More of us are having to work from home at present.
Thankfully, in today's world, working remotely is made easy by the fantastic technology we now have available to us.
As a Virtual Assistant, I have always worked remotely, from my own home office. Over time I have come to realise that there are things I can do to make my day as productive as possible and ensure I don’t get overwhelmed or blur the lines of family and business time.
With a bit of forward planning, and by following these 5 tips, you will easily make the transition from working in an office to working remotely.
1. Set aside a dedicated workspace. Having a desk in the kitchen or the corner of a less travelled room will work. The key is developing a space where you can train yourself to know this is where I work and create a mental wall and door around the area.
2. Stick to a routine. Structure your day as though you were going to the office. The beauty of working from home is that there is no commute, so you could decide to start work earlier and finish earlier. Don’t forget to schedule in break times and try to get outside every day, even if it is just for a short walk around the block.
3. Have a to-do list. Before you start, list down your priorities for the day. Set pockets of time to complete your tasks and make sure you stick to your schedule.
4. Virtual Meetings can be draining when they carry on for much longer than planned. Maximise conference calls by establishing clear schedules, agenda, and goals. And stick to a time limit! Try to keep them under an hour or else people will start to lose attention. And try not to schedule too many in one day.
5. Don’t forget to communicate regularly with team members/clients/mentors. As well as staying on top of work news, it is also important to celebrate successes or team members' birthdays, just as you would if you were working in an office. Having a good support network in place is important so that you can reach out if you need help, as well as be there for someone else if they are struggling.
So, in summary, my top tips are:-
1. Have a dedicated workspace.
2. Stick to your routine.
3. Have a to-do list
4. Have clear agendas and time limits for Virtual Meetings.
5. Communicate regularly with team members.
I hope you found it useful. Check out my other blog posts here for more tips from Your Favourite VA.