by Remote work brings new challenges that are different from those of the traditional office. There are many good reasons why people want to work remotely – and more and more people are doing it! In this article, I will give you some tips on how to stay productive, not waste your time and not damage your career!
Avoid motivation killer #1
When you work remotely, it is imperative to be self-motivated. Because no one will push you to do your work. Especially in your home office, there are usually plenty of distractions. Unclear goals are the number one motivation killer. If you lack clear goals, it’s hard to get motivated. Goals are important to know what we are working towards. Of course, there are countless methods for this. In principle, however, a simple to-do list for daily goals also helps.
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Shared experiences with your remote team strengthen cohesion and promote productivity
As always, the dose makes the poison. If you constantly work alone, a feeling of loneliness or isolation may well arise. Also, the fear of career decline becomes real if you feel that you are not getting enough attention from superiors or colleagues remotely. In the worst case, this makes us sick. So continue to seek exchanges with your colleagues. Especially for remote teams, the members must build a close relationship with each other. The best way to do this is to make time for shared experiences regularly. Some ideas for this are:
- Set up a virtual team meeting for all members once a week. You can cook together, taste cocktails or play a game. There are now many (virtual) offers for this. Workdate offers solutions for virtual coffee breaks, learning groups or mentoring, among other things.
- Once a quarter or month, organize a team-building event where everyone does something together. This could be a joint excursion, a sporting activity or a cultural event. The possibilities are endless.
- For some employers, events such as joint holidays are now firmly anchored in corporate culture. Depending on the company’s size, this is not possible with all employees simultaneously. But solutions can be found for this too.
In many companies, remote meetings will still feel more like regular on-site meetings in 2022. If this is the case with your employer, it’s even more of a reason for change. Take one of the suggestions above and start implementing it on a small scale. For example, in your own department. Change does not only work from the top down. Sometimes it takes a “grassroots movement” to make a difference 😉
Find your fixed workflow – even remotely
For most people, everyday working life before Corona was characterized by procedures within the company. Common rituals like jour fixes, stand-ups or coffee breaks follow unwritten laws. The good thing about this is that you don’t risk suddenly vacuuming instead of working. Losing yourself remotely to distractions is simply much higher. What is missing is a fixed work routine, for example, through the social control of colleagues. Accordingly, an individual remote work routine is essential. Especially in the beginning, it can be tedious to find out what works best for you. Fixed remote working hours are the most critical step on this path. You know best when you are most fit and productive. Be sure to share these times with your colleagues, friends and acquaintances. For example, use the status messages in your messengers. In the following article on LinkedIn, there are also some suggestions for remote work email signatures. If you want even fewer distractions during working hours, try apps like https://blocksite.co or https://www.forestapp.cc/.
Conclusion
If you keep a few things in mind, you can be just as productive remotely as you are at the office. A fixed work schedule is probably one of the most critical factors for success in remote work. Regular breaks, exercise and exchanges with colleagues are also necessary. Clear goals and immediate action if you feel left out make life easier. This way, your career is guaranteed not to fall by the wayside, even remotely!
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Vocabulary
- Remote work (noun): Fernarbeit
- Distraction (noun): Ablenkung
- Get attention (verb): Aufmerksamkeit bekommen
- Department (noun): Abteilung
- Jour fixe (noun): a regular meeting of a group of people, in which mostly the same important topics are discussed.
- Tedious (adj.): langwierig
- Fall by the wayside: fail to persist in an endeavour or undertaking.
Discussion Questions
- Do you prefer to work from home or in the office? Why?
- Are you more productive from home or in the office?
- What are the advantages/disadvantages of working remotely?
- What would be the ideal working situation for you? (Ex. 2 days in the office and 3 at home)
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