Is the saying "home sweet home" or is it "office sweet office"? Or is it both? With remote employees making up a rapidly growing sector of the workforce, there's more incentive than ever to seek out positions that keep you free from the humdrum of a corporate office.
Granted, there's still a degree of uncertainty and trepidation that comes along with working from home. Start with a solid foundation, strong convictions, and the determination you need to be as successful from your home office as you would be at a corporate headquarters. It's way easier than it sounds:
When you walk into a corporate office, there's a certain vibe that lets you know it's time to hunker down. Recreate (and enhance!) that feeling when you sit down at your at-home workspace. We've all worked from the dining room table or taken the show on the road for a day at the coffee shop, but building out a dedicated home office is a must for full-time, partial, and occasionally remote employees.
It's easier than ever to keep in contact with your team, even if you're scattered throughout the country. Collaboration software, video conferencing, and cloud storage has revolutionized the workforce, making it possible to have meaningful connections with colleagues everywhere.
Try not to be an island. Even when you're on your own in the comfort of your own home, don't be afraid to ask questions and gain insight from the people that are working just as hard as you. These new collaborative tools have changed the landscape of remote work and telecommuting but there's still no "I" in team.
There's so many ways to become distracted when you're surrounded by the things you love. When your cat is curled up on the sofa, the latest Netflix show is ready to binge, and there's a puppy lapping at your feet… who can resist? Shut it down! Great habits start from the start of your work-from-home career, though staying dedicated to your craft is the most important part.
Just because you're not chained to your cubicle doesn't mean that a schedule is optional. Just like your office-bound counterparts, create a set of standards that will capture your workflow at its most productive. Depending on your degree of flexibility, choose the right times to wake up, start work, take a breather, have a bite to eat, and wrap up your to do's… And, most importantly, stick to it.
Not only will this keep you on track and on target, but it will build accountability with the rest of your team members. If you're reliable and available at the right times, they'll know when they can count on you for a quick reply or an urgent update.
Sometimes the upsides of working from home are greater than all of us. Cutting out traditional office spaces has a bevvy of ethical benefits that we can all agree on:
Chris Hayes
Author