Adapting To Remote Work
The idea of the conventional office is changing and companies are starting to adapt to remote work. This has been largely due to Covid-19, but the change has slowly been driven behind the scenes for a while by individuals wanting a better work/life balance.
Thankfully, technology has made major advancements that allow for more effective remote work, and collaboration is easy with cloud systems. The question everyone's asking is, “Is remote work going to be the norm?” The answer is yes.
While companies are taking big strides towards this change, it's the younger generations that will dictate the future of remote work, post Covid-19. The Millennials and Generation Z have already been pushing the change of work/life balance and are proud to be called, “Digital Nomads.”
Embrace The New Normal
Firstly, we need to shift our thinking from the conventional office to the virtual smart office. Companies are re-looking at the way they run their business, finding new ways of working and incorporating new technologies to make this transition smooth.
Both companies and employees are having to plan ahead, allowing more flexibility and becoming more organised. We have embraced technology and we are seeing the benefit of IoT (Internet of Things), as people are arranging meetings, working on collaborative sites, working in the Cloud and completing tasks. Not all companies have come to a grinding halt. Some are adapting to remote work nicely.
With cloud access, high speed fibre, connected devices and tracking software, people can work from anywhere, on any device, doing exactly what they would be doing in the office. So ... Do we even need an office? However you look at it, it seems technology is turning the conventional office into the virtual office, whether we like it or not.
Create Schedules
Set clear guidelines of when you’ll be working, what you’ll be doing and when it needs to be done. Planning your day in advance will add more structure and help you focus. Some days you may need an earlier start than others, as you may need to accommodate a different time zone.
Create a to-do-list and get started on it early in the morning.You can also use an app that will let you track the progress of each task. Try and keep to the same schedule that you normally would if you were going to the office. This will help with your productivity and focus.
Create a Playlist
This may sound very odd, but by creating a playlist you can match the music to the task at hand. We understand that there may be some bottom-wiggling as you work, but it will help you concentrate and increase your productivity.
Find the music that motivates and helps you focus with particular tasks. Just be careful not to accidentally include some of the lyrics to Katy Perry’s Roar in your afternoon report to your manager.
Interact With Other Humans
Technology now allows us to collaborate in real time. If you’re working on a project with a colleague, try remotely sharing your screen with them. This will allow you both to work together at the same time as if you were in the office, bouncing ideas off of each other.
It will also allow both of you to know who has done what, what still needs to be done and then discuss the way forward. This will also help with adapting to remote work as you won’t be feeling isolated and alone.
Choose a Definitive Finish Time
Time is a funny thing that can often play tricks on you, like when you walk into a casino and plan to stay for one hour and seven hours later you’re walking out. Working from home can be just like that. When you’re in the comfort of your own home, feeling a bit more relaxed, it’s easy to get lost in the work you're doing. Seven hours later, it’s not just the cat meowing at you because it’s hungry.
Decide what time your work day ends and then schedule an alarm to remind you that you need to “go home”. We don’t mean that you must shut down your PC immediately - you can take a few minutes to finish what you need to or plan your tomorrow. This will help you ease into the end of your day.