Here’s what no one tells you about working remote.
Flexibility in the workplace is slowly becoming more the norm. Whether it’s through flex-hours or a full-out home office, businesses are beginning to understand the benefits of real work-life balance and what that looks like.
I’m a small town girl with big city career aspirations. Everyone told me (even my CEO) that a combo like that just wasn’t possible if I wasn’t willing to leave my hometown…challenge accepted! With the right company, I knew I could ‘have it all’ — combined with the right attitude and work ethic of course. All that aside, with this perfect opportunity came one daunting downfall — a remote office. 25 years old and working from home…everyone’s dream right?
For the first week — heck ya! Then you start missing your team, your leader, the culture and most importantly, the social side of work — having someone to chat with and bounce ideas off of. Someone that isn’t your dog. Don’t get me wrong… I adore my dog, but she isn’t really the creative type.
Then panic sets in, you’ve been dealt a royal flush and you NEED a plan to survive, no… thrive in a home office. I’ve made it 1 whole year, and don’t plan on stopping now. These are my secrets to killin’ it in an office down the hall from where I sleep.
1. 10@10 is your bread & butter with a cherry on top!
Let me explain. 10 minutes at 10:00 am — every day. Each department in your company hosts a day and shares a high level rundown of key updates. It’s the most informative 10 minutes of my entire day and the BEST way to feel connected and in sync with my company. But Alex, you’re not in the office how do you join? Oh right, a phone call! NOPE. Face to face is a must for this one. All you need is good wifi, a thoughtful colleague to bring you along and Google Hangouts.
2. A daily commute — on foot!
Oh you mean down the hall, first door on the right? No. I mean a legit commute. Starting your day off with a walk is the single best thing you can do for your mood, energy and productivity — and your health! Here’s my routine. I wake up, make my coffee in a to-go cup (helps me feel like a real commuter), lace up my sneakers and then my dog and I exit the house and ‘commute’ for 30 minutes. We arrive at work (home) feeling accomplished and excited to start our day — after a healthy breakfast of course!
3. Sprout… seriously!
Okay Alex, you’re just saying that because you work there! Actually I work from home so I can say what I want. All kidding aside, an online platform that allows you and your colleagues to chat, compete and share is essential! I may work 5 hours away, but I can still participate in team wellness challenges, share photos of my nature walks up north (we’re all about that outdoor life) and stay current on what my colleagues are up to. This direct line to my colleagues is essential to feeling like I’m still an integral part of the team. Okay so — why don’t you just follow them on Instagram or Facebook? Excellent question folks. Do you let your CEO follow you on Instagram or Facebook… hmmm, didn’t think so. And if you do, I hope one day I can be that kind of brave.
4. Schedule weekly chats with your leader!
At the end of the day, professional growth still needs to happen — for the company and for your own sanity and motivation! Regular chats with your boss opens up the dialogue about new projects that require different skill sets and can help move the business forward. It also opens the lines for regular feedback on the work you’ve accomplished in the past week so you can continuously improve. Don’t think for a second that because you work from home you can’t contribute in a big way. You can. Sometimes you just need to work extra smart to stand out from a computer screen, but it’s so empowering when you succeed.
5. Set some form of healthy work schedule.
Best job in the world AND it’s all from home, AMAZING! Now I need to chain myself to my desk and work every hour of every day right here so my colleagues know I’m not slacking on the couch. Wrong. This is a sure fire way to go nuts and cry, alone, in your home office. Take breaks (walking breaks are best, outside is even better), eat well, drink water and decide on a time to shut off your computer for the night and never touch it again. As tempting as it may be. Otherwise, your living room, your kitchen and your bedroom become unhealthy extensions of your home office and you never stop. At that rate, you’ll burn yourself into retirement by the time you’re 30. Switch it up some days and work from a coffee shop, just because have a home office, doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself in there 24/7.
6. Communicate, honestly.
Your colleagues don’t get to see you every day. They don’t know you just worked a 16-hour day, skipping both lunch AND dinner and couldn’t even find a spare second to brush your teeth. You don’t know if they have some spare time in their schedule to help you. Everyone would be in the know however, if we all just communicated honestly. Easier said than done, I know. Who wants to be a complainer and admit they need help? You do. Because if you don’t, the stress will eventually consume you and your entire household will feel your wrath, which is a serious NO-NO when working from home. Asking for support doesn’t mean you’re weak or slacking. It’s very likely that someone on your team has been where you’re at and has the capacity to help you out. This vulnerable dialogue helps you build an even stronger bond with your colleagues.
7. Live quarterly check-ins.
…because sometimes ‘after-work beverages’ just need to happen in person. But not just that…real face-to-face interaction at some point during the calendar year is so necessary. Schedule your trip around big company projects, client visits and of course…company socials! All of these events are more successful with all hands on deck and in the office.
Nailing the work-life balance equation is no walk in the park. Starting from the non-traditional (flexibility) side is even tougher. My hope is that now you can be open to the reality that a thriving professional career from a home office IS possible. We remote-workers don’t all live in our sweat pants, and veg on the couch. Working from home can be very fulfilling when you take charge and keep yourself on the company’s radar. Establishing your own healthy culture as a natural extension from that of your company’s is the best place to start (in my humble opinion). Oh would you look at that, time to close the home office for the night…
Be kind & live well,
Alexandra Larocque
