Benefits of working remotely

Posted on June 10, 2024 by Martin Hahn, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

Working remotely has many benefits. There are no long commutes, fewer distractions, more flexibility in my day. But for those not practiced or disciplined in working from home, it can be surprisingly challenging.

I am very disciplined and have strong time management skills. I get a lot done when I’m working remotely. Without people coming into my office, catching a colleague in the hall for a “quick” question, or jumping into a discussion on the latest binge-watching show, I get more done remotely than when I’m in the office. And I’m far happier doing significantly more.

For those who are easily distracted and/or need a more structured environment, productivity may be a challenge when working remotely. It is very easy to get sidetracked working from home. For some reason, working at home is a time warp. I can get sucked into chores around the house I think will only take a minute and suddenly it is late afternoon.

I’ve spoken to friends and colleagues about how they approach working remotely. Some stay in their pajamas. Others start early and take long breaks in the middle of the day. My style is to approach the day as I would if I were going to the office.

Here is how I am productive working remotely:

Get Dressed

I get dressed. I do shower and get dressed in “real” clothes (no yoga pants, pajamas, or sweats for me). My philosophy is, if I feel professional, I am more likely to be professional.

Have an “Office”

I have a dedicated workspace or a home office, I always do my work
in. I have my desk, a computer screen, and good lighting. Everything I
need to feel and be productive. I am not a person who performs well with
my laptop on the couch. I will even say, “I’m going to work now,” and head
into my office to get me and everyone in my home in the mindset that I’m at work. If you don’t have a spare room to become an office, make an office in the space you do have. Set up a dedicated area that is “your space” and, if
possible, not to be shared with others in the house. Don’t have a desk? I
know colleagues who have used wine racks, card tables and kitchen tables as their office.

Schedule Breaks

I can be easily distracted by unloading the dishwasher, followed by cleaning the kitchen, which leads to snacking, more cleaning, checking social media, and before I know it, a big chunk of time has gone by when I wasn’t working. To avoid these distractions, I schedule my chores and other breaks into my day as I would if I were going to the office. I like to do laundry and at the end of the day and into the evening.

Block My Calendar

When I have calls or appointments during the day, I block the time off on my calendar. Depending upon the situation, I may also notify my supervisor or client I will be unavailable and when. I find by being upfront about your schedule and sharing when you are/are not available, people will learn to trust that you are working and being productive. I never want to make anyone wonder if I am truly working or question how productive I am in a remote situation.

Be Flexible

Ideally, I have set office hours, even when I’m working from home. However, I also understand that I may be expected to be accessible earlier and later than my standard workday. I know my clients or colleagues may direct message me at non-standard hours and, if it’s important, expect a response. I may be expected to join conference calls and answer emails early in the morning or into the evening if that’s when others are available. It doesn’t mean I am tied to my desk for 12 hours a day, but it does mean I may stretch my work hours over a larger portion of the day.

Convey Professionalism

Just because I’m at home doesn’t mean I have a pass on being professional. I ensure I appear presentable, even if I’m in jeans and a casual shirt. As a frequent user of video calls, I check to see that my office space around me is neat and tidy. I look at how my home office looks behind me. If the closet door is open, I close it. I don’t want anyone seeing a messy office, inappropriate picture, or the wrong or non-work-related document on my computer screen. It’s important for me to convey I’m a professional, even if I am working from home.

Prepare for Calls

When I have a phone or video call, I prepare for it ahead of time. I set up and test the camera angle as well as the audio and microphone settings. There is nothing worse than starting a call waiting for someone to get their technology working. If you have children at home, let them know you’ll be on a call, for approximately how long, and give them a task or project to work on during it. Always let everyone in the house know when you are off the call.

Stay off Social Media

I know this one is easier said than done, but resist going down the rabbit
hole of social media while you are working from home. Employers are
generally allowed to monitor your activity on a workplace computer. It’s best to assume your employer is and keep your social media, and any job
searching activities, not on your work computer and outside of normal working hours. Working from home has many benefits for both the employer and employee.