Working from home provides a flexible and less stressful working environment compared to working in the office. Besides, there’s no need to spend hours on commute and waste time on traffic. However, while many people think that working from home means lounging in your pajamas and taking long lunch breaks, it is still a professional job that requires commitment, consistency, and improvement.
If you’ve always been contemplating leaving your corporate job to starting a remote work, you need to do your research on how it works and how will it let you grow your career in the comforts of your home. To get started, here are five simple yet powerful tips to help you when you decide to take the leap:
1. Invest in equipment.
When you work in an office or in a corporate setting, the company provides you with all the equipment you need—a fast computer or laptop, a reliable internet connection, and a backup system. But to start a work from home job, you need to invest in quality equipment. These are your primary weapons to help you conduct your work properly. Many remote or online jobs have specific system requirements, such as a processor with at least 8GB RAM, a headset with a noise-canceling feature, and at least 10 Mbps of wired DSL connection.
Save time and money by prioritizing what your job requires and the office items that will help you work effectively (e.g. scanner, printer, etc.). However, don’t skimp on equipment and regret it later on when your computer breaks down at the wrong time. And since most of your tasks will be done on your computer, familiarize yourself with the different software and programs that will help keep it running smoothly. Remember that there won’t a corporate IT staff to help in case you have any tech issues or concerns.
2. Set up a dedicated work space.
Whether you’re working remotely using your laptop or your personal computer, experts suggest you designate a specific place in your home that will become your workspace. No, it doesn’t need to be a full-blown office with a black leather chair and an office table with lots of drawers. You can set up a specific room, a well-lit corner, or even a simple desk that will help you establish the right mindset for work. Also, “Curating a sacred workspace at home is a great way to minimize all those distractions at home,” as noted by finance blogger Emily Kate Pope in this article.
Besides, a workspace will allow you to separate your work worries from your personal activities so you can focus on the tasks at hand and become more efficient. It can also help you establish a routine where you won’t do your bills, watch television, or eat your meals in the same place where you work.
3. Brush up on your communication skills.
You need to elevate your communication skills, both written and verbal, so you can convey what you mean more clearly and concisely. When you work in an office, you can use gestures, visuals, and other verbal cues to communicate. But in a remote setting, you will communicate mostly via e-mails and instant messaging apps. There are no nonverbal cues to help you guide a conversation. People may also put a different meaning on your written feedback, so proving a point can be difficult. Step up your game by communicating effectively and staying in touch.
4. Always stay connected.
Quoting Paul J. Meyer, “Communication is the key to personal and career success.” This wisdom applies to any workplace, corporate or not. But it is more crucial when you’re working remotely: you always need to stay connected. It’s unlike at an office where your boss or manager can oversee what you’re doing every now and then. In a work from home setting, you need to be readily available on the timeframe or schedule that you are supposed to work.
At Ylopo, we believe that there is no such thing as “over-communication.” When in doubt, we always make sure we communicate to clarify any issues. The lack of online presence can be detrimental to the team’s efforts, especially when there are issues that need to be fixed immediately. Likewise, we are also very vocal and celebrate every employee’s positive results and achievements. It makes us feel that everything we do contributes to the company’s goals and objectives.
Distance is never a barrier if you know how to communicate effectively using the right platforms. For an instance, we use messaging and video conferencing tools like Slack and Zoom to get in touch and hold remote meetings with our colleagues in Manila and California.
5. Communicate your work schedule with your family or anyone who will be at home with you.
Signing up for a remote job is pretty much the same as signing up on a corporate contract. As one of our contractors shared, “This is still serious work and requires the same level of commitment.” You might be working from home, which is a huge privilege, but you still need to comply and stick to your work schedule. This means you need to communicate with your loved ones about your work hours. You need to make it clear that just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you’re always available.
Having your family and friends nearby may be one of the best parts of working from home, but they can also cause the biggest distractions. Inform them that during your work hours, personal things like running errands or washing the dishes will have to wait. That way, they can let you have the physical space and the mindset needed to accomplish your tasks. There’s a time for everything, so boundaries are crucial if you want that work-life balance. Remember that you can always spend time with them and interact with other people when you’re taking breaks and once you’ve finished working.