How to Elevate Remote Work
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Working remotely has long been identified as a family-friendly benefit that employees value and that organizations can offer to attract top talent. With the pandemic, many of us were forced to work from home, whether we (or our organization) liked it or not. In fact, approximately 69% of U.S. employees worked from home at the peak of the pandemic and 82% report that they would like to work from home at least part of the time when the pandemic is over.
In other words, remote work is here to stay and in this post, I’m going to share 5 ways to elevate your remote work experience. If you stick around until the end, I may even have a few bonus ideas to share!
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1. Make sure you have the necessary tools
First and foremost, make sure that you have the necessary tools to do the job. There is nothing elegant about taking twice as long to do something because you’re using outdated or ineffective tools.
Think about your office space at work; what tools are available to you there? Which ones do you actually use?
Now think about your workspace at home. What tools are missing?
Maybe your laptop is clunky, and you need a newer version. Maybe you’re constantly traveling between your desk at home to a coffee shop and are tired of unplugging/plugging in your computer charger. If that’s you, invest in a second one! Maybe it’s as simple as putting your favorite pens, scissors, post-its, stapler, and tape in a designated drawer so that you’re not running through the house looking for things.
Now, if you’re anything like me, you like to bounce around between working from home and working from your favorite coffee shops. If that’s the case, have a designated bag that you pack with all the office essentials. For example, mine has a notebook, headphones, a wireless mouse, 3 pens (black, red, and purple), 2 pink highlighters, a block of post-it notes, a laptop charger, portable ring light, and a phone charger. In other words, it’s my office in a bag. It doesn’t matter where I go, if I have my bag with me, I know I have the tools to get my work done. Also, I don’t waste precious time packing my bag each day (it all just stays there) and I don’t have to worry about making decisions about what to pack and what not to pack (decision fatigue anyone?). I thought about it once and done!
Before you run off and go on a shopping spree at Office Depot, I highly encourage you to reach out to your supervisor. Chances are that they would be happy to help get you the tools you need. Especially if you tell them that it will help your productivity! The worst thing they can say is no, and then you can decide if it’s worth an investment on your part.
2. Create a beautiful workspace
The cool thing about working from home is that you have complete control over your workspace. You’re not limited to the office furniture or décor. There are no rules against plants or candles. The sky really is the limit. What are your favorite colors? What is your favorite scent? To truly elevate the working from home experience, think about the items (e.g., candles, throw pillows, wall décor, office supplies, coffee mugs, plants) that you love and that bring you joy. Incorporate those things into your workspace at home. By doing so, your workspace will become a place that you enjoy being.
Beyond surrounding yourself with items that you love, decluttering can also make a huge difference. When you get rid of the clutter from your physical space, you open mental space to focus on the work that needs to be done. I know this might sound contradictory, but if you get rid of the excess and then only keep the things that you truly love, things that bring you joy, your workspace will be even more enjoyable to spend time in.
Now, I recognize that you might not have a home office. That’s okay! In fact, for the past two years, I’ve been working on a folding table in my bedroom. Even though that folding table is not a glamourous, Pinterest perfect home office, I’ve made the best of it. I’ve arranged my favorite books on the bookshelf next to me. I add fresh flowers to my nightstand every few weeks. Then, each morning before beginning work I do a quick “pick-up” session where I put away anything that is out of place, and I make my bed (since that is what I stare at each day). Then, I light my favorite candle, put on some relaxing jazz music, and I’m ready to start my day.
My point is, you can take steps to create a beautiful workspace no matter if you’re working in the home office, the bedroom, or at the kitchen table. It just comes down to intentionally surrounding ourselves with beauty.
3. Set “office hours”
We’ve discussed the importance of establishing a routine on this show before, but routines come up again and again because they are so helpful in creating the work-life balance you desire. Routines allow us to know what to expect each day. They keep us on task without us having to waste precious cognitive energy on making decisions about what to do next, which could lead to procrastination or decision fatigue (I discuss decision fatigue and how to overcome it in this post, if you missed if make sure to go back and read it!). Further, setting office hours sets some boundaries around what we work on and when we work on it.
If you read last week’s post, you heard me mention that identifying and taking advantage of your individual peak productivity time is key to making your workday more elegant. I cannot emphasize enough how powerful this can be in terms of your productivity. I can get three times the amount of work done during 8-12pm (my peak productivity time) than I can before or after that. Apply this to your “office hours”; set them during your best time so that you can do your best work with the least amount of effort!
4. Take breaks
There is nothing lazy about taking a break. In fact, research recently conducted by my colleagues found that employees who take breaks can recover resources lost throughout the workday which ultimately impacts their health, well-being, and job attitudes. Further, breaks taken earlier in the day were more effective at resource recovery, and employees experienced the best results when they took short breaks frequently.
The flexibility allowed by working remotely is one of the most exciting and beautiful aspects. Take full advantage of this flexibility by taking breaks. And not just an ordinary bathroom break. Y’all know I not about being ordinary! Infuse each of your breaks with something that you love; something that adds a little bit of beauty or joy to your life. Move your body by taking a walk outside, appreciating the beauty of nature as you go. Turn on your favorite song and have a dance party in the living room. Relax and recharge by taking a mid-afternoon bubble bath or nap.
5. Know yourself
To truly elevate your work-from-home experience, you have to get to know yourself. If you fail to get to know yourself and instead work against yourself and your natural tendencies, then you’re only going to be met with friction; not ease. When I say get to know yourself, I’m specifically thinking about your preferred boundary management style. Work-family research has shown that employees have different preferences and styles for integrating their work and family lives. With many of us working from home now, it’s important to recognize our preferences and play to our strengths.
On the one hand, you have those who prefer segmentation. These individuals prefer to keep their work and non-work lives very separate. If this is you, remote work may be difficult for you because you are being asked to work at the same time and in the same place that your non-work life occurs. This means working in a designated workspace (preferably the beautiful one you created) and setting strict office hours will be extremely beneficial for you.
On the other hand, you have those who prefer integration. These individuals are comfortable moving back and forth between work and nonwork demands; a strict separation is not necessary for them. If this is you, you may like to bounce back and forth between washing the dishes, answering emails, throwing in a load of laundry, and then jumping on a zoom call. Being able to go back and forth between work and nonwork is great, but you still will need to set up some sort of routine. Otherwise, you risk getting off track and spending your time unwisely.
6. BONUS: Dress your best
Even though you’re working from home, dressing the part of an employee can make a huge difference in how you show up each day. Think about how you feel in yoga pants and baggy sweaters vs. that beautiful dress and heels. I’ve even put on perfume and lipstick so that I could sit at my computer. How you dress impacts how you feel and that will ultimately show up in your performance at work.
7. BONUS: Accept that it won’t be perfect
We’ve discussed this previously here, but you are not perfect. And you know what? Neither is your supervisor, organization, spouse, or children. Let go of your unrealistic expectations about what working remotely should look like and instead figure out what it does look like for you.
Is a better work-life balance one of your goals this year?
I’ve created a workbook just for you!
If you’re interested in creating a work-life balance characterized by simplicity, joy, and beauty, why don’t you start by checking out my Elegant Balance Workbook? In it, I help you define what work-life balance looks like for you and share some tips on creating that balance. I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it – Balance doesn’t happen by accident.
What are you waiting for?
Let’s pursue our Elegant Balance together!
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We spend a great deal of time at work. Like Annie Dillard once said, “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” I encourage you to look around your office and see what steps you can take to add simple luxuries to your workday because in the grand scheme of things, they will add up and lead to a luxurious life!