You Can Work Remotely In A Professional Setting - Here's How

Remote work offers different professionals to work outside of their regular office environments. It eliminates the need to commute to an office every day. Remote workers can effectively complete their tasks and deliver their work at home, at a coffee shop, a coworking space, or anywhere that permits them to properly maximize their efforts. Remote work has grown increasingly popular, especially in the tech industry. This is because of its cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and inherent potential to draw from different talent pools worldwide. Furthermore, the pandemic ensued a lockdown, which made the need for remote work more desirable. Now more companies are adopting full remote work or hybrid versions (alternate between working remotely and from a physical office). Despite the numerous benefits of remote work, some setbacks still affect many employers and employees compared to physical office work. These setbacks ultimately affect team productivity and the overall success of the firm. This article aims to highlight some of these problems and how to maintain a professional working culture when choosing to work from your home, a coffee shop, or a coworking space.

How To Work Remotely In A Professional Setting

With the right attitude, plan, and support, it is possible to attain better effectiveness when working remotely. Compared to working from a physical office, remote work saves time and energy commuting to and from work daily. It puts employees in their desired working conditions, which creates a safe space for creativity and expression. It also allows employers to save the cost of running an office. The money saved can be used to improve employee welfare or finance other projects like marketing and sales, which will increase revenue. But how do you as an employer enforce effectiveness seeing as it’s difficult to monitor all your staff remotely? How do you as an employee guarantee focus and effectiveness while working from a place of ‘comfort’?

Set Priorities and Stick to a Regular Schedule

Anyone who fails to plan; plans to fail. It’s all about having a plan and sticking to it. Plan for the hour, for the day, week, and months. Identify the priority tasks and assign them specific working hours and deadlines. Priority tasks include tasks that need to be done to enable teammates to do their work effectively, time-sensitive tasks, and tasks that will require several hours to complete. You have to properly create a realistic schedule that promotes focus and productivity. You also need to religiously stick to your schedule. Set definite working hours and dedicate yourself to those specific hours as though you were working in a physical office. All these, if done appropriately, can habituate productivity. 

Utilize Apps for Team Messaging

The success of remote work is heavily dependent on the effectiveness of communication between team members. Just like we communicate in person, virtual communication is a necessity. There are a host of apps that make this possible. Whether video calling apps or instant messengers, ​​​​every team needs a means to seamlessly transmit information. In conjunction with communication apps, you need project management and file-sharing apps. This promotes collaboration among teammates and ensures work moves on without unnecessary delays or interruptions. 

Create A Dedicated Workspace

Having a dedicated workspace is essential to inspire productivity and focus. These are key to successfully working remotely. A good workspace should be a carefully selected area of your home free from random access and distractions. All work should be done in this chosen space. Do not bounce around different spots in the house. Do not work in front of the TV today, then at the kitchen table tomorrow. Doing this confuses the mind’s programming. It can decrease productivity because the mind can’t focus on the constant changes. If finding a convenient workspace at home is difficult, consider looking at spaces in coworking hubs. Coworking spaces are shared office spaces. They are rented out to employees from different firms who need a working environment outside their homes. Employees get to share equipment they do not ordinarily have at home but need. Many firms cater to the cost of renting these spaces. Others also opt for coworking spaces when several employees live within the same locality. Coworking spaces are an excellent alternative to a physical office, and they contain everything a physical office would have and more equipment and space than a home office. They also guarantee less distraction, especially from family. 

If you're thinking about coworking in Chicago, you'll be­ pleased to know that the city offe­rs a wide variety of options to mee­t your specific needs. With its thriving busine­ss scene, Chicago's coworking spaces re­flect the diverse­ needs of its professionals. Whe­ther you prefer the­ energetic atmosphe­re of the Loop area, with its close­ proximity to major corporations and financial institutions, or the creative and innovative­ vibes found in neighborhoods like Rive­r North and West Loop, you'll find plenty of choices available­.

Track Productivity

Different people have peak performance times of the day and week. Always monitor and track your performance to determine what periods present you with the best opportunities to work effectively. Some work best in the mornings, while others prefer afternoons into evenings. Unless they are priority tasks, consider moving your most complex projects to the periods when you are most active and focused. Doing this will ensure that you give your best to the tasks that matter most. Employers should also track employees’ productivity; this will help know when and whom to assign specific tasks. Another thing to consider when tracking productivity is when external distractions occur, especially when you work from home. You may discover that you are less productive when the kids return from school in the afternoons. Be sure to assign tasks when you have the home to yourself when your focus is optimal. 

Know When to Log Off

Working from home can blur the lines between professional and personal life, especially when you work from home. It can be tempting to work way past your scheduled hours. It can also be tempting to sleep longer in bed because you believe you get to start work any time. All these could have negative effects on both your professional and personal schedule. Like the first point, always stick to your scheduled time and deliberately create time for personal activities. Unless when necessary, do not give in to the temptation of working way past your scheduled time. Know when to step away from the computer to prevent exhaustion, loss of motivation, and eventual burnouts.

As more firms and industries adopt the idea of remote work, the need to understand how to effectively transition is necessary. It may take some time to get used to the difference in work dynamics, but with dedication and a proper personalized working strategy, you will discover that remote work may even boost the efficiency and productivity of your team.