Remote Work - how to start?
As ClawRock, we have been a fully remote eCommerce agency since 2018, and I have personally been working remotely for over 10 years. I have been working remotely not only from home but also from many countries and I think my remote office is now optimal so I want to share my tips. These suggestions have evolved and changed over the years, and I have made many mistakes along the way. I don't want you to go through all the obstacles and problems I had. I want to present you a short list of necessary things for comfortable remote work.
I want to keep this article short, so I'll just focus on the most important aspects of remote work, such as:
- Work environment - Where to work and how to prepare your desk
- Daily work - morning routine, breaks and work-life balance, the ritual of changing clothes
- Distraction - how to do your job effectively
This is my first but not last article. I will share many more tips in future articles, but you don't have to implement everything. I wanted to start with the most important things that I recommend you put into practice.
Work environment
First of all, you need to be more organized than in office work, but not as much as you imagine. The differences are not drastic. You should start by separating your work environment from other places in your home as much as possible. Ideally, it would be a separate room where you can isolate yourself and focus on work, but I know that, especially in cities, having an extra room just for an office is not common. In such a situation, I recommend preparing part of the room for work. It is best to choose a room and place as far away from the most crowded part of the house as possible. This space should be dedicated to your work only. It will help you mind to switch on and off in working mode.
When you've assigned yourself a workspace and are still having trouble concentrating, I strongly recommend investing in good quality noise canceling headphones. Combined with focus or calm music, it will raise your productivity to the highest level. Additionally, you can add the pomodoro technique if you want to further improve the quality of your work.
If you are sitting (or standing) at your desk with headphones on, this is a signal to your household that you are focused on your work and do not want to be disturbed. This will help you avoid many minor distractions, such as talking to someone from another room, which can significantly slow down your work.
Daily work
I find it very helpful in maintaining a relationship with work to have some kind of morning routine that is not strictly related to work. It can be anything from a shower (try a cold one), short exercises (max 10-15 min), meditation and so on. You don't have to commute to work, so you can spend this time doing something for yourself.
It's very important to avoid starting your day by checking your phone or going straight to your desk and starting work in your pajamas at all costs. The process of dressing for work is very important for our brain. It will help you get into working mode..
The end of the working day is also important. Many people spend more time at work in the beginning because there is no such thing as leaving the office and coming home. You have to simulate this by leaving work in one place at home. This shows how important the first step described above is.
Distractions - how to overcome them?
On some days, even a workplace at the end of the house and noise-canceling headphones can't help avoid distractions. I know it can be frustrating and on such days I tend to completely change my surroundings and work, e.g. in a
- coffee shop,
- library,
- remote office.
I know that working away from home often can be expensive, but by working remotely, we can save money on commuting and eating in the office, so you can afford to visit the coffee shop once in a while. If not and you work in the IT industry, please contact us. If you have the relevant experience, we will provide a job that allows you to work outside the home when needed.
Summary
I wanted to keep this article short and show only the most important things to start working remotely without frustration and disappointment. I am sure that the above suggestions, which worked for me, will also be helpful for you. If you have any questions, please contact me via the contact form on this page or find me on LinkedIn.
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