Ideas for those new to remote teleworking, from a teleworking veteran of seven years
With schools closed and businesses moving to telework, many of you will be working from home this week for the first time, or maybe for the first time in a long time. I’ve worked from home on my current job for the last seven years. It has great benefits: I’ve always enjoyed the flexibility that it provides, and I don’t miss commuting by car, bus or subway when I did that in the DC area. However, it can also be challenging, with distractions found at home and being isolated from your co-workers, and often from people in general.
Over the years I’ve had to learn how to be productive and to make sure I connect with my co-workers to collaborate and meet the goals of our business. I’ve found the following items helpful:
- Have a Routine: Get up on time, prepare for the day and have breakfast. Don’t plan on working in bed, even answering emails on your phone.
- Change Your Clothes: get out of your pajamas and put on something you would feel comfortable in if your boss could see you. You won’t be expected to wear your uniform, a suit/tie, dress or other more formal work attire, but changing into something presentable will set your mind for work.
- Set Up a Virtual Commute: you don’t have to drive in or take public transportation, so you have time for a different, more productive routine. Go ahead and read the paper for 15 minutes, or better yet do what I do, read my Bible reading plan scriptures for the day.
- Take Breaks: it’s easy to get wrapped up in staying online all day to look productive or get caught up in endless meetings, but your body and your brain need breaks. Take a walk or do some yoga for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Use Company Equipment For Work Only: the law allows employers to track what you do on company laptops and other equipment, and many employers install tracking software. Even if your employer doesn’t do that, if you use Google Drive or Microsoft Office360 or other server-based online services for your job, your actions are being tracked and can be monitored. Have integrity and take diligence to avoid streaming shows, being active on social media or other non-work pursuits while on your employer’s time and equipment!
- Set Up A Workspace: dedicate a room or at least part of a room for work only. Having a door you can close is important for when you’re on the phone or on web conferencing with co-workers and clients. These days most people are tolerant of brief interactions by curious kids and noisy pets, but these quickly become distractions. Also, having a work-only space sets your mind for work and for when it’s time to stop working.
- Set Work Hours: a trap I fall into from time to time is that I’m able to work from anywhere, anytime. That means sometimes I work everywhere and all the time. It’s important to set your hours and be firm that you won’t do work or answer emails and texts outside of work hours, depending of course on the type of work you do and what your employer requires.
- Check In With Your Supervisor and Co-Workers: At first, when I started teleworking, I worked hard to prove I was online as much as possible and notified people every time I would not be available. That gets tedious and unproductive quickly. Just be sure to check in regularly with your boss and any on your team that you work with on projects. If you’re not sure how often to check in, ask your supervisor and then set up reminders or calendar appointments. If you’re supervising others, set up a time to meet with them and let them know how you’d like to communicate. Make use of your calendar functions to set up meeting times and be clear about the channel for communication: phone, collaboration tools, conference lines, etc.
- See the following resources for more help on working from home:
If you have any other tips or ideas, please add a comment. I pray that you’ll find working remotely both productive and a way to maximize your non-work time to better serve God and your family.