Thanks to digital technology, it’s never been easier to work from anywhere. You want to take a day to just get out of the office, maybe cross some tasks off your to-do list from home, from the airport, or from a favorite coffee shop? You can do it, and you can still be pretty productive.
With that said, there are smart ways and not-so-smart ways to approach your remote workdays. A lot of remote workers make simple errors that actually impede them from being wholly productive. Let me list just a few of those errors here, in hopes of helping you avoid them.
What Not to Do When Working Remotely
Not identifying your biggest distractions.
No matter where you work, you’re going to have to deal with some distractions—but the distractions you face in your home office may be different than the ones you encounter in the workplace.
My advice? Be honest with yourself. Take a minute to think through the most likely causes of distraction—the things that will “trigger” your wandering mind. Often, taking an inventory is the critical first step toward pushing these distractions out of your brain. (For specific tips on avoiding distractions, How Transformational Leaders Deal with Distraction)
- Not establishing boundaries.
When you work from home, it can be easy to get swept up in chores or home maintenance tasks; or, on the flipside, for your work responsibilities to spill over into your private life.
The simplest solution here is to make a schedule and stick to it pretty rigidly, clearly demarcating work from home life.
- Failing to have a good setup.
Yes, maybe you can work from anywhere—but that doesn’t mean all environments are conducive to productivity.
Do you have a comfortable chair? The right lighting? Enough space to spread out your documents? Access to a plug and good Wi-Fi? All of these elements are critical before you start working remotely.
- Not knowing when to head back to the office.
Finally, I would simply note that, some days, working remotely just doesn’t cut it—for whatever reason, you may just have a difficult time focusing. On those days, it’s important to know when to throw in the towel and head back to your normal work area.
Those are my suggestions for what not to do when working remotely—but I’d love to hear some of yours! Reach out today and let’s chat. Contact me at www.rickgoodman.com or call 888-267-6098.
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