Helpful Hints for New Remote Workers
Remote work is a great way to remain productive and find numerous opportunities you otherwise wouldn’t have with traditional work. Today, the demand for remote work has increased, and plenty of different job types exist for newcomers and experts alike. Consulting, IT, data entry, customer service, and sales are just a handful of examples.
However, remote work presents a set of different challenges too. Depending on the job, remote work requires a great amount of focus, attention to detail, and the ability to work without mediation from upper management. And, it requires extra scrutiny regarding cybersecurity. That doesn’t make the job impossible, it’s just a matter of overcoming challenges and getting organized.
Anyone can do it! But how do you start?
Know your work environment
Every organization has different requirements and expectations for remote workers. In some cases, remote workers are independent contractors who take on different jobs like freelancing consulting or IT support.
Either can lead to career highs. But all jobs vary in what they expect, and that’s why knowing your work environment is so important. Are you expected to deliver documents or files by a specific time? Or handle specific tasks or calls? Do you check in with anyone about said tasks? Those are circumstances that involve different remote jobs, and knowing what to deliver and when is a big part of remote work.
In an office space, staying focused is easier since you’re in a focused work environment. Also, for troubleshooting questions or issues where you need help, other staff members and management are readily available. In remote environments, an issue can take longer to resolve depending on its complexity or severity.
That’s why “knowing” the work environment is important. It helps you set personal expectations for yourself and what steps you should take to ensure you hit delivery times, communicate properly, and know what tasks are ahead of you. It’s foundational to the rest of your strategy of organization.
Get away from those distractions
Some remote work environments are prone to distracting elements which can, over time, cut into your focus. Distracting elements, whatever they may be, are prominent concerns in remote environments because it’s easier to access those distractions.
The dreaded smartphone is an arsenal of attention-grabbing quick fixes that can quickly turn a productive day into a lost one. For remote workers operating contract jobs, it’s important to keep these distractions at bay. Smartphones, tablets, or televisions should be out of eyesight. Working in a quiet, focused area is important for productivity. The longer you stay mentally involved with a job, the easier it is to “hang on.”
Living with family, friends, and/or roommates? Ensure they know what you do and specify times you’ll be busy or occupied, if applicable. Like any job, you have a right to an environment that allows you to do your work without distraction!
Having said that, if you can set aside an environment for a workspace, it’s highly recommended you do. The ideal workspace should be quiet, isolated from noisy distractions, and comfortable. A work desk should have ample space for your equipment with an equally supportive office chair.
If you’re still struggling with distractions, there are even apps and software that can lock out specific programs or at least discourage you from using them while on the job.
What if I can’t set up a home office?
Having an extra space is a luxury these days. If you don’t have a room for a home office, that’s okay. Some use portions of their rooms for remote work, and that can work fine too. If noise is an issue, you can try to install soundproofing foam, door covers, and window covers (especially if you do call-related work). Otherwise, noise-cancelling earphones are great for cutting out distracting sounds.
Set up your schedule
Hybrid and remote work operations will typically keep the same schedule for their staff. So, if your job has shifted from an office to a home, it’s likely you will retain the same hours.
But in other remote work jobs, your schedule might be bombastic, flexible, and unpredictable. In some cases, a client or business may not hand over a schedule at all, instead wanting the deliverable within an expected timeframe.
That can make things tricky, especially for newcomers to remote work. Veterans will have established disciplines and experience. They’ll know how long it takes to complete certain jobs and when they need to set aside time for it.
But without that experience, it’s hard to gauge how long a typical assignment can take. So, you need to set a healthy work schedule so you can manage all your tasks and jobs. What that entails entirely depends on the time you can set aside for work. Usually, it’s a good idea to give yourself at least eight hours to work on your tasks, even if it doesn’t take you that long for a single assignment or job. It grants you ample time to focus on the job while also gauging the hours needed to concentrate on your tasks.
Other things to remember
You’ve got some essential tips to start your remote working journey! But before you go, we’ve got a few other handy hints to remember:
- Take breaks like you would with any job, and remember to stretch and drink water – especially if you focus on screens for extended periods
- Unless provided, consider adopting a time tracker tool; this is good for documentation, tax purposes, and billing
- Always ask questions if you’re not sure about something with support members in your organization
Adapting to remote work is easy once you get past the initial learning curve. For some, it’s an ideal situation, letting them perform tasks on their own time and schedule.
Whatever you decide, we hope our quick hints get you started on the right path. For other information involving third-party services, IT, or tech assistance, contact Bytagig today.
