The hidden challenges of working from home
Working from home sounds great. The time you get back not commuting. No more constant interruptions from co-workers. Extra time to spend with your family and friends. Flexibility. But don’t be fooled, you’re about to face a whole new set of challenges. Here are the most common challenges remote employees face and some solutions to tackle them.
Isolation
Slack and Teams is great, but virtual connections are not the same as human to human interaction. You don’t get the buzz from interacting with others and hearing them in the office. It’s important to schedule some time to leave your home office and leave your house. Go for a walk, go to the gym, meet a colleague for lunch. Getting out will prevent you from brain drain as well and give you time to think. You can even go work in a coffee shop for a couple of hours each week.
Managing Up
In a traditional office space, you get credit for just showing up. But remote, your boss doesn’t see you. That makes it important to manage up differently. Check in with your supervisor when you start work, even if it’s a simple text letting them know you’re starting your day and ask if there is anything out of the ordinary they need you to accomplish. Remote work is all about results. You have to produce something, you have to have something to show for your work.
Constant Work
It’s challenging for many people to stop working when your office is your home. It’s right there, just let me check my computer real quick. It’s tempting for the strongest willed. Set rules for yourself. Allow yourself to work from this hour to that hour, then turn off your computer, put your phone on silent, and step away. Your devices have an on/off button for a reason. If you have the luxury of a designated office room within your house, shut the door when you leave the office and don’t go back until the next morning. It’s easy to think “just one more email” or “while the kids are playing, I’ll work on this.” Schedule time for your family and other activities and make sure you don’t get sucked into the constant work cyclone. It will only burn you.
Motivation
There are a lot of distractions at home that you probably weren’t aware of before. Household tasks, children, pets, and more. You may also lack the energy you get from being in a traditional office with colleagues. People are contagious and so is their energy. Have a designated space that you can work. Ideally a separate room that is used as your home office. If you don’t have a designated room, then buy a desk and set it up somewhere. Don’t try to work in bed, on the couch, or even from the dining room table. Over time, these types of work arrangements can also lead to back pain and other health problems.
Distractions
You may think that working remotely will lead to more productivity because of the lack of office teammates interrupting you repeatedly throughout the day. But you may just be trading one set of distractions for another. Family members can just as easily distract you, if not more than coworkers. This makes it even more important to have a designated office space. It may be hard for family members, especially children to understand that just because you’re home doesn’t mean you’re not working. Have an open and honest conversation about your family and friends respecting your work day and make sure everyone buys in. If you are constantly having to start and stop, it will be hard to get into a flow and kill your productivity.
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