In a post-pandemic world, nearly 6 in 10 workers who can do their job from home are choosing to work remotely all or most of the time. Most of these employees, 76% of them, say this is because they have a strong preference to work from home.
Working from home has its perks, like the fact that you are in a comfortable environment. Working from home also presents its own set of unique challenges.
These work from home tips will help guide you and your employees as you transition from working in an office to working remotely.
At Remote Work Made Simple, we have tips on everything from how to hire remote employees to how to manage remote teams. That’s because we have made it our business to learn the insights and tools you need to maximize your team’s productivity.
Read on to learn our best tips on how to work productively from home.
1. Get Organized
The most important thing to remember when you wonder how to start working from home is to get and stay organized!
Makes sure you have everything you need to do your work from your home office. Take a trip to your local office supply store and stock up on everything that will make your work day easier and organized.
Create folders strictly for work business. These can be physical folders for paperwork or desktop folders on your computer dedicated to work files, or both.
Knowing where everything goes and having a place for specific items will ensure you’re never scrambling to find paperwork or information that you need.
2. Create an Ideal Workspace
Working from home gives you the luxury of creating whatever kind of workspace you want! Whether that means your space is full of candles and color or has traditional office vibes, it’s up to you.
Think of colors and items that make you feel comfortable and productive. For instance, a bean bag may sound comfortable, but will you be able to work effectively every day?
Splurge on your computer chair. Buy the desk you love. Make your office area a place you look forward to going to every day, ready to work.
3. Communicate Effectively
When you wonder how to switch employees to remote work, you must consider how working apart will affect your communication.
Investing in a good communication app is essential for remote work. This way, your employees can communicate easily with each other and you.
If you rely heavily on email communication, mark your work emails so that they stand out among your other, personal emails. It may be a good idea to create a separate email address just for work business if that’s easier for you as well.
4. Get an Assessment
One of the great remote work solutions you may overlook is getting a professional assessment.
An assessment, like the kind we conduct at Remote Work Made Simple, will give you insight into how your team performs in ten key areas that are essential for remote work.
This can provide you with helpful insight into how to address individual issues, analyze necessary actions, and design a solution implementation plan.
5. Use the Environment to Your Advantage
You’re at home, which comes with perks, and you should enjoy those! When it comes to remote work for businesses, you should encourage your employees to take advantage of their home environment.
That means having the ability to do things like go outside and enjoy your yard while you work if you want to. You have access to your fridge for snacks and pick-me-up’s throughout the day. If you have a pool, you can take a swim on your lunch break.
These are just a few examples of how you can, and should, take advantage of your home environment.
6. Get Ready for Your Work Day
While it may be tempting to roll out of bed and start work in your pajamas, resist this temptation.
Having a morning routine and getting ready for your day is an important part of putting you in the “work mode” mindset.
Getting ready for the day can give us higher levels of self-esteem, which is associated with increased productivity and better work performance.
7. Keep Distractions at Bay
One drawback to working from home is that every distraction imaginable is present. While you would likely feel forced to curb time spent on your phone in an office where your co-workers can see you, you’re free to do what you want at home.
It’s important to set boundaries when it comes to distractions. When you have access to social media apps and it’s tempting to work with Netflix playing in the background, know your limits.
8. Keep Work for Worktime
Since your office will also be in your home, it may be tempting to negotiate your work time. You may want to allow yourself to get distracted by housework or other personal duties during the work day and tell yourself you’ll finish your work later.
The more you set boundaries about keeping work for work hours and home life for after-work hours, the happier you will be. When you let the two intertwine, you may find yourself feeling stressed about the lack of routine.
9. Take Breaks
This should be important whether or not you work from home! Make sure to encourage your employees to take proper breaks!
Working from home gives the added benefit of being able to do whatever you want during your break. Do some yoga or meditation, have a cup of tea, or go for a quick neighborhood walk.
10. Reward Yourself
Whatever your idea of a reward is, you should have access to it in your home when you finish the work day or week.
Whether it’s a delicious treat or a movie night with your friends, make sure to take time for yourself. While working remotely has perks, it can also be hard! You deserve a reward once in a while.
Work From Home Tips and More
Now you know some of our best work-from-home tips! Working remotely offers a unique work experience and it’s good to both enjoy the freedom and create your own rules and boundaries.
Make your transition to working remotely easier by learning all about how Remote Work Made Simple can help. Check out our assessments page today!
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