Business
50 tips for remote working
The parameters of remote working are largely undetermined.
That's because everyone’s different and what works for one, isn’t guaranteed to work for another.
To enable teams, businesses must think of their employee experience – especially given today’s extraordinary circumstances. To help you on your way, here’s a starter for ten courtesy of the Foolproof team:
- Get out of bed – duvets are not conducive to productivity and lying at an obscure angle is terrible for your posture
- Switch off the telly – to remain focused, you’ll want to minimise distractions
- Stop checking notifications and the news – this is a tricky one, particularly at the moment. You should timebox check-ins and maximise productivity
- Do a workout – be kind to yourself and move around. This is especially important for your physical health
- Surround yourself with plants – bring the outside in, foliage is a friend. They also purify the air and give off a nice scent
- Share a remote beer at the end of the day – why not?
- Hot desk around the house – mix up your surroundings, just make sure you can sit up and plug in
- Adapt/upgrade chat and co-working tools – email and standard desktop applications aren’t fit for what we need to do today
- Get/borrow a pet – furry companions make the world go around and relieve stress
- Open a window – embrace the fresh air
- Check in on colleagues – self isolation can be lonely. Hold impromptu calls, have a remote lunch, or think of new ways to have fun together
- Don’t work in the room you relax in – that’s if you can help it
- Set a personal goal for each day which goes beyond work - read a book, do some yoga
- Make something with your hands – assemble an IKEA flatpack, or five
- Share your hobby – host e-lessons with friends and/or strangers
- Keep your mobile phone in a separate room – another distraction you often don’t need
- Play video games with friends – immerse and lose yourself in a captivating first-person shooter, or simply thrash your mate at FIFA
- Take time away from screens - read a book, do a jigsaw, play a record
- Be strict about timings – step away from your laptop when you need to and don’t feel guilty about it
- Listen to very loud music – this can be really cathartic… but don’t go disrupting those around you
- Eat well – nourish those braincells
- Stay hydrated – water yourself
- Buy a good chair – think of your spine
- Remote show and tell – walk through some design work you’re doing or dust off your old Panini sticker albums
- Through the keyhole – take your colleagues on a guided tour of your humble abode
- Keep sharing work – we have a ‘showcase’ channel on Slack to celebrate work we’re especially proud of
- Turn your video on – showing your face makes conversations easier and promotes familiarity
- Don’t cancel 1:1s – checking in on your colleagues is important for your mental wellbeing and theirs
- Listen to classical music – or whatever gets you in the zone; preferably something without lyrics.
- Stop rearranging your furniture – it’s tempting, and Feng Shui is a thing, but does the coffee table really need to move two inches to the right?
- Remote group exercise – get moving together
- Leave a glass of rosemary by your desk – it’s aromatic, and proven to reduce stress
- Stretch – get up, walk around, touch your toes
- Practice gratitude – make a list of all the things you’re thankful for i.e. fresh running water, your backyard, colleagues (and tell them)
- Have a chat – working in isolation is lonely, talk to someone
- Share things that make others smile/laugh – we recently launched a new Slack channel devoted to feel-good news stories
- Host a Netflix Party – this is a nice way to unwind and reconnect with others
- Share playlists – listen to something new, stimulate your senses
- Learn something new – safeguard time to develop your skillset
- Draw – this can provide a source of creative gratification and freeplay
- Cook - exercise those culinary skills
- Listen to the ambient music – background noise can remove the eeriness of an empty room/house
- Have lunch with a partner/flatmate – instigate social interaction
- Create a window box – put those green fingers to work and reap the rewards
- Take a walk – step outside and clear your head
- Keep on top of your surroundings – tidy up a little, no one wants to work amongst clutter
- Do housework – but not too much. Tidy environments help some of us focus
- Organise your sock drawer – restore peace and order
- Get ready as usual - perhaps consider a fake commute? This is proven to increase productivity
- Call someone you haven't spoken to in awhile – they’d (probably) love to hear from you
At this time, the main message you need to be thinking about is how can I flexibly support myself and those around me.