If you are new to working from home or feeling the fatigue from having done so thus far, here are a few things you may need to review as a bit of a reality check. The novelty is over and it’s time to get comfortable with this kind of lifestyle!
Here we are at the end of August 2021, and we are learning about more and more offices announcing their work from home policy will carry into 2022! My team has certainly learned to adapt to this new normal, and as we and other real estate teams in Calgary learn to adapt, here are some of the tips we came up with that have served to make the work life balance feel a bit more fair.
“Punch in and punch out” – No working after hours.
Write out a daily schedule and stick to it without fail. Workers who work remotely often discover that it is useful to have guidelines for when to work and when to call it a day. Long nights are harmful to your health, and they are just as damaging to remote employees.
When you're taking everything into account, working remotely may need pushing your day later or getting up early to suit another person's time zone. Do not forget to get a head start and/or sleep in, or get that morning workout done for the day. Putting in place a time-tracking software with automatic scheduling helps you maintain tabs on whether you are meeting your goals, but it’s up to you to create a distraction free space where other parts of life cannot interfere with your job (your family will thank you too)
Ban yourself from social media.
It's fair to say that all of us have been in this situation at some time: a multitude of mobile applications now share with users how much time they spend on different activities on a daily basis. Ask yourself how this number has changed since you started working from home. Getting a second device for personal use only is a great strategy for people who use social media casually. Familiarize yourself with your company's social media rules and processes. LinkedIn included, make separate time in your day for networking. You'll have less of a problem focusing on your job if you limit your social media usage.
Dress in a manner suitable to the occasion (and that means no sweatpants)
Why is it that so many people love working from home? A key element is the fact that they may want to wear casual clothes while working. The "dress for success" concept is much more than a cliché when it comes to working from home.
It’s not appropriate to be caught off guard in pyjamas on a video chat or check-in with a colleague, and dressing like you’re going into the office helps get yourself psychologically prepared for work. You'll be ready to complete your assignment, and you'll be ready to tackle the remainder of the day.
Find your optimum productivity hours.
The time of day when people feel most productive is unique to each individual. It’s a bit cliché to say we’re night owls or early risers, but you know your schedule and you know when you are the most awake – that is crunch time!
One strategy we love is to go work from the coffee shop for mornings 2-3 times a week – if there are no calls or zoom meetings, this change of environment helps the day go by quicker and motivates us to stick to our schedule.
The majority of people feel that they are most productive during the late hours of the workday. To maximise your productivity, try to schedule your most important tasks during your most productive times. This way, you will be able to complete your work more quickly.
Remote teams must meet often, and companies that want to form such a team will find that their workers want to do so.
One option for doing this is to have a remote approach to teambuilding. Increase the importance and effectiveness of the process of establishing and strengthening relationships. You should be careful with the agenda to maximise the team development benefits.
What sort of teambuilding exercises can you adapt to Zoom or conference calls? Get creative and come up with ways to engage each other.
Some of our friends have a ritual of playing an online card game twice a week after a meeting.Our team has a group chat where we post cool property videos and crazy things people are doing with drones and gopros,
This helps us stay engaged and come up with cool new marketing strategies, a fun way to check in on some of the houses for sale in Calgary and get new ideas
Most Alberta workers poll favorably towards wanting to visit their office quarterly: This fosters a feeling of connection and membership in the group. Spend lunch hours making new contacts in other settings outside from the office.