Dear Dumplin,
I wrote the below for the now defunt MogulMommies.com back in 2015. Everything I wrote still holds true today and remote work is an even bigger trend now than it was then. I’ve now been working from home for 6 years. My advice remains the same. Here is my original post from 2015:
Working from home or telecommuting is gaining in popularity. An article on Forbes.com indicates people that work from home are happier with their jobs, save money, have increased productivity, and enjoy not having to commute. There is not time wasted sitting in traffic or waiting for public transportation to arrive. Whether you are an employee or run a business, most people will experience working from home at some point in their careers. Be careful though, working from home can be challenging. I’ve been working from home full-time for two years now. As much as it felt like I hit the lottery when I first started working from home, I wish someone had pointed out the lows as well as the highs to being able to work in my PJ’s. If you run a business from your laptop or are thinking of starting one, this is also for you. Here are 10 things I think all people considering jumping into working remotely should know.
- You need to keep a schedule. When you go into an office every day, the day plans itself. You will get invites for meetings or someone will grab you when it’s time to eat. When you work from home, you can type away for hours only to look up and it’s 4:00 pm. Set timers to remind yourself of when things needs to get done. Keep a paper calendar as well as utilize the calendar on your smart phone or tablet. If you aren’t paying attention, the days can bleed into one another. Be organized.
- You can get lonely. There is no one to gossip with you at the water cooler or go with you on a Chipotle run. Try to reach out to other remote employees who may be experiencing the same things you are. Send them a quick email or an instant message to say hello.
- You may have to work harder to maintain relationships. The saying “Out of Sight Out of Mind” can come into play. People don’t see you as often so they start to forget that you are in the background working away. Find ways to stay in people’s thoughts. When I started working from home, Management immediately told me that it would be harder to continue to get promoted. I had to work diligently to prove myself and that I could handle more responsibilities because most of my department still commuted daily. Be consistent. Don’t forget to check in with people.
- You will feel pressure to work even harder. I felt a lot of pressure to produce when I started working remotely and later discovered most work from homers feel the same way. You don’t want anyone to perceive that you are slacking so you up your productivity. This can be a little daunting and very stressful especially if you are already a high producer. My advice? Take a deep breath. Most companies are not going to give you the work from home option if they don’t think you can handle it. Check in with management from time to time and make sure everyone is on the same page. If you are self-employed or an entrepreneur, your customers will let you know if you are doing a good job. If you aren’t receiving voluntary feedback, ask them!
- Get dressed every day. Six months passed before I figured this one out. I would take my daughter to school wearing sweatpants then come home and plop in front of the computer. Get up, get dressed, and put some decent clothes on as if you are going into the office. You will feel better and your day will go smoother. I’m not sure why this is the case but it works!
- You are your own manager and user support at times. Printer stopped working? Figure it out. Computer won’t turn on? Figure it out. Not sure what project you need to work on next? Figure it out. Although you may have some rough days, the challenge will make you smarter. You will get more efficient and more creative. Keep moving forward.
- You may not get promoted as quickly as people who come into the office daily. As I mentioned in number three above, it was made clear to me when I started to work remotely that promotions would not come easily. Working in a white collar and very old school corporate environment, people come into the office. That’s just how the business runs. The trend is slowly changing although it is moving faster in other industries. Be prepared to prove yourself over and over again. It’s OK. You will be great when it’s all said and done. As Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do, excellence therefore is not an act but a habit.” Just keep being excellent. People will notice.
- You must take breaks and eat. I repeat, you must take breaks. Get some water, go to the bathroom. Take a deep breath. Your brain will thank you for it.
- Move around and exercise. You CANNOT sit in the same spot for 8 hours straight. It’s not healthy. I used to be afraid that the minute I would get up someone would call me and I would not be there to answer. So I sat, and sat, and sat. I felt horrible. Taking quick breaks makes me feel fresher and I work better. Take 5 minutes to stretch your body, touch your toes, or go for a quick walk. Part of juggling it all means taking care of yourself and knowing when to put yourself first. Your body is just as important as your business.
- Your family may not understand that working from home may not equate to more flexibility during the day. Sometimes people think working from home means partial work days and simply sitting around watching TV when this is the furthest thing from the truth. Lovingly communicate your boundaries and needs and eventually your loved ones will understand.
I predict remote work will continue to increase in popularity. What do you think?