Remote Work Success: Strategies for Professional Development in a Virtual Environment

According to Global Workplace Analytics, 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝟔𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 report a decrease in employee productivity during remote work.

And it's not surprising, as I faced the same issue during the COVID times. Teams had to transition to remote work, which felt unusual and challenging:

– The allure of social media, news, and entertainment often tempt us to procrastinate.

– It was difficult to separate work and personal time, as the home environment doesn't always encourage concentration.

– Lack of in-person interaction with colleagues affected team spirit.

– Unstable internet connections, uncomfortable equipment, and various distractions hindered high productivity.

Yet, over time, I developed a few rules that helped make remote work productive:

✔ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬. Working from home can lead to distractions from social media, news, and entertainment. It's important to establish a specific work schedule and avoid unnecessary internet browsing during work hours. Planning helps me – outlining my day hour by hour and sticking to it.

✔ 𝐁𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. Remote work allows for schedule flexibility, but it's crucial to stop on time. In planning my day, I also include breaks to remember to take pauses and rest.

✔ 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. We are social beings and need interaction. Joint activities, even in an online format, help strengthen the team and create a pleasant atmosphere. Organise regular meetings, one-to-ones, and chats.

✔ 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞. It's important to have a comfortable and organised workspace. This helps to focus on work and avoid distractions. Pulling the laptop into the bed is not conducive to high productivity.

Remote work is not a new way to work; it's a strategy that requires understanding and mastery. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡.