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5 Timely Tips for Telecommuting
Whether your company already has a formal telecommuting policy or is just instituting one as a temporary measure, there are many ways to be productive while working from home. Here are five strategies to be a successful telecommuter:
1. Assess your technology and available resources.
First time telecommuting? Figure out what you have and what you might still need. Work-from-home essentials include:
- A good high-speed internet connection
- The ability to access the company files and resources you need to do your job
- A quality headset with a microphone for making work calls
To enhance your productivity, there are also a number of low- or no-cost services like Google Hangouts or GoToMeeting that can help. And make sure you have the phone number and email for your company tech support handy in case you experience any issues.
2. Carve out a comfortable workspace.
Even if you don’t have a dedicated home office, you can still set up a comfortable workspace. The key is keeping the supplies you need within reach so you can work as if you were in the office. This way, you won’t be searching for pens, pencils, a calculator, stapler, printer or whatever when you need them.
As for ergonomics, contrary to its name, a laptop used on your lap isn’t exactly the optimal posture, and it can lead to muscle strain. Find an area that’s well-lit where you can sit comfortably and have your computer at a good height on a stable surface.
3. Establish a consistent workday routine.
To get in the right mindset to work, many telecommuters feel more productive when they get up, shower, and get dressed as if they were going into the office. Of course, you’re at home, so unless you’re videoconferencing, you can wear whatever’s comfortable. At home, it’s also easy to take a break when you need it and stretch, or just regroup. Just try to avoid too many trips to the kitchen — many telecommuters report that it’s easy to fall into the habit of snacking too much.
4. Just “to do” it.
Because it’s easy to fall into your home habits instead of sticking to your work habits, make a to-do list. You can set both short- and long-term goals for yourself. Whether you use a productivity app or an old-fashioned calendar, give yourself time each day to plan what you need to accomplish and how you’ll do it.
5. Are you IN or OUT?
Always let co-workers know when and how they can reach you when you are working at home, and tell your family and friends about your new working from home routine and working hours, too. That way you can set expectations so no one will be disappointed that you can’t visit, and your employer will be happy with your work. Explain when you will and won’t be available to take calls or visits, or help with homework. It’s all about finding the right balance.
Remember that, whether a telecommuting program is formal or informal, it involves mutual trust between an employee and employer. Employers need to have faith that their employees will be as productive working remotely as they are in the office, and employees need to understand what’s expected of them.
Fortunately, there’s evidence that working from home boosts productivity. In a recent survey, Connect Solutions
(a private cloud solutions provider) found that 77% of the remote workers report that they are more productive while they telecommute and 30% said that they accomplish more in less time. Talk about a win-win.
This blog post originally appeared on the TransAction Associates
blog, Driven. This content has been customized for Alewife TMA and is redistributed here with permission [source: https://www.transactionassoc.com/timely-tips-for-telecommuting].
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