How to work remotely.
There are some things you will need to be prepared for when transitioning from the structure of a traditional office. Keeping these in mind will help make sure that working from home stays efficient, effective, and sustainable.
Make sure your home office feels like an office.
One of the most common mistakes people make when starting to work from home is thinking that they can lie in bed or on the couch with a laptop all day.. Not only can this affect your productivity, it actually gets old pretty quick, and can have some pretty bad carryover into your personal life. Here are a few things you can do to make sure your remote office is a place where you can get some real work done.
Get dressed. Do I have to? Well, no…but it helps. Sure, part of the appeal of working from home is that there isn’t technically any need to put pants on; however, as author of Eat, Pray, Love Elizabeth Gilbert said in an interview on the podcast My Brother, My Brother, and Me, it is important to “send a signal to yourself that you are actually taking this seriously, that you’re not kidding. One of the ways I send this signal to myself is that I don’t write in my pajamas.” Getting dressed for a day of work is part of a routine that signals our brains it is time to transition from at-home time to at-work time, and this signal is especially important if we’re making that transition without actually leaving the house.
Design a work environment that works. A clearly defined workspace also helps with that transition into at-work time. If you are lucky enough to have a spare room to turn into a home office, you’re sitting pretty. But even if you don’t have a ton of space to spare, there are still options to establish a dedicated workspace. Carve out a corner of a room with standing screens, put a desk against one wall in a low-traffic room, or even convert a closet; however you do it, create a space and make it feel professional. Hang diplomas on the wall, have a pencil cup, stapler, and pictures of your family on the desk, and make sure anyone you live with knows this is your work zone: when you are here, you are in do-not-disturb mode.
You will need to set yourself up with a comfortable chair, ergonomic computer accessories, and all the traditional office accoutrement. This list by Wirecutter is a great resource for the best of all things office-supply. You will also need reliable, high-speed internet and a workhorse computer. Mooching off your neighbor’s WiFi is not going to cut it if this will be your full-time office. Remember, these are all deductible business expenses, so get what you need.
Keep your sleep zone sacred. Although it may be tempting to just roll over in the morning and grab your laptop, this is a bad practice — not just for your productivity, but for your mental health! Sleep hygiene research suggests that using your bed for any activities other than sleep and sex create a mental connection between laying in bed and stressful, activating stimuli. You can’t work effectively if you don’t get good sleep, so make sure your bed stays a work-free zone.
Make a schedule.
One of the best parts of working as a freelancer is getting to set your own schedule. So make sure you actually do it!
Start and stop your work day. When you commute to and from work in a traditional office, there are natural and obvious cues that tell your brain when it is time to work, and when it is time to stop. As I mentioned earlier, without these cues, making the transition can be more difficult. So part of working from home needs to be building these cues into your daily routine. As tempting as it can be to lounge around in the morning, it is important to create a schedule and stick to it. Set an alarm, and when it goes off, get ready for work: take a shower, get dressed, grab a coffee and some breakfast, and “go” to work.
Just as important, make sure that you know when the work day is over. If you get into the flow on a project, you might be tempted to sit at your desk all night; but this isn’t fair to you or your loved ones, and it can lead to burnout (feeling like you’re always “at work,” and never having any time for anything else…which is probably exactly the feeling that you were trying to get away from when you started working from home!). Set your hours, and stick to them. It will make you a better worker in the long run.
Set SMART goals. Without having a boss standing over your shoulder checking in with you, it can be hard to know how productive you’re actually being. And part of being productive is feeling productive; small wins throughout the day create motivation and momentum, leading you from one task to the next. A SMART goal is a goal that is “Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.” Rather than just telling yourself, “I will get a lot of work done today,” invest some time in creating a to-do list filled with SMART goals. Crossing these items off a list as you go will give you some feedback on how productive you are being, which will help you manage your time. It is also much easier to “clock out” at 5:00 when you have tangible evidence of everything you’ve gotten done that day.
Don’t forget to eat! In an office, coffee breaks and lunch outings are built into your day. At home, you might feel like you are “cheating” by taking breaks. But breaks are important, and actually help your long-term productivity by preventing burnout and giving your brain time to incubate ideas that you are working on. Scheduling lunch dates with friends or colleagues can also help to mitigate the loneliness that can come with working from home.
How are you using your extra hours? One of the best parts about working from home is that without a commute, you will suddenly find yourself with a few extra hours in the day. How are you using them? There’s no right answer to this, but be intentional about it, and schedule them into your day. Whether it’s a morning workout, more time with family, time at the golf course, or just letting yourself get some more sleep, take advantage of these “free” hours; without scheduling them, they may get stolen by time spent mindlessly on Facebook or Netflix.
Out of Sight, but Not Out of Mind
Despite all the hassles that come with office life, there are some definite advantages to physically being in the same place as your colleagues. When working from home, there are some steps you will need to take to make sure your presence is still felt by co-workers and clients.
Overcommunicate. Make sure that you keep people up to date on what you are doing. If you are part of a team, you can set up a Slack channel; this lets you create group chats, send private messages, and share files and documents. Google Hangouts is a great free option for video calls. Emails are probably best for longer messages, but remember: without body language or vocal tone, it is critical that you communicate clearly and professionally. Give detailed updates, communicate problems, and ask questions.
Respond promptly. If a co-worker or client asks you a question via Slack or email, and you don’t have an answer yet or you are away from your desk, is it okay to simply not respond? Well, think of it this way: Imagine you’re working in a traditional office environment, and on your way to the break room that same colleague asks you a question. Would it be acceptable to simply walk past them without responding, only to send them an instant message once you return to your desk? Of course not! You would simply tell them you will get the information for them as soon as you get back to your workstation. If someone asks you a question that you don’t have an answer to yet, would you stare at them silently, just because you didn’t know the answer? Of course not! You would let them know that you don’t have an answer right now, but you will keep them informed and let them know as soon as you do. Treat remote colleagues and clients similarly. This is not to say that you need to be available 24/7, but if it is during “work hours,” respond promptly; even if it is just a quick “I’m away from my desk, I’ll get back to you soon.”
