I've been thinking about sharing some tips for remote working for a while, and now seems to be a good time! A new way of working is upon us, whether we were ready for it or not. Whilst for some people this enforced period of working from home is a great opportunity, it will fill others with fear at the lack of face-to-face contact with the outside world.
But if remote working is the new normal - for now at least - how can we embrace it and make the best of it? How can we stay connected? I work from home regularly, so thought I would share some hints and tips that have helped me to stay sane.
I love working from home - no commute and having my coffee machine nearby are two big wins for me. However, many people find it lonely and feel disengaged. Whether it's on the phone, on a video call or face-to-face, it's important to have a personal connection with someone at least once a day. You might want to talk through the day ahead, download at the end of the day or just get in touch to discuss an idea. This one is definitely top of my list!
Share photos of your new working surroundings, whether that's the kitchen table, the study or the bottom of the garden. Let people visualise where you are so they have that image in their mind when they're talking to you. Show them the cat, the dog, the noisy children; we are human after all.
Wouldn't it be great to start the day feeling energised after seeing your colleagues? Whilst you're not physically with them, you can have a virtual connection. This is your chance to share news, make sure everyone is ok and talk about the key things you need to deliver that day. Have some fun with it and think of it as your virtual water cooler. Just like you would if you were in the office. Because you are still in the office... it just looks a bit different.
From the outset, it's good to establish some do?s and don'ts for your team when working from home. What's going to work best to keep you all motivated? Is it ok to work your hours as and when you need to, or do you all need to be online at the same time of day to troubleshoot an issue? Does every call and meeting need an agenda? If you're on a call, should everyone be on video so you can see each other? I don't love seeing myself on video, but I know it's a whole lot more personal than a faceless voice booming out of the laptop! It's worth taking some time as a team to agree what feels right for you.
This is an important one? give yourself a break! Just as you'd aim to take time away from your desk when in the office, it's ok not to be available 24/7 when working from home. It can be exhausting to be on back-to-back conference calls all day. Block out some time to take a walk, go for a run, grab some lunch. See it as giving yourself some space to think and reset before you hit the next challenge. For me, it's as simple as a quick walk around the block to get some fresh air and recalibrate my mind. And be kind to your colleagues by regularly nudging them to do the same. If you see someone online at all hours of the day and night, just remind them that they wouldn't (hopefully) have been doing that in the office, so why should homeworking be any different?
There's no denying that these are unsettling times and no-one knows how long we'll be in this situation for. But we can help each other to find the positives. This could be a real opportunity to show our organisations that remote and flexible working is great for bringing some balance to how we work. And for getting the best out of people by giving them a greater choice about where they work. So, let's make work a better place to be and stay connected with each other. Now to test how all this works with the children at home at the same time too!
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