Remote work Best Practices: Our Top Tips for WFH Success

Although working remotely isn’t a novel concept, it has recently gained popularity. A Gallup poll indicates that roughly 56% of American workers claim they occasionally work from home, often referred to as Remote WFH. Even with some workers going back to the office, Remote WFH is still very popular. As a result, managers and supervisors need to be innovative in how they handle everything from team meetings and cooperation to scheduling and performance management in a remote WFH environment. Here are our best suggestions for maximizing your remote WFH success, whether you’re new to it or just want to get better at it.

Best practices for remote WFH: Our best tips for successful WFH

Even though Remote WFH allows one to collaborate with individuals worldwide, many are still getting acclimated to it. Because of this, we have created a guide on best practices and tips for Remote WFH successfully!

Being productive at home in a remote WFH setup

Maintaining a steady work tempo at home is comparable to working at an office. Typically, we consider our offices to be places where we complete tasks and our homes to be places where we unwind. Therefore, you’ll need to adjust if you want to be as effective at home in a remote WFH setup as you are at work.

Create a productive atmosphere at work in remote WFH

Many people have always wanted to work from their favorite couch, but when they started remote WFH, they found that couches and beds weren’t good locations to work. Thus, you must dedicate an area to your task. This keeps your job and personal lives apart and helps you distinguish between work and play in your remote WFH routine.

Follow a consistent routine for remote WFH

Having a schedule that is comparable to yours at work is one of the best strategies to stay focused when working from home. You can find out how crucial it is to have a regular work schedule by doing a fast Google search. Without it, remote WFH might disrupt your work-life equilibrium. That being said, remote WFH offers flexibility, so don’t feel obligated to follow an overly strict schedule. Working as a software developer in an international team may require you to occasionally start early or stay late to keep up with colleagues who are in other time zones. When that happens, you can sleep in the next morning to catch up. Just be sure to keep changes to your schedule moderate so you don’t work too much or fall behind others. The most likely cause of your inability to maintain your schedule in remote WFH is a lackluster morning routine. We’ll refer to this as the “starting up” procedure because not all remote software developers look forward to working in the morning. However, having a routine at the beginning of your workday is a very effective way to boost productivity in a remote WFH environment.

Considering your health in remote WFH

Attending to your personal needs is just as crucial as adhering to productivity suggestions when working from home. It’s more difficult than it seems to maintain mental wellness when adjusting to remote WFH. According to studies, throughout the previous two years, 80% of those who do remote WFH reported feeling more stressed and anxious.

Be kind to yourself during remote WFH

Changing to remote WFH is a big deal, and many people feel unmotivated, frustrated, and stressed because of it. Some find working from home relaxing, but it’s still important to understand how big this change is and give yourself a break. Be kind to yourself, and don’t try too hard to be perfect until you get used to your new remote WFH setup. Finding ways to stay motivated in remote WFH takes time and involves trying different things and making changes.

Schedule your downtime during remote WFH

We’ve discussed the need to maintain a schedule when doing remote WFH. Regular breaks should also be a part of this practice. If you frequently overlook your breaks, think about setting a timer for once every hour or two to remind you to stretch or take a quick stroll. If not, eventually burnout is likely to occur. Consider purchasing a desk with an adjustable desk option if you’re in the market for a new desk for your home office during remote WFH. Remember not to spend your breaks or downtime at your desk as well.

Pay attention to the time you have during remote WFH

Many employers and supervisors disapproved of remote WFH after the COVID-19 outbreak. They were concerned that instead of working, employees would primarily watch TV or take care of housework. However, we now know that is untrue. Since it can be difficult to distinguish between work and leisure time, those who work from home often put in more hours. It’s crucial to avoid working too much if you want to maintain your habit. Make sure your family and coworkers are aware of your precise work hours during remote WFH. This aids in maintaining a healthy work-life balance for you.

Speak with your colleagues while in remote WFH

You converse with your coworkers far less during remote WFH than when you are in the same office. Not all computer programmers collaborate on projects with one another while they are in different offices. You miss out on the little conversations in the cafeteria, elevator, and parking lot when you do remote WFH. Although these little conversations may not seem significant, they improve your relationships with your coworkers. Keeping up good ties with your team can enhance your well-being and lessen feelings of loneliness. Send brief updates on your life events and check in with your colleagues via simple messages throughout the day in your remote WFH setting. Managing distractions at home can be very difficult, particularly if there isn’t the same structure as at an office.

Establish some guidelines for remote WFH

Setting some ground rules might be very beneficial if you work in the same area as your family or housemates. Tell your kids about your availability and work schedule, especially if they’re kids who receive their schooling while you’re working, or who are required to spend additional time at home because of COVID-19 restrictions, should be aware of what they can and cannot do while you’re doing remote WFH. If another adult in your home also does remote WFH, you will need to talk about allocating specific hours for meetings and quiet times, as well as sharing equipment like desks and chairs. Because there will likely be more people at home and a greater demand for cleaning, you should also have an agreement for a more equitable work distribution. Most importantly, even if you make a good plan with everyone, expect that anything that could disturb your work will disturb your work. This includes dogs barking during meetings, unexpected UPS deliveries, and kids coming in without knocking, or shouting; these are all normal things that can happen during remote WFH.

Avoid distractions from the media during remote WFH

It’s simple to become distracted by various gadgets and media during remote WFH, which might make it difficult to concentrate. Everybody has been distracted from their responsibilities by a TV show, podcast, or internet topic and has been lost in it. Even a news show playing softly in the background can grab your attention. So, you should turn off or mute anything that might distract you, and block websites that make you waste time, especially social media during your remote WFH hours. Your phone is also a big source of distraction. Besides social networking, all the games and apps on your phone can easily take up your whole workday if you don’t watch out.

Effective communication during remote WFH

Keeping good communication with coworkers around the world is very important when doing remote WFH, and it might take some getting used to compared to working in an office.

Look at the big picture for remote WFH

Some days, your plans might not work out, and you may not be able to exercise or follow your schedule. That’s okay and normal—just be ready to change, adjust to situations, and keep working on good habits that help you work well in remote WFH. Always remember your goals for remote WFH, as this will help you be a good remote worker and have a balanced life.

Finishing Up 

Ultimately, it’s critical to maintain your focus on caring for yourself and adjusting as necessary during remote WFH. Additionally, keep in mind that everyone is coping with the difficulties of remote WFH, so make an effort to foster a welcoming and supportive online team environment. We hope that this guide’s suggestions and guidance on successfully working from home will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your remote WFH. We appreciate you taking the time to read!