{"id":17669,"date":"2020-03-20T20:13:02","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T09:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creately.com\/blog\/?p=17669"},"modified":"2022-05-11T21:59:32","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T10:59:32","slug":"how-to-work-from-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/creately.com\/blog\/diagrams\/how-to-work-from-home\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Working From Home the Right Way"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How hard can it be?<\/em> You might think. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are at home. You have your laptop. The Wifi connection is working fine. You are wearing your PJs.  You can eat at your table, whatever you want and whenever you want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s comfortable, relaxing, and your boss can\u2019t hover over your shoulders watching your every move. So you can even take those few minutes to fill that Buzzfeed quiz because sometimes it\u2019s fulfilling to know which Disney character you are based on your fast food preferences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you still have to work. Get that last code written and blog post reviewed. At the end of the day, you don\u2019t want the work to pile up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are procrastinating and feel unproductive when working from home, here are some effective practices you and your team can follow to get the ball rolling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just Getting Started? Here\u2019s How to Prepare<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are telecommuting, it\u2019s important that you make sure you are well-prepared. Even though it may seem like there\u2019s nothing much to do, there are a few steps you need to follow to stay productive throughout the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set Up Your Workstation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Want to keep things productive? Then you need your own distraction-free space, a workstation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea of typing away on your laptop while laying on the bed or sitting on the couch while the TV is on might be tempting. But it won\u2019t do if your goal is to be productive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A workstation with a proper desk and a chair where you can keep your laptop and work will create the atmosphere you need to keep your focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be a dedicated home office in some corner of your house, but a place that will help you prepare mentally and concentrate on your work while evading the commotions in other parts of the house will suffice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip: Pretend like you are actually going to work. Do all the things you would do if you were actually going to the office. Set an alarm, wake up early, make coffee, wear decent clothes (not PJs), etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there are too many noises that keep on interrupting you, you should consider using or buying noise-canceling headphones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get Your Technology in Order <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"Technology<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The reason why working from home thrives is technology. Without it, none of it would be possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it\u2019s important to have everything you need in order. For example, if your work requires a monitor in addition to your laptop screen, you may need to consider getting one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip: Make it a habit to bring your laptop and charger home when you are leaving after work. This way should an emergency occur that prevents you from going to work the next day, you can work from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also essential that you have installed all relevant applications that your team uses on your device as well. If you are using your personal device instead of the one provided by your office, then you should make sure that all the software you need to get your work done is installed there as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And most importantly, you need a working internet connection, one that doesn\u2019t break from time to time and slows down your progress. Stay closer to the WiFi as devices that are far from it tend to draw on bandwidth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Establish Working Hours<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You may feel like you have all the time in the world to get that report done when you are working from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you may also be tempted to postpone working on it because all you have is time (now that you don\u2019t have to travel back and forth between your office and home, you can work on it tonight, or tomorrow morning or whenever!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s important that you are clear about working hours and non-working hours. Sometimes the line between work and personal time may get blurry when you are working remotely, so you need to maintain a routine. Try to start work and end work at the same time every day to start with.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip: Schedule your day as you would normally do at the office. If you are working a 9-5 job, start and end your WFH shift around the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are working with a team, you may already have a standard time period when everyone is online and working. So it\u2019s important to schedule breaks in between and notify everyone when you are away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are using a communication platform like Slack, you can mark your availability with a status that can be customized for your organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Working<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Protect Yourself When Working Remotely<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Although you are home and the chances of getting into an accident are pretty low, you can be unsafe in many other ways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For starters, you are likely to fall victim to malware and identity theft or an internet scam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important that you have installed the necessary security software on your devices to protect your data online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how you can protect yourself when working remotely<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Collaborate with a Team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even if you are a freelancer, you may have to collaborate with a client or group of clients at times. As such it\u2019s important to up your collaboration game when working remotely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is your team working from home due to the COVID-19 Pandemic? We\u2019ve decided to take 50% off on all our Creately team plans to help teams and businesses that need to collaborate more effectively. Redeem this offer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Collaborating<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Document the Guidelines and Best Practices for Working Remotely<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

To be productive as a team, it is important to have clear guidelines and best practices that everyone should adhere to and follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be it a Google Document, a wiki page or a PDF file that is shared via email, make sure the policies and best practices for working remotely are clearly defined and documented.  It will help retain the commitment of those who are working from home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overcommunicate with Your Team <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"Communication<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you were in the same room, you\u2019ll be discussing everything, and others who are not even part of the conversation can contribute. But when working remotely, you don\u2019t have that luxury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you can still make it work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n