The New Normal: Preparation for a Permanent Shift to Telecommuting

Remote work was a significant part of the previous year and is more likely here to stay. Telecommuting is seen as an effective way of keeping employees productive. In fact, the setup allows for better output in some industries.  

Whether you work on a team or alone, it is highly possible that you will find yourself back in a remote working situation. The past year’s lessons taught us some valuable ways to be the most productive workers we can be without sacrificing our well-being.  

Upgrade Your Work-From-Home Office

Invest the money you save by not commuting in portable satellite internet so that you can stay in touch with your team no matter where you are. Not only does it allow you to work while doing your chores or enjoying a family camping trip, but it also keeps you connected in the event of a storm or power outage.  

Furthermore, you can invest the money you save by not buying lunch out in an ergonomic chair with lumbar support. Office chairs can barely give you the support you need to work long hours without having back pain. The chairs in your home are designed for comfort and are likely to cause stiff neck and back pain. Nonetheless, you can prevent this and have a better work from home experience by buying an appropriate office chair.  

There are plenty of other ways to support yourself both as an employee and an individual to ensure that your remote work situation suits you.              

Be Kind to Yourself

This is another step to keep yourself productive as an employee and a family member. You need to recognize when you need a break and take one. Your self-care activities need to be scheduled into your workday and attended to with as much rigor as a work task. Otherwise, you will lose focus, drop important tasks, and become burned out.  

Do the Eye Exercise

Take a break from staring at the screen every 20 minutes. Set the alarm to remind yourself. Move your eyes around and focus on objects at different distances from you. This will keep you from straining your eyes and avoid tension headaches.  

Indoor Walking

For about 15 minutes every hour, stand up and walk around the house. This gives you a chance to resettle your body, work out the kinks, and refill your water bottle. You will also be able to check in on the rest of your family and feel connected to them. This walk will refresh you and allow you to get back to work with more focus.  

After-Meeting Activity

If a meeting is going on, you can still practice the eye exercise, but you might not find the time to go for a walk afterward. Ensure that you spend a minimum of 10 minutes away from the screen after a meeting to give your body time to resettle and your mind a chance to rest and recover.  

Separate Your Workspace

You can work anywhere you please, but you should have a designated office zone where people cannot disturb you unless it is an emergency. This will help you concentrate and allow you to work faster and more efficiently. Taking a break to work elsewhere should be done as a way to get your creative juices flowing. This will show your family that you’re open to interaction and conversation. Staying in your workspace should indicate that you need to concentrate. It will make it much easier for your children to understand.  

Choose a Communication Tool

You must have one communication platform where your team or supervisor can always reach you. This can be your email that you should check every 30 minutes, or it can be your work phone where you set a specific ringtone for priority messages from your supervisor. Part of building the trust that goes with working remotely effectively is constant communication during work hours. This means that you must be available for an urgent task. This will put your boss and teammates at ease, and you should expect the same consideration from your teammates and supervisor as well.                     

Extended remote work allows everyone to explore different working styles and decide which is most effective for them. Ask your supervisors and team leaders for clear goals on what you are expected to deliver. They should explain what they need from you in terms of daily, weekly, and monthly output. Identifying and discussing success metrics and project priorities will allow your team to support each other in structuring your work hours. If you are working remotely, you definitely have a collaboration app that you use with your teammates and boss. Take the time each week to track your progress, achievements, goals, and areas of improvement. This will keep the management happy and allow your supervisors to help you accordingly. It will also keep your teammates updated. Through open communication, everyone will have a better understanding of how the projects are progressing.