A few weeks ago I asked for Cultivate blog content ideas from many of you on Instagram, and you didn’t disappoint! I’ve added a few of them to the queue for the coming months, and I wanted to start with one I’ve been asked a lot more recently:
I just found out I will be transitioning to working from home, and I’m very excited! Could you write a blog or share on Instagram stories about tips on working from home–space organization, desk, calendar, etc, how you stay on task and accountable to duties, and how you stay plugged in with the team? Thanks! -Cortney T.
If you’ve followed the Cultivate team for a while, you know we have a unique work environment. Half of our team works remotely, and the other half work out of Lara’s home office. Having only recently transitioned to working remotely, I still have a lot to learn, so I called on the advice of my fellow remote-working ladies: Amber, Kristin, and Marissa! We’ve been incredibly blessed to continue to do the jobs we love remotely, and it’s our goal to continue to work smarter and more efficiently! I’ve rounded up some of our best tips below:
Breathe fresh air. This is probably my favorite tip from Kristin because I’ve learned how easy it could be to go days without breathing the air outside your home. One of her most practical pieces of advice: make sure you spend some time outside each day, whether it’s a morning walk, an evening errand outside of the house, or switching up scenery to a local coffee shop.
Eat lunch away from your desk. It can be tempting to work through lunch, especially when there isn’t a coworker there to grab lunch with you. One of my PowerSheets goals is to eat lunch away from my desk every day. Whether it’s on my kitchen counter or outside, taking a few moments to step away from my computer prepares me to dig into the afternoon!
Dress appropriately. This doesn’t mean you have to dress in business casual clothes every day, but if you know you are more productive when you are dressed and put together, add an additional 15 minutes to your morning routine to force yourself out of pajamas. Amber, our Marketing Director, even puts on shoes!
Use technology to your advantage. Our team uses a variety of different technology platforms to stay connected-Google Hangouts, Asana, Google Drive, Dropbox, and a team text message thread just to name a few! Regardless of what you’re using, having times to check in with your team can help counter any feelings of isolation you might experience in the first few months of transitioning to remote work.
Honor office hours. Moving from working in a large corporate office, Marissa found herself overcompensating for the blessing of working from home by being accessible at all hours of the day. Now, she has fairly-strict office hours (noted in her email signature) because working from home can lead to over-working for her Type A personality. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules! Really busy days or mornings that might have a doctor’s appointment usually warrant a later closing time. I’ve taken Marissa advice and scheduled exercise classes in the evening at 5:45 pm. That forces me to close my computer and step away from my desk!
Create a dedicated workspace. One of the great things about working in an office is the ability to leave your work at work (for the most part, depending on your profession.) However, when you’re working out of your home, it’s easy to turn every part of your home into your office (We’re looking at you, living room couch) And this doesn’t mean you need a whole separate office! I have a desk in my studio apartment, and it’s my work area. Having a dedicated space to work makes it easier to wrap up and walk away when the workday is finished. Bonus tip: clean up your desk at the end of each day-remove empty cups, put pens away, file necessary papers. (This can easily be one of your PowerSheets daily goals). It makes a big difference when walking back into your office area the next morning.
We’re by no means experts, but we hope these tips encouraged those of you, like Cortney, who might be making this transition soon!
Do you work remotely? We’d love to hear your best tips in the comments!
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