Finding your ideal work from home rhythm isn’t as easy as you might think.
When pajamas replace business casual, the fridge is now a short walk away, and Netflix marathons are streaming on TV – working remotely from home can sound like a dream.
Shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders have changed work culture in both small and large offices. For some, remote working is the ideal setting for maximum efficiency. But for most of those who have made the transition to a make-shift home office, you’re probably discovering that it’s a more difficult adjustment than you expected.
You’ve probably read a ton of remote working tips posts. 10 tips for working from home! Remote Working 101! These posts were probably full of some very hard and necessary tips, but in reality, transitioning from an office environment to a home office, successfully, is a series of experiments to learn what works best for you…
Just as our own staff has discovered over the years.
Remote work tips from full-time remote employees of fully remote businesses.
From day 1, FeedBlitz is a fully-remote company with employees across the country, communicating through online portals from different time zones. Many have moved from regular in-person office environments to their remote locations.
While they’ve all had time to figure out their remote moves through trial and error, we know you don’t necessarily have time to discover your own work from home quirks. And so, we polled some of our department heads for their personal best tips or tricks for working remotely:
James, Customer Support Lead, remote for 3 1/2 years: Take a break! People think they need to be hyper-focused and super productive all the time because they’re working from home. I certainly did when I first made the switch. But seriously, take small breaks throughout the day, just like you would in a normal office. Not only does it increase your focus, but it turns out it’s pretty good for productivity.
Heather, Director, for the past 7 1/2 years: Set clear expectations and boundaries with your teammates And It’s about when you need to be alone with others in your home (your spouse, roommate, kids, whoever) and when you have a little more flexibility for interruptions. And, if possible, try to keep those times fairly consistent. It will be difficult at first, but soon you will be surprised, everyone in your house or apartment will learn to decide where things are for themselves. (You’re not the only one who knows where they left the remote!)
Also, don’t forget to try Get some fresh air at least once a day. There’s more to life than your workstation, and a little sunlight can be a good reminder!
Jenny, content manager, remote for 4 1/2 years: When I need to get some serious concentration or first round drafts out, Stopping all notifications and alerting the team I go to my cave helps me stay wickedly focused. In an office, it’s easy to put up a sign or hide in a quiet corner to be quiet, but online…no one can see you, and it’s weird and confusing if people disappear from chat channels without a word.
Phil, Founder + CEO, Remote for 15+ years: Definitely set expectations and maintain boundaries — this can be difficult if you’re WFH with kids! But also, I am a believer Setting up a space for work And ideally it’s worth having a door you can close (plus a home office deduction on your taxes might suddenly be possible). Home offices also tend to have poor ergonomics – cramped desks, chairs that aren’t designed for what you’re using now, monitors that strain your eyes, poor lighting, etc.
If you’re going to work remotely, especially if you have (or have developed) back and neck problems I cannot overemphasize the importance of a good quality adjustable office chair. While a Herman Miller Aaron might be out of your budget (but oh well worth it if you can), get a decent chair (and see if your employer will let you spend it; if not, it might still be deductible) and a Good desk that is the right height.
The most important tip of all: find what works best for you.
There are 100’s of different systems and combinations and possibilities to create a remote work routine. What works for one person or company may not work for another. Hopefully, these tips will help you get an idea of what will work and what won’t
Have you discovered random, unique techniques for being remote? We’d love to hear about them – we’re always experimenting with new systems and tips
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