Working from home is becoming the new normal, and while it might sound ideal at first, it also presents its own challenges. It’s not uncommon to hear some common themes when people talking about working from home:
“I get so much more work done.”
“No one is around to distract me.”
“I can get a load of washing done, cook dinner and still be offline by 5pm.”
While many of those things are true, there are also challenges that come with working from home for an extended period of time. How do you make sure you stay productive, connected with your colleagues, and quite frankly, stop yourself going stir crazy? These are just a few tips to help you stay balanced when working from home.
Technology that works
This seems like the most obvious, but can also be the most easily overlooked. While most organisations have flexible working policies, it’s important not to assume the way you work in the office will be replicated in the way you work at home. Before changing your working pattern, ask your manager or IT team about what you need to work remotely effectively. This could include things like security implications for your device, connectivity to the systems you need, video conferencing tools, even things like your keyboard and mouse. The ultimate goal is for you to be able to sit down, power up and not waste time trying to get the technology to work.
Don’t ditch the coffee break
Taking a break is the most important thing to maintaining productivity. It can sometimes feel a little strange to wander into your kitchen or local café for a coffee or tea alone, but you don’t work eight hours straight at the office, so don’t do it when at home. While the organisations all over the world are now encouraging flexible working, there is still some perceptions around working from home meaning ‘not working at all’. This may result in feeling a little guilty about taking that break, but hitting the pause button is important to refresh your mind and gain perspective.
Maintaining work-life balance
On the surface, it’s easy to think that working from home will improve your work-life balance. When done right, it definitely can, however there are some pitfalls to avoid to ensure success.
Start with your commute time. Rather than sleeping in, try to maintain your routine and use this time effectively. Many people use their commute as their time to decompress between a day at the office and getting home to their personal life. If this is you, it’s important that you don’t lose this time. Consider going for a walk or to the gym, reading a book or listening to your favourite music or podcast. Make the commitment to maintain your ‘me’ time.
Dedicate a space in your home to work. While moving around throughout the day should be encouraged, trying to draw an invisible line around your working area should also be considered. Leaving work behind and switching to a different mindset becomes more challenging when your home becomes your office.
Face to face via video
Don’t be an invisible voice on the other end of the phone! With an abundance of video conferencing solutions available, it’s a good idea to take advantage and show your face to your colleagues during meetings. This can help connect with your colleagues and also customers, vendors and partners.
One of the toughest things about working from home is the lack of social interaction. You aren’t likely to bump into someone new every time you go to the kitchen! Consider creating that social interaction by setting up regular check ins via video conferencing with your team, even if it’s only 10 minutes, two or three times a day. And finally, don’t underestimate the power of online chat tools to keep the conversation flowing.
Working remotely from your colleagues has pros and cons, but it’s important to be thoughtful to ensure you maximise the positives.