May 6, 2020
Last month, we debuted our 4-part video series with Mark’s advice on the best remote work technology and tools, followed with getting set in the right environment and maintaining relationships. Today, in his final video in the series, Mark addresses the common pitfalls of remote work and how to avoid them. Check it out below!
- Feeling like you’re “on call” 24/7. When you’re working from home, it’s easy to blur the lines of between your personal and work time, starting before the sun is up and ending after dark. Set boundaries for yourself, and share them openly with your team and your manager, and also let your family or room-mates know when you are working. When you work at home, setting these work and personal boundaries are even more important.
- Not getting to know your teammates outside the work environment. One of the more appealing aspects of a physical workplace is being able to openly socialize with your co-workers. You might find that you’ve taken those happy hour drinks and team-building activities for granted – because when you aren’t in the same space, it can be tough to maintain camaraderie. As an alternative, consider connecting with your teammates for non-work related activities (such as a virtual happy hour, lunch, gaming, or even doing an online training together). Make a concerted effort to ask how they’re doing and what they’ve been up to.
- Feeling isolated – mentally and physically. When work gets done in the same place you eat and sleep, you might find it a little too easy to not leave the house. While it sounds convenient, resist the temptation to stay inside all day! Try breaking up the monotony in your schedule with an afternoon walk – a change of scenery can help you avoid feeling like nothing really changed throughout the day.
- Fear of missing out. Ah, FOMO. A common fear among remote employees (especially those with colleagues who work on-site) is that important decisions are being made without them. To avoid the “out of sight, out of mind” stigma, communicate as much as possible, clarify anything that could be misunderstood, and be proactive in speaking up.
That concludes our series of remote work tips! Thanks for joining – I’ll see you next time.
Expertise and Best Practices for Embracing Remote Work
Don’t forget to visit our new remote work resource center, with more tips and best practices on how to master the shift to working from home. We will be continuing to update this page and our social channels with educational materials from both LogMeIn staff and third party experts!