Adjusting to remote during COVID

The pandemic forced hundreds of millions of people to work from home. For many people, remote work is a blessing that’s breaking corporate mindsets and inertia, while for many others, the transition from the office proves a bit difficult. Here’s a couple of tips for higher productivity.

Have backup tasks.

When working remotely, there will be situations where no one can help you when a problem or a hard decision emerges. This is especially so in asynchronous work across many time zones, or when your communications (email, Slack etc.) get in a queue and/or none of your colleagues are available online. It helps if you can refocus on secondary tasks whenever there is an impasse with the main one. 

Create a comfortable space.

Everyone is unique and has a unique idea of their own perfect workspace. Some prefer to work in a horizontal position from the bed 🤔 while others might find standing great for sustained attention. Understanding your preferences and adjusting your workspace will really increase your well-being. 

Turn on your camera.

There are many incentives to only turn on voice during online calls – a messy room, no makeup, or walking around the house or the kitchen to get something done. What turning the camera on helps with is staying connected (and a bit disciplined 😉) as you see your teammates facial expressions and gesticulation—this makes conversations more natural and improves communication. Regular face-to-face meetings can also make you feel less lonely during this crap time.

Be patient. 

Adjusting to remote work, like to any new experience, takes time, especially under today’s Covid conditions. An initial decrease in productivity is temporal and later you will find out that the advantages of remote work outweigh the difficulties we go through at the start. 

COVID WFH ≠ Remote. 

Realize that today’s conditions are not standard for remote work. Lockdowns of many “normal” facilities—offices, colocation/coworking offices, cafes & restaurants, gyms, entertainment, and of schools (a tough one for many parents)—are making this a harsh, abnormal condition of working from home, including its toll on mental health. 

Remote work under normal circumstances is a very enjoyable experience. We’ll get there soon in 2021 and look forward to the world-changing for the better by embracing the future of work. 

Have a look at our tests at Gyfted @ https://www.gyfted.me.

Klara