Whitney Bertram, Operations Manager
More and more companies are offering employees the ability to work remotely, whether it is full-time, a few days a week, or just as needed. The technology available, such as call forwarding and remote access software, allows this process to be fairly seamless.
Anyone who works from home will probably agree that it has its benefits as well as its drawbacks. As a full-time remote employee, I have found the following tips to be helpful:
- Set regular office hours. Maintain defined work hours and don’t accept phone calls or respond to emails outside of those hours. Set boundaries between work and personal life. Don’t allow work to consume your life.
- Designate a workspace. Dedicate an area for working so that you feel as if you are “at work” when you enter that space.
- Utilize a project management system to track status of tasks. I use Basecamp which allows each person on my client team to update the progress they’ve made on various tasks. This ensures nothing falls between the cracks.
- Get up and move. Take breaks. Go for a walk. Play fetch with the dog. Schedule breaks to maintain your sanity and improve focus when you are working.
- Schedule routine meetings with your team. I meet with my team every Monday morning. Working from home doesn’t allow me the convenience of stopping by someone’s office to touch base. Establishing set check-in times helps to keep the lines of communication open.
- Talk to people. Pick up the phone to touch base with a co-worker. Meet a friend for lunch. Work for an afternoon at a coffee shop.
- Stock your home office. Keep tools that will help you get your job done. Make sure you have pens, paper, ink and anything else needed. I have an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier that allows me to be more efficient. I don’t have to head to FedEx every time I need to return a signed contract.
Lastly, the common work from home tip I’ve ignored:
- Get dressed. I have found I can work just as effectively and efficiently in yoga pants as I can in a skirt and heels. Find what works for you and supports your needs.
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