Iman Shahbaz

How to Ensure Productivity While Working Remotely ​Work from home​. Isn’t it perfect that you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home and still be able to work? Catching up with all of your family events? Imagine that your kid took his first step or just started to crawl and you are being slammed at your office or helping Chandler to deliver his project on time. Working remotely is not just a trend; it will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Even before the global pandemic, millions of people had been doing remote jobs. Source I​ n a ​survey​, 99 percent of people said that they would like to work remotely at some point in their careers.​ Home-based jobs are increasingly becoming prevalent and it is assumed that they’ll be continued​ even after the segregation period ends. In this article, we will cover up everything you need to know about remote working, including its ups and downs. You will find ways to overcome the lethargy it can create, resulting in reduced efficiency and productivity. We will sum up: ●​ ●​ ●​ The pros of remote work ​The cons of remote work ​How to overcome the problems faced ​ Good things first! Let’s briefly flick through the bright side of teleworking. Perks of working remotely ●​ Work-life balance: ​ Maintaining an invigorating work-life balance was never that easier. Even a decade ago, remote work was out of the question. Owing to technological advancements, it has got prevalence over the past few years. Currently, Covid-19 has made it compulsory. ●​ You get the freedom you want: ​ There is no such thing as workplace anxiety in remote working. You are accountable for your work but you no longer need to forbear the tirade of your manager. Remote workers are happier than the office going employees. It’s because they don’t have to face the mood swings of the boss (I surmise). ●​ No commute: ​ You don’t have to force yourself for the monotonous commute – The journey even a wanderlust person loathes. The average time taken by one way ​commute​ in the U.S is 26.1 minutes. Means more than an hour wasted doing a thing you dislike. Likewise, it may cost you hundreds of bucks monthly. Source But all that glitters is not gold! ‘Remote working’ or ‘working from home’ does have its pitfalls. Being a digital nomad is not as glamorous as it seems. In reality, remote workers face a lot of problems, even more than in-house employees. Coping up with your virtual team can be tough when you are at home. Here is a run-down of some little known ​snags​ of telecommuting jobs. The downside of remote working ●​ Setting up routine is very difficult ​ It may seem effortless, but remote working does bring many ​challenges​ with it. Setting up routine is at the top of the list. You can become a little relaxed or even lethargic. This will ruin your routine. It’s even worse when you are not an early bird, you could have spent the entire day sleeping and find it difficult to focus on your work in the evening. ●​ Ignore those distractions ​ Compare your office’s and home’s environment. Are they even a little similar? No! The bland workspace in the office is of no interest to anyone resulting in continual concentration. Now, look at your home. The riotous television and continuously beeping cell phones can break your concentration in a moment. Likewise, it is extremely hard to disassociate yourself from the news as you don’t know what could happen next. As a result, you are evermore distracted from your work. ●​ Difficulty in collaboration ​ You can always contact your colleague Susan to help you with your task in the office. But, that is not the case when you're at home. Solving ambiguous problems can be tough when you have a remote team. Either it's some technical issue or any excessive information you want, communication and collaboration is slightly difficult in teleworking. Overall, the concept of collaboration has changed. According to Microsoft, instead of long meetings in the board room, a short 20 minutes video​ conference​ is held nowadays. In a similar way, it’s considered as an effective way of communicating. Whereas, some companies have their groups on social networking sites and they even organize an annual meeting where all employees gather. Source ●​ Work overloaded ​ Rather than having fixed working hours (from nine to five) in the office, you don’t have any specific time schedule for work at home. You may work more than necessarily needed - leaving you strained. If you will end up exhausted from work at midnight, how will you be able to start fresh the next morning? ● Feeling isolated ​ Some of you might be missing the regular meetups while having coffee in the kitchen with your teammates. Others might miss the tours with their colleagues. Socializing is a vital part of our life. Having friends at the workplace can cheer you up. That is why most remote workers suffer anxiety or depression as they spend most of their time alone. Unfortunately, it could affect your mental well-being negatively. A s​ urvey​ done in 2019 shows that 19 percent of remote workers suffer from​ ​loneliness. Working remotely is not everyone’s cup of tea. Surprisingly, it can be! Curious enough? I think so.. First of all, you have to point out the things that are lagging you behind and then get the better of them. This listicle will help you in ​getting through those obstacles​. Without any further due, let’s dive right in! Beating the blues ●​ Set a daily regime and be a dapper ​ Everyone will talk about the flexibility of time and that you decide your hours, but no one actually tells how difficult it can be to plan and actually implement a proper routine. You have to be consistent here, create a fixed routine, and stick to it- no matter what. Set your working hours and follow them persistently. Wake up early, go for a brisk walk, and have a healthy breakfast. Unkempt hair, poxy stubble, and staying all day in pajamas, is what a professional employee looks like? Dress for success​! Source Do you know dressing well has a positive impact on your brain that causes increased productivity? ​ esearch​ shows that a well-dressed person is more assured, attentive, and R productive. Go with your most comfortable piece of clothing​. Well, dressing up properly doesn't mean you have to be suited up with that strangling necktie all day. No way! Richard Branson, a well-known magnate rejected to wear it as he thinks of it as a 'symbol of formality.' That didn't stop people from doing business with him; in fact, it doesn't even matter to them. ●​ ​ Get rid of distractions The maximum possibility of any distraction at your office could be the office boy dropping down the tea tray or else, some random email notification popping up your laptop screen. As a matter of fact, the latter is barely a distraction. But, at home! Your neighbors could use their thunderous drill machine anytime. They might be playing pop music all day long at full volume. By the same token, Aunt Mary could call and discuss her life's most recent happenings with you. Any acquaintance can call you anytime as they know you will be there. First of all, disconnect your telephone line when working. As you attend all of your important meetings by laptop and communicate through email or zoom, then there is no such need of a telephone in the working hours. Being at home doesn't mean you can use social media all the time. Right now, it's even more detrimental than ever! It is flooded with misconceptions and fake news related to Corona Virus also known as Covid-19. So next time you sit on your desk, steer clear of social media. ●​ Set up your workplace ​ In order to create a proper working environment, it is essential to have a small workspace in your home. It could be a simple desk with your laptop and printer placed on it. Similarly, you should own an ergonomic chair to ensure a good posture throughout the day. Source If you desire a fancy home office, you can go with a professional interior designer. Bonus​: Pinterest never fails in this case; you can choose from the plethora of ideas available and save some money too. Once you have created the environment you needed in order to work efficiently then your success is as sure as fate! ​ uffer​ conducted a survey which shows that 48 percent of remote employees said that B they are working for over 5 years in the same company.​ ●​ Develop healthy habits ​ Virtual jobs and brick and mortar businesses are like chalk and cheese. There is no such reward for working extra in remote jobs while you may expect one for working overtime in the office. You are more likely to work extra when working from home. It is usually because of the absence of a proper schedule. Formerly, I also used to spend the whole day researching, planning and writing blog posts until I prioritized myself too. Take short breaks. After working for two or three hours you can relax for ten minutes. Walk a little or stretch as it will make you more active. If you are that kind of person who barely gets up from his desk so he doesn't lose his productivity, then you might be wrong. Some benefits of taking short breaks are as follows: ● It prevents you from becoming bored. You can't focus when you are bored or even could get agitated. ● You start to wonder about your goals and question yourself either you have accomplished them or not. ● The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) in your brain requires breaks! It is responsible for making you focused and helps in rational thinking. Ignoring your health is not an option here. How will you be able to work if you’ll sicken? Skipping meals and sleep deprivation can disturb the balance. Prioritize yourself and practice self-care daily. Developing healthy habits will make you diligent and more competent. ● Ways to prevent loneliness. We all have heard that 'he travels fastest who travels alone' and it is true. Remote workers are more successful and earn more than in-house workers. Statistics​ show that the average annual salary of remote employees is more than of in-house workers. Nevertheless, telecommuters do feel isolated. It is very important to have regular conversations with your friends to vanquish the feeling of seclusion. Your mental health has a huge impact on your performance. That means it can have adverse effects on your productivity and hence, quality of work. Once your quality of work is compromised, you are out of the game- It is really hard to prove yourself in the online field. Source Take the help of technology to reconnect with your friends. Some features of social media are bliss for us. For instance, you can have video chats with your pals on Skype. Still, do not overuse it or this boon will turn into a bane for you. Make plans with them after your work is done. By the way, sharing memes isn’t a bad idea too! Furthermore, to break the monotony, try to work elsewhere at least one day a week. Obviously you can’t spend the whole day working at the coffee shop but a few hours will be enough. In addition, you can also join groups with other employees of your firm (if the company offers) to have a social connection. We have been reading about remote work lately. For sure, it has blurred out the line between working under tight schedules, inside an office cubicle, and having the freedom of time with your remote job. How do you see the future of remote working? Do you feel more productive while working from home rather than in the office? Or you don't feel satisfied unless you go to a commercial building on a daily basis to work? We would love to hear your thoughts on remote working! Likewise, tell us if this article was useful, you find something relatable, and any other factor you think is not discussed here.