How Remote Workers can be Successful

In 2021.. and beyond…

Being organized has always been an important part of being productive at work, but it becomes even more so when you’re working from home.

One of the biggest changes to the workplace in 2020 was the widespread adaptation of remote work, which shows no signs of stopping in the new year.

Many organizations were forced to immediately switch to remote work in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and many companies plan to continue remote work indefinitely as the virus continues to spread.

Of course, this arrangement is challenging for many employees, especially for parents or those who live with others. That being said, there are steps workers can take to remain productive in the wake of the current state of the workforce, even while remote.

Organize Yourself

Being organized has always been an important part of being productive at work, but it becomes even more so when you’re working from home.

For example, keeping a clean and tidy workspace allows you to find important documents easily and prevents you from losing important items, or accidentally throwing them away. This saves time and frustration, allowing you to focus on your work. It’s also proven that an organized workspace increases productivity, reduces stress, and may even increase creativity.

Of course, organization doesn’t stop at your physical workspace. Organizing the virtual workspace (aka your computer) is just as important. For example, using your work computer for only work-related tasks prevents you from being distracted by games, social media, or personal tasks. It’s also important to delete files you no longer have a use for and use folders to organize different files and programs for their purpose.

If this seems overwhelming to you, don’t worry! There are many different programs out there to help organize your inbox and other aspects of your computer. See if your employer is currently using a program like this and, if they are, be sure to take advantage of that resource.

Have a Healthy Workspace

Even more important than an organized workspace is a healthy workspace. When working in an office environment, it’s easy to forget about the long-term effects of safety hazards such as improper ergonomics, poor lighting, and bad keyboarding practices. However, this doesn’t mitigate the risk of injury from not following best practices while you’re working. Afflictions like carpal tunnel syndrome and poor posture can cause years of pain (and medical bills) if not taken care of properly.

This means it’s vital to have the proper equipment at your workspace as you do your job. Working at an office, you likely didn’t need to think about these issues as the equipment is typically provided. When working remotely, however, the responsibility is on you to make sure you have the proper equipment.

Avoiding working from areas like a bed, couch, or on kitchen stools can help you be more organized and maintain better posture. The best-case scenario would be to have a specific dedicated workspace that is equipped with an ergonomic chair, proper desk and keyboard, and natural lighting all found in a space that you can use for work, and work only. Going a step further, you can be healthier by opting for a standing desk or under-desk ellipticals to reduce the risk of blood clots in the legs.

Unfortunately, a home office setup can be quite expensive at first. It’s worth the effort to ask your employer if they offer a stipend to purchase this equipment. If this isn’t an option, there are other ways to afford the needed equipment. You could reach out to family and friends to borrow equipment from them, look into refinancing options to get cash on hand, take out a personal loan, or dip into savings if you’re able to. It’s also possible to buy one item you need at a time, or search Facebook groups and thrift stores for secondhand equipment.

Communicate with Co-Workers and Friends

Most of us know that social interaction is an important part of life. This fact is also true for remote workers, who often spend most of their time in their own living space, away from others. This is even more true during the COVID-19 pandemic, which closed down many coffee shops, co-working spaces, and the ability to meet up with others in-person.

Therefore, you must make the extra effort to communicate with remote work colleagues and personal contacts alike. Thankfully, there are tools available to help you.

For example, you can take advantage of instant messaging services to communicate with co-workers in real-time. This is great for asking quick questions, as well as recreating some of the office banter that can give way to new, creative ideas. For longer group collaborations and more formal meetings, video conferencing allows you to put a face to a name, while also providing the ability to enable things like closed captioning and screen sharing.

However, this technology doesn’t mean anything if you’re not using it. If you don’t understand something or start to fall behind, make sure to contact your manager or other team members ASAP. Unfortunately, working from home makes it easy to become overwhelmed and fall behind. These services can also be used to communicate with friends and family. Once work is done, it’s still important to reach out to those in your network and (safely) communicate. Sometimes a simple call, video message, or even a hand-written note can make all the difference in someone’s day.

Self-Care is Important

If you want to do your best at work (and in life), you need to take care of yourself. This includes your physical, mental, and emotional health.

It’s important to make sure you’re eating the proper amount of food, including fruits, veggies, and lean protein, unless your doctor says otherwise. It’s also important to aim for eight hours of sleep each night, and to have a consistent bedtime if possible. You also want to exercise at least 150 minutes a week. Socially distant ways to get physical activity include walking, running, skiing, tennis, at-home workouts, and bicycling.

For mental health, exercise is another healthy way to increase serotonin and dopamine levels in the body. It’s also a good idea to practice mindfulness, or how to be present and engaged in the moment. Many people also report success by practicing meditation, yoga, or gratuity. Socialization can also help boost your mood and mental state.

Of course, if you’re having health problems that aren’t going away, it’s important to contact your doctor. Even throughout the pandemic, doctors are allowing patients to make appointments, plus telehealth is available if you don’t want to physically go into the office. It’s important to note that many mental health workers are utilizing telehealth services as well.

While 2020 was an unpredictable year, 2021 is likely to follow that trajectory. However, one of the things we can be sure of is that remote work is likely to be an important part of the workspace for a long time. Being able to excel in this working arrangement will give your career a boost, no matter what industry you’re in.