Making the Transition to Remote Work
I didn’t know what I was getting into when I signed up to work remotely. Generally speaking, when you think about working, people would most likely imagine working on a desk from 9 to 5, maybe separated by cubicles, and getting called in for meetings from time to time. That was me. I worked in a digital agency, where I got to sit on a desk daily, waiting for the clock to hit lunch time, or getting restless to leave the office by 6. It was tricky living in a bustling city like Jakarta. Traffic is a pain, commuting becomes demanding, definitely not the ideal.
Leaving my desk job and switching to freelancing feels like a sound idea. Until you start thinking about income. Yup. Not knowing you have a stable income or even if you are getting paid within the month is such a nerve-wrecking idea. It never occur to me remote working was an option.
However, my career journey surely took a twist. Before leaving the digital agency, I was approached by an acquaintance, now an awesome work colleague, to join his remotely working digital product studio. Sweet!
Without further ado, these are a few tips you need to keep in mind when shifting from the desk setting to working remotely.
1. You gotta keep the communication running.
It’s difficult when you don’t know what others are doing, especially with a deadline in mind. As much as you think it can be simple, keeping communication running online is not as simple as poking on your coworker and asking what’s up. It took a bit of adjusting for me even though I was always on top of my notifications, I need to get around to reaching to my files.
Keeping everyone in the loop with what you are doing or what you are working on currently is definitely key to a remote team.
Therefore, keeping everyone in the loop with what you are doing or what you are working on currently is definitely key to a remote team. It might sound easy but getting continuous notifications can be very distracting. Nevertheless, if you need time to focus on what you are doing, make sure you notify the people in your team that you need a time to focus and won’t be replying during that time block. Keep in mind that you are still working together as a team and not as a separate entity.
2. You are now the boss of your own time
With all the time in your hands, you are now free to work from anytime you want. The time taken up from waking up, getting ready, and commuting are now eliminated. You can catch up on work right then and there — even from the comforts of your pillow and sheets (that is if you won’t be sucked in again). But that again takes a lot of trust and communication to be able to manage time and making sure you have a good work and life balance. It is easy to overwork when you don’t keep track of the time you spend.
3. Distractions will always be distractions
As briefly mentioned before, getting continuous notifications can be really distracting when you are trying to stay focused on the task at hand — reading, editing, crafting, or designing. I found myself many times working late nights or early mornings to avoid these notifications. I do not feel like it’s doing me any justice, and I’m pretty sure no one wants to be working late nights. It isn’t healthy, so to get around it, it is best to let others know that you need a little silent time away from notifications so that you get to focus.
It takes a lot of self-motivation to work remotely.
Other distractions can also come in your way. Like being around the bed, or the TV. It’s easy to start lazing around. It takes a lot of self-motivation to work remotely. Being responsible with the tasks assigned to you is key. Making to-do lists for the day definitely helps me to keep track of what tasks I need to get done by today, tomorrow, or by the end of the week.
4. It can get quiet
Shifting from the office setting to remote working, there’s gonna be a lot of alone time. I had routines in the office where I’d go out for lunch with my co-workers, have a little chat about life, and have that endless discussion about where to eat that day. We’ll fuss, we’ll be clueless, but that’s what makes everything human. The anticipated evening coffee breaks where you just go out on a little walk out of the office is no longer a thing anymore. Let’s face it, you don’t get a lot of face time with your co-workers. Talking about personal life is significantly reduced and the bonds we create amongst the team becomes less.
It does get sad, but to look at it in a positive perspective, we do manage our own time. Therefore, lunch with friends outside from the work setting and family becomes a possibility. And if you were ever worried about not getting to know your co-workers, plan a retreat! Recently, our team also had little bonding moment out in Bali. To me, it was the perfect way to get to know others in a deeper level.
5. Your backpack will now house your office
This might be a no-brainer, but I’m gonna put this in anyway. Keeping things compartmentalized and organized definitely goes far. You don’t want to be working comfortably and find out that you don’t bring your charger or if you left your notes back at home. It’s helpful to keep everything you use in your work situation together. Personally, I keep all my things in little pouches. My charger pouch, my general needs pouch, and even a make up pouch (if ever I need to look “dressy”). Again, this will get you far.
Conclusion
It has been 5 months since my first day of working remotely and boy am I enjoying it. It might be not everyone’s cup of tea. Believe me, there would be hiccups in the first few weeks, but trust me, the time saved from getting ready and commuting, really pays off.
