In a new study published on the Economic Times, 82% of employees prefer working from home than working from office. Working from home sure sounds very easy but there are many remote work challenges that come with this liberty.
In this blog, we will share tips to reduce the remote work challenges so that we can become more productive.
Why do some companies don't opt for remote work?
Companies are often reluctant to hire remote workers because they are unsure of the actual productive hours being used.
Employers rely on results, and to be honest, not all employees follow ethics to reach their daily targets.
It’s not easy for your bosses either.
But, here’s some solution.
With Clan Meeting, you can allow as many participants as you wish and your remote teams can get together in real-time to discuss, brainstorm, and share ideas. They can also watch and listen to presentations, which can be a huge time-saver. Remote work challenges are dealt with head on with the option of live streaming, or streaming videos itself.
Remote team meetings have become a popular way for managers to supervise remote workers. However, with the perks of technology comes the drawbacks of being disconnected. Imagine the horror of getting disconnected just when you are about to give a presentation or pitch your product to an important client!
Unlike Clan Meeting, many software don’t let you know when your internet starts to weaken.
That's why in Clan Meeting's virtual meeting rooms, the participants are alerted when their ISP’s bandwidth becomes stiff.
Tips for remote workers for more productivity
These tips are for those days when you feel overwhelmed, or least productive.
1. Set up reminders to take breaks to combat remote work challenges
Setting up reminders when you are working remotely is important. It’s a tendency of most managers to think their employees might be stealing company’s time.
However, the reality is that remote workers are more likely to overwork themselves and neglect their personal lives, believing that they must prove to management that they are worthy of the pay-check.
You can avoid overworking by sticking to your routine and using the Pomodoro Technique while doing so.
The Pomodoro is a time management technique that was originally developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. The technique is simple in nature—you set a timer for 25 minutes and work until it goes off. Then, you take a 5-minute break, and work for another 25 minutes. Repeat this for 3 or 5 times until the task gets completed and that's one full Pomodoro cycle.
2. Tell your logout time to your team to avoid the challenges of working remotely
Announcing your logout time helps in avoiding any sort of confusion.
3. Creating your own office space to pass the remote work challenges
Creating one’s own space help in barring outside forces and makes you stick to your goals. Remote workers can also use things like noise-cancelling headphones, to-do lists and your own personal force field to avoid work distractions.
4. Turn off your office notifications post work hours for combatting the remote work challenges
Remind yourself to take a break from your digital office life. This can be hard to do, but with the availability of Clan Meeting app for both Android and iOS, you can always stay updated with the ongoings in your office.
5. Do away with procrastination to do away with remote work challenges
"Eat the frog" is a concept introduced by Mark Twain.
If the first thing you had to do in the morning was eat a live frog, then that would have been the worst thing to do.
Consider that frog to be your most difficult task and finish it off right in the morning to avoid procrastinating.
6. Stop overburdening yourself with remote work
Always divide tasks between you and your team.
One way that can help you with this is the Eisenhower Matrix.
It is a visual representation of how you can divide your tasks between yourself, your team, and your work. The matrix helps you to identify which tasks to do next and which tasks are taking up too much of your time.
With the 1-3-5 rule, you can force yourself to focus on the important things that you have to do, rather than being distracted by the little things. The rule is to complete 1 big thing, 3 medium things, and 5 small things per day.
7. Let your family and friends know you are busy, to combat remote work difficulties
For entrepreneurs who are constantly working from different places, there are usually some challenges that come up.
One of the biggest challenges is being able to focus on your work.
So to avoid distractions,
- Put a do not disturb sign on your door
- Put on your headphones
- Lock the door
8. Stop isolating yourself to avoid being stuck in a remote work difficulty
If you feel lonely and disconnected working from home, you may consider working from a cafe or a library to feel as a part of the society.
9. Communicate briskly when you are working remotely
It's hard for introverts to instantly speak their mind and they may not even feel included in the various virtual meetings. In such a case, communication is key.
Encouraging team members to speak their mind goes a long way in resolving long-term issues inside the office.
10. Internet downtime and technical issues when you work remotely
Having a stable internet connection is a constant concern. But if you have a plan in place, you will have an easy time getting back on your feet and moving on to the next task.
Using mobile hotspot when internet lags, or having a tab when your PC/ Laptop hangs are a few of the many solutions that can be immediately put to practice.
In conclusion, we are responsible for our own time, energy, and focus. This can be very difficult to work with in the beginning. But as we become more habituated to our surroundings and habits, the small problems dissipate and we become comfortable enough to work from any place and anytime, with or without the support of our co-workers.
Despite the challenges above, remote work is very rewarding—as long as you know what you're getting into and can handle these common issues with these simple tricks.
Let us know what you think of the hacks given above. Contact us.
