10 tips for working remotely

We’re all working together to help slow the spread of COVID-19 through new policies and guidelines such as working remotely and socially distancing ourselves from others.  Working remotely can be challenging.

I can offer some advice about working remotely, as I have worked both remotely and in a travel capacity for over 10 years, and I really love working that way. Here are a few things I regularly do to ensure success while still managing a work-life balance.

Working from home can make it difficult to maintain a work-life balance because, well, you’re at home. So, you have to prepare your work daily and complete what you have prepared for yourself.

1. I plan every day, at the end of the day for how to the start the next morning. (I usually do it at night because I like to put in a few hours in the evening after I’ve spent some time with the family)
2. Document everything you do. I document what I do through a series of notes in OneNote and with my Outlook calendar and tasks.
3. If you do something ad-hoc throughout the day, allocate time on your calendar to account for it.
4. Make time to call some of your co-workers every day, not just for business, but for "chatting and having a few laughs" as well. You would do it in the office, why not do it from home too? It helps to keep your sanity and keeps those relationships active and current.
5. Take breaks, get a stand-up desk, sprinkle in little things to do for yourself. Do a home chore if you need to.
6. Make your working environment yours. Working on the coffee table is a no-no. It's not a good work environment and it doesn't do anything for productivity.
7. Don’t be afraid to break up your workday. Do your most productive customer facing activities during regular working hours and do your work that requires a higher level of concentration after-hours at your leisure, sometimes you will find that it's much easier than switching back and forth between phone calls and computer work.
8. Take good notes, set aside time to think, study and grow your knowledge. This is important to stay on top of your industry.
9. On a slow day, don't be afraid to walk outside to break up the scenery so that your work area doesn't become stagnant.
10.  Take working from home as an opportunity to be there for your co-workers and family.  We’re all working together to do our part in keeping each other safe. Please take care of yourself.

Thanks for taking a minute to read my post and I hope it helps make you more successful during your time spent working from home.