Essential Practices to Thrive in a Fully Remote Working Environment
Working remotely can be challenging for your mental and physical health. Here are 6 practices to make remote working more manageable, productive, and balanced.
The Hurdles of Working Remotely
Even for those who have done it for a long time, remote work is difficult. Humans are sociable beings by nature, and being in person facilitates a great deal of communication. Remote work can feel solitary; work-life balance can be difficult; and a lack of discipline can lead to distractions and interruptions, leaving employees feeling overworked and burned out — but it doesn’t have to be that way. In truth, it is entirely feasible to be happy and effective at work even if the position is completely remote.
When working remotely, there may be an unconscious pressure to work constantly. If an email arrives, we feel obligated to respond. We feel forced to check if slack rings. This can be troublesome in two ways. First, it can be a distraction. This type of interruption is detrimental to productivity. The consequences can be severe; studies have shown that even a brief loss of focus on a task can take more than 20 minutes to recover from.
Second, remote employment can eliminate the distinction between professional and personal hours. It is easier to maintain in an office environment due to the routine and compartmentalization of the workplace environment. We must travel to a physical office, sit at a physical desk, and complete work there. When the workday is finished, we can relax a little and go home. We are always at work and always at home in remote work scenarios. If we are to maintain equilibrium in this situation, we must devise a strategy.
This article will go through a few concepts that we can all apply to make remote working more manageable, productive, and balanced.
Take Care of Yourself
It is extremely important in a remote location for all of us to look after ourselves. Every person and every remote working environment is unique, and no one knows what we require better than ourselves. We understand what the job requires of us and who to turn to in times of difficulty. Fortunately, we are not alone in this.
Organizations are increasingly witnessing more and more remote workers, as well as more and more remote management. This means that an increasing number of individuals in an organization will grasp what it means to work from home. Hence, if there is an issue, the first step should be to contact coworkers and/or a management. Others cannot help if they are unaware that there is a problem.
The Power of Empathy in the Workplace
Always remember that our coworkers are in the same boat as us. One thing we can do to help is to remember that each workday has an end time. Therefore, if something comes up at the end of the day that isn’t an emergency — say, a conversation that needs to happen, a new task, or even simply a suggestion or a proposal — maybe tack it on the calendar for the next morning.
Another option is to write an email and schedule its delivery. This means that we write down our ideas, but the email will not be sent until, say, 8 a.m. the next morning. As a result, our employees receive the knowledge they require at the start of the workday rather than at the conclusion. This helps to ensure that coworkers aren’t thinking about work all night. (It should be noted that most communication tools — email clients, but also Slack, Teams, and so on — allow for scheduled transmission.)
In addition to sending communications at opportune times, we must ensure that messages are not missed. This was discussed in depth in a recent posting, but the gist is this: If a message requires attention, it remains unread in the inbox. It is archived once it has been reviewed and acted upon. This assists us in determining what is crucial in terms of responses that must be sent and how long they have been waiting for attention. It also benefits our teammates because they receive responses more frequently.
Tame Your Notifications
With today’s operating environment and its plethora of communication methods, there is a risk of notification overload. In fact, a growing body of research indicates that notification overload can lead to significant increases in stress and losses in overall job satisfaction. The number of notifications that trigger overload varies from person to person but might be as little as four per hour. Regardless of the level, once achieved, work performance and overall job satisfaction suffer.
One alternative is to stop notifications entirely and just check for new messages when the worker is ready to handle them. This is characterized as a ‘pull’ model; we are the ones that check for (or “pull down”) new notifications. In contrast, the more standard ‘push’ model allows all apps to disturb us whenever they have something new.
The goal is to strike a balance between focusing on ongoing duties and creating time for new tasks or responding to coworker questions.
Take Breaks
Even during the day, it is critical to monitor our energy levels. Whether we are working in the office or remotely, there will be periods during the day when we will significantly benefit from taking a short break. We give our brains time to relax by taking occasional breaks. We will be rejuvenated and ready to work more successfully, efficiently, and with less stress when we return from even a short rest.
Use a Personal Phone or Tablet
This relates to the concept of leaving work entirely after the workday is finished. What we can do (if the devices are accessible) is set up an entirely different tablet or phone with no work tools installed on it.
This device can then be designated as the ‘home’ device. This device can be used as an alarm clock, to read e-books, or to text friends. The idea is to spend some time away from work and not fall asleep with a work device in hand or wake up and reach for it right away. Remember that if there is a true emergency, someone from the office will contact you. Any additional notifications that arrive during off-hours (based on a set routine and timetable) can wait.
Because the device is different, there is no easy method to check for fresh notifications. That is, when we are relaxing at home with an electronic device during our off hours, work will not intrude. This is more soothing and less stressful, and it means we won’t be tempted to check work before bed or the moment we wake up.
Keep a Work Log
Documentation is one of the most mundane aspects of any work. It’s doing the task that’s exciting, not writing down what we did. However, keep in mind that documentation is not for the time being. Documentation is for later. Documentation means that we write down our thoughts as we work. The particulars or explanations will be difficult to recall in two months.
Another advantage is that documentation helps teammates comprehend our thought process — what we did and why we did it. This also saves them from having to contact them about everything. If there is a shared documentation repository, that can be their first stop. If they still have questions, they can reach out. This significantly improves the overall efficiency and scalability of the collaborative process.
Conclusion
Remote work is difficult- especially those new to the environment. The tips outlined above will help balance that work so that we can focus on what’s important at any given moment. Self-care is important, with communications with coworkers and managers a big part of that. Managing notifications means more focus time and fewer distractions, and using separate devices during off-hours times means work doesn’t intrude into your personal time. With solid strategies and proper planning, we can maintain a sustainable work-life balance and thrive while working remotely.
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