Hi! It’s been a busy week getting ready for the move! Last week I put out some feelers on Instagram to see if anyone would be interested in a blog post about what it’s like to work completely remote and I got some great questions about how to stay productive.
I’ve been working remote as a marketing specialist for a healthcare company for almost seven months already. Read more about my experiencing switching jobs here. I desperately wanted a job with more flexibility and from the few opportunities I had to work remote at my last job, I knew I was most productive at home.
How I Stay Focused:
- Set up a designated work space. You don’t need to have a full office — I actually work from the dining room table since we don’t really eat there aside from holidays 🙂 I know it can be tempting to work from the couch, but set aside an area that allows you to be productive and isn’t going to tempt you to take a nap haha. It’s also important to minimize distractions, for me that means no TV.
- Get dressed. Don’t worry, I’m not telling you to break out your best business casual. However, it’s important to change out of your pajamas. I usually change into athletic wear, so clearly nothing fancy. Changing out of your pajamas establishes the transition from rest to work, even if the clothes are just as comfortable!
- Start your day with something for you. If you dive straight into work, you’ll probably get antsy pretty quickly. I love starting my day by getting outside for a walk. It allows me to get out of the house before I start working so I don’t get stir crazy quickly. You can start your day working out, reading a book or even doing some chores around the house. Take time for you before you start your work day.
- Establish working hours. It can be tempted to get side tracked with things around the house if you don’t set a stop time for yourself. You may just think Oh, I can take time for chores because I can easily work later since I’m already home. This mentality will just sidetrack you and draw out your day. Set time boundaries that you designate for working so you can unplug and enjoy the rest of your evening. This will also keep you from answering emails at anytime throughout the evening and prevent burnout.
- Take breaks. You’re probably thinking, didn’t you just tell us to stick to work during work time? Yes! But you have to factor in the normal breaks you experience in an office that keep you from getting antsy: catching up with coworkers, lunch breaks, etc. You miss out on those natural breaks when you work remote so it’s important to plan them for yourself. Take a ten minute break to call a friend or take a 30-minute lunch break when you need some time away from the screen. Establish a time limit for your break and you will feel refreshed and be more productive afterwards.
- Move around. Since you’re at home, you miss out on walking around to coworkers’ offices, meeting rooms, the break room, etc. So use your designated breaks to take a short walking break or to get up and stretch. If you are able to set up a standing desk, those are great too! Just do anything to move around so you don’t end up sitting for 8+ hours a day.
Bonus tip: get an adult coloring book. Hear me out! It can be hard to pay attention during meetings when you’re not in a room with your colleagues. I’ve found that using an adult coloring book during meetings prevents me from getting sidetracked with emails or my phone, and that I retain much more that is discussed during the meeting. I like this one.
Some of my favorite perks from working remote:
- Not having to wear business casual clothes. Need I say more? 🙂
- Time saved. I’ve saved so much time since I no longer have a commute. It feels like hours have been added back into my day!
- Money saved. Way less spent on gas, work clothes and dining out. Working from home makes it much easier to eat at home since I don’t have to do much prep in advance.
- Flexibility. I am lucky that manager encourages flexibility and to make my job work with my schedule. I don’t have to report in the office at a certain time or stay until a certain time which has given me so much more freedom.
Us work from home folks can sometimes get the stereotype that we just lounge in pajamas with Netflix on in the background all day. For me, I understand that it’s a privilege to work from home. It has made me want to be a better worker because I am so grateful for the flexibility it has allowed me.
Do you ever work remote?
Does the thought of working remote make you want to go stir crazy?
– Morgan