the number of people working remotely at least part-time has increased by 140% since 2005.

There are many benefits to remote work, such as flexibility, reduced commute-time, and better work-life balance. However, beyond these fantastic benefits of working remotely, there are some challenges to overcome. Here are some tips and best practices for working as a remote employee and succeeding from anywhere!

Set Work And Home Life Boundaries

Finding work-life balance was hard enough when we worked in the office. With remote work comes flexibility–that’s all you need for establishing balance, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

With flexibility comes the blurring of boundaries between work and personal time to live your life and enjoy your family and friends. Before, when we left the office, it was easier to leave the work behind because work was “over”. Now, work is AT home, and incredibly accessible.

The first step to successfully balancing work and home life is to set boundaries. When you are working from home, it can be easy to let work take over your life. However, this can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. The opposite of what we want!

One way to set boundaries is to create specific times when you will be working and when you will be taking a break. For example, you might work from Monday to Friday from nine in the morning to five in the evening and take weekends off. During your time off, you’ll be unavailable to complete work tasks.

However, that might not work for everyone. If you have more flexible working hours, make sure you plan and allot time when you will be completely disconnected from work—and stick to it! This will prevent your ever-changing schedule from feeling like it’s impinging on every aspect of your life.

Be Clear On Expectations

When working remotely, it is important to be clear on expectations–with yourself and your employer.

This means having a clear understanding of what your employer or clients expect from you in terms of work hours, deadlines, and tasks. This will help you plan out your day and ensure you are successful in your role and not stressed out.

If you are unclear about any of these things, make sure to ask for clarification. It is better to over-communicate than under-communicate when you are working remotely.

Finally, as important as it is to be clear about expectations with your employer, it’s just as important to be clear about your expectations for yourself. Working from home does not mean that you need to be constantly accessible for work, or that you need to continue working because you weren’t as productive as you thought you’d be.

Use The Pomodoro Timer Technique

Staying productive despite the multitude of distractions that exist in your home is very important for successfully working from home.

There are many different techniques to help you stay productive. We suggest using the Pomodoro Technique. This is a time management strategy that can be used to increase productivity by working for 25 minutes and then taking a five-minute break.

After four cycles of 25 minutes of work and five minutes of break, you take a longer break of 20-30 minutes.

This technique can help you to focus and be more productive when working remotely, even if you have a ton of distractions around you, as well as make sure you actually take breaks during your day!

It can also be helpful to use these scheduled breaks to stretch, move around, or practice eye movement exercises. These practices can help you avoid strain on the body due to sitting and staring at screens for long periods of time.

Check-In With Your Team

Since you’re not in an office environment where you can just pop over to a colleague’s desk, it’s essential to regularly check in with your team.

You can do this via video call, phone call, or even just by sending an email. Checking in with your team will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and will also help build relationships. If your company doesn’t already use a communication tool like Slack or Google Chat, bring it up to your boss as a suggestion.

It’s important to use these check-ins for issues related to work, as well as to build camaraderie with your fellow team members.

Conclusion

When it comes to working remotely, it’s essential to set yourself up for success by setting boundaries and routines. By following the tips shared here, you’ll be on your way to becoming a remote work pro!

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