eBusiness Weekly
Robert Gonye
With the recent changes in our working routine, most individuals have had to transition overnight from working in the office to working from home. While the process can be daunting, it still has to be managed well and mindsets put to ease as teams deal differently with the switch from working in the office to working remotely. A few tips on how to manage the transition are the subject of our discussion today.
- Gather all of the materials you need to complete your work
When you begin to transition to remote work, your work setup will change. For instance, you might not have a large computer monitor. You may or may not have a desk, and it might not rise like your desk at the office.
To make the transition smoother, think about the hardware and software you absolutely will need to complete your job duties. Check with your organisation to see if they have support for the necessary hardware.
If you’re used to using an external mouse, maybe you can learn shortcuts using the trackpad on your laptop.
Part of the transition is finding solutions that apply to your current situation. Remember, you can always use your colleagues as a resource — ask them about anything they may have discovered during their transition that you could leverage for inspiration.
- Reconsider the meetings on your calendar
Before going remote, there were “unofficial” meetings people would have with co-workers periodically. Small, random meetings like these were the perfect way to catch up with associates from other departments.
Going remote, there’s less of a chance to bump into your office friends. Think about adding these coffee chats to your calendar once every couple of weeks. That way, you can still catch up over morning tea.
Additionally, maybe the in-person stand-up meetings you have with your team every morning won’t be as necessary as the nature of your job changes. Consider the routine meetings you’ll have on your schedule and if you can rework or reduce them.
- Let your team know about changes to your schedule
Remote schedules can be unpredictable. Sometimes, you’ll have workdays that go exactly according to plan. But other times, life intervenes, and you might have to modify your schedule due to other things that are shifting in your life.
If this happens, communicate with your team about how your schedule may change. Maybe you have to be away from your desk for a while to care for your family.
You may find that some situations will have to adapt to the way you work. Making the line of communication clear between you and your team would clear up misunderstandings down the line.
- Set boundaries between your personal and professional life
Something I’ve found with remote work is that it’s so easy to work outside of your normal hours. We tend to get in a particular zone when working and this leads to losing track of time. Some days, you will look up and it’s 6:30pm — way past how long you aim to be online.
To combat this, you need to set boundaries that make sense for yourself in a remote setting. Where possible set alarms that let you know when to sign off.
Make sure the last hour of your day is devoted to tasks that don’t have to get done until later.
So, if you get in your flow, when that alarm goes off at 5:30 you can feel comfortable dropping everything and signing off for the day.
- Know that the full transition will take trial and error
Sometimes we have good days and sometimes we have great weeks. However, nearly every transition comes with its hardships. It’s not uncommon to have rocky days or weeks in tandem with the good. When this happens, remember to give yourself a mental break.
If you’re used to doing things a certain way for years, completely changing from where you do that thing is going to take trial and error. You might have to change elements of your workday that you’d never thought would be an issue.
When that’s the case, take and accept these changes. Bad days happen, but what’s important is acknowledging it and taking care of yourself so you can show up the next day. Additionally, this is another time to lean on your colleagues for advice.
One thing my colleague told me when I first transitioned into fully remote work was that “You can’t expect yourself to work at 100 percent when your entire environment is different.”
Know that productivity might be hard to find at first, but as you become more comfortable, so will getting back into a groove.
- Acknowledge cabin fever, and brainstorm solutions.
Stretching, exercising, or moving at all is necessary for your health and productivity.
As you’re making this change, brainstorm ways you might get stir crazy and proactively brainstorm solutions. This will help you identify the stir craziness when it arises and take the necessary steps to remedy the feeling.
As for your teams, they need to learn through the motions.
Hourly stretch breaks, quick walks, and cooking are all methods we can leverage to get up, move, take our eyes away from a screen, and replenish ourselves before returning to the desk.
The transition to remote work has a focus on productivity, but it also involves adapting to a huge change. Set yourself up for success in every way you can.
That way, when curve balls arise, you can handle them.
Knowing you’re as prepared as you can be is one of the biggest assets you have when you’re transitioning to remote work. Also know that you have people and resources in your corner. So, even if you may be working alone, you’re never truly by yourself.
◆ Robert Gonye is a business growth expert and influencer. He writes in his capacity. Comments and views: [email protected]
