Many people
are working remotely these days. Whether they are working 100% remotely or
doing more of a hybrid, remote work is part of the new “norm” when it comes to
the workplace. Depending on who you talk to there are pros and cons to this
type of work. There are often challenges that come with this work as well. Some
of those challenges include the multitude of distractions that come along with remote
workspace especially if you're working from home. This includes family, pets, and home life as
you know it.
Many work
from home but may not effectively and efficiently set boundaries regarding the responsibilities
and roles of work and home life. Sometimes
that can impede or conflict with your role at work. When are you at home vs at
work? Sometimes staying on task can be an issue because of the lack of structure
of a traditional work environment. Especially if your family needs access to you
and think because you’re at home you’re not working. Sometimes this misconception of working from
home means to others that you're not working.
Oftentimes people are trying to balance being home, tending to family
needs, and being at work ineffectively. Although those are some challenges
there are also opportunities with remote work such as the freedom to work
independently, being creative and innovative, no travel, and no office politics
are just a few.
What if
there were some tips to turn those challenges into opportunities for your
remote work success? How can you
increase your enjoyment? How can you enhance your performance? How can someone make
the most out of their workspace? We will discuss both the challenges and the opportunities
that someone may encounter in their remote work.
Here are 4 tips to increase your enjoyment and enhance your
performance with remote work.
Those 4 tips are: 1) invest in your environment physically and mentally by
setting boundaries, 2) increase your knowledge and skill set, 3) use and tap
into your creativity and innovation in how you work, and 4) connect and join a professional
community for support.
Invest in Your Environment Physically
and Mentally
By Setting Boundaries
First, let’s
discuss the challenges that someone may encounter in a remote space or doing
remote work in the physical and mental space. If your workspace and your home space
are in the same space, there could be potential problems that you might face
such as being organized and effectively using the space. How do you differentiate between the two? It
is critical to your remote work success that you set boundaries in your
physical workspace but also mentally in your workspace. What are your
opportunities to do this?
Physically you
must create a clear space and location that's conducive to your work, allows
you to work without interruption, has access to what you need to do the work,
and it's comfortable while you work. Many times, folks will go to work remotely
without creating a workspace for themselves.
This can be done by identifying a
room or space, setting markers to outline the space, removing non-work
materials and items, and moving to the space can help to set boundaries and prepare
the space mentally.
Mentally
setting boundaries may look like having a schedule of the times when you work,
dressing for work, taking breaks, creating self-care routines, journaling, and relaxation
strategies. This increases enjoyment because
it helps workers to have ownership of space physically and mentally. This enhances
performance because it provides a work environment conducive to getting
positive results.
Increase Knowledge: Your Competence Builds
Your Confidence
Another
challenge maybe not being able to complete tasks because of the lack of knowledge
of how to do it. You can’t just go to
the office or cubicle next to you or down the hall to get assistance. This is a
great opportunity to build your competence and confidence by intentionally
increasing your knowledge and information regarding your job concerning remote
work. For example, if you’re
facilitating virtual meetings, learn the different features of the platform
that you are using to increase your effectiveness.
Learning, unlearning, and relearning
information and how to communicate becomes an important element in remote work. A key competency is being able to work
independently. Remote work is not micromanaged
and because it’s not remote work employees need to increase their knowledge and
skill set on managing their time, and projects, increase critical thinking, and
get results. How you use your skills to tap
into your creativity and innovation is a must in this space. This increases
enjoyment because when workers have competence it builds confidence and fulfillment
due to their abilities. This enhances performance by how information is
gathered, used, communicated, and applied with competencies and skills to do it
effectively.
Use and Tap Into: Your Creativity and
Innovation
The next
challenge we will discuss is doing traditional work in a non-traditional work
setting. Remote work requires creativity
and innovation. From creating physical
and mental boundaries to new ways of using knowledge to get the job done. How do you keep your work from getting boring
or monotonous? The opportunities and
possibilities are endless to find new ways to do your job. It might be the tools you are using such as
multiple screens, lighting, headsets, comfortable chairs, adjustable desks, and
microphones.
The
creativity and innovation may be in the way that you perform your work. This is also a time of self-discovery about
you, your work preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. Based on your observations and findings
recognize what tools and resources you need to be successful. Setting timers or reminders to get certain tasks
done and manage time. Using innovation
to provide and deliver products, programs, and services. Such as creating digital products, online
courses, facilitating virtual groups/meetings, or joining a professional
community. This increases enjoyment because of the self-discovery and unlocking
of their potential. This enhances performance
by tapping into new ways, methods, and opportunities to work and accomplish tasks.
Connect and Join A Professional Community
The last
challenge we will discuss is working independently but not alone. Some organizations don’t provide adequate
support to their remote workers. In that
case, the opportunity for those working remotely can be to join a professional
community. Either by purchasing a
subscription or finding others in your industry who meet weekly or monthly to
build connections and networking.
Providing opportunities for consistent engagement and connection is
critical to providing support and belonging.
The
challenge can also be in finding the right group or community. The opportunity is expanding your network,
investing in opportunities for professional development, and embracing new ways
of connecting with others. This can be
based on your industry or interests. Also,
organizations can develop programs or contract services that provide coaching, mentorship,
or professional communities for remote workers.
There is also training that focuses specifically on creating unique,
effective, and engaging online, virtual, and remote education, development, and
training for workforce development solutions. This increases enjoyment through
having social support and connections. This
enhances performance because the group serves as a mastermind to build each
other and discover the best practices and strategies to work.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, some tips can increase enjoyment and enhance performance with
remote work. 4 tips to increase your
enjoyment and enhance your performance with remote work. These 4 tips are: 1)
invest in your environment physically and mentally by setting boundaries, 2)
increase your knowledge and skill set, 3) use and tap into your creativity and
innovation in how you work, and 4) connect and join a professional community
for support can increase enjoyment and enhance performance with remote work. They help address the challenges while providing
strategies to see the opportunities that remote work can be enhanced
intentionally and strategically.
Individual workers and organizations may want to incorporate these tips
in their remote work for success.
For
additional information, products, programs, or services to assist with this
process contact me at GlobalSolutionsETA@gmail.com.
