Working remotely What you need to be aware of prior to starting

In 2016, there were about 25 per cent of US workers employed at remote locations at some point. The percentage of employees who work from home has doubled since 2005. It's a trend likely to continue within the next few years. Many people believe that cubicles are an old fashion feature.

•       The benefits of remote work
•       Restrictions of remote working
•       How do I get remote Work
•       Strategies to Improve Efficiency when working at remote locations
•       Techniques for Remote Time-of-Work for Saving Time
•       Tools for Working at Home Remotely
•       Don't Forget About Self-Care

Benefits of working from the comfort of your home

Separated physically from a rigid boss is only one of the numerous advantages that come with remote work.

Below are some other ideas to think about:

• Use flexible schedules for work. Prior to the introduction of technology, parents had no alternative to keeping working with their kids or working for full time. Parents today have the choice to spend more time with their children, working at home, without any compromises. If you're not a parent, with you, the freedom of flexibility on working hours can mean you are able to sleep in even if you're not a morning person or stay up late in the night if that's what you prefer. It is important to define the boundaries between work as well as your personal day-to-day routine!
• Work from wherever you want. The benefit of a remote working setup is that it enables you to work from any place: the couch, café, the poolside or from any location (as as long as there's access to the Internet! ).
• There is no dress code. As you're able to be everywhere at any time, the attire you put on is not important other than a crucial meeting with a client. However, if you're dressed in a shirt which is professional, then you're set. So yes, one advantage when working from work from home is that you do not need to put on pants, as you would wear pajamas.

• There's a chance to acquire new abilities. If you're a remote employee working for yourself in the period of your shift you'll gain new abilities that isn't required to be an integral part of your abilities, such as accounting, project management, as well as a bit of legal terms. If you're employed by a business that allows you to work from home and remotely You'll be further be making new approaches to management and communication that will bridge the gap between you as well as the teammates.
• Reduce your expenses (and the world!). Many of us facing daily commutes that last for hours could make you think about the weekend when Monday rolls in. The time you spend in your car or on public transportation can be used to boost efficiency, but this won't be enough to make up for the time you've lost to loved ones. Wouldn't it be great to be able to gain the time you lost to come back? Alongside all the cash you've used on gas trains, tickets to train stations etc!

The drawbacks of remote work

Every rose is accompanied by an the acorn. Remote work is an idealized dream, but it's not without a few difficulties:

• It's a little challenging to manage interactions with other people. If you're a person who enjoys talking to people with a glass of wine, taking them out on lunch dates or meeting with friends during work hours, working remotely may not be the ideal choice to meet your requirements. While you'll interact with your clients, the vast majority of meetings are conducted via telephone or video calls, not a conference room or café. Certain, those who work in cubicles often find themselves in the midst of constant interruptions. However, sometimes distractions could be more beneficial than solitude!
• All the details you're responsible for. If you're working in your own way and will be tasked to generate leads as well as pitching prospects and closing them, then doing the actual work as well as taking care of financial matters and managing your time, and all this without guidance from an employer or the assistance of departments.
• There are numerous distracting factors. There are many people who are imagining the idea of remote work, however they do not see themselves working remotely. They lack the necessary skills to handle themselves and not being distracted by distractions. If you're not convinced that you're ready to become the master of your own existence, working remotely could be the best option for advancing your company.

• It is likely that you will encounter problems with communication. If you're part of an online community, it could include members from several countries that have differing time zones. In order to bring everyone on the same page may be a challenge. It can be difficult to comprehend diverse cultural norms (you may act or behave in ways that could be offensive to a different cultures) and communication issues centered around words and meanings that may be misinterpreted.

What can you do to find remote work

No matter if you're a self-employed professional or want to do remote work for several organizations, these websites can aid you in locating remote opportunities.

• AngelList AngelList is one of the most effective websites to search for remote positions and jobs, it allows users to search for jobs based on geographical place of work (choose the option "Remote") functions, kind (full time, part-time or full-time, etc.) and also pay. It is used in hiring and retaining employees for businesses like Facebook, Uber, Tinder, Medium, Coinbase, as well as Crunchbase.
• We Work Remotely: We Work Remotely is one the biggest communities on the internet (with more than 130,000 monthly active users) to find jobs and to post them that aren't restricted by commutes, or a specific area of the world. We Work Remotely is a popular We Work Remotely community is frequently used for locating potential employees.
• Jobspresso Jobspresso allows users to look for positions with innovative companies such as Zapier, Student Loan Hero and Bustle.
• Hubstaff Talent: Hubstaff is well-known for their time-tracking program, however it's possible that you don't know they also give job opportunities. If you've fulfilled the qualifications you want to search for and check for a signboard beside the job description that will inform you if the job is distant or not.
• Remotive: Remotive is another amazing job-related site utilized by a number of the top websites like Buffer, InVision, GitHub and Zapier.
• GrowthHackers: GrowthHackers offers a variety of services to help to improve your hacking skills, and also an employment site. In contrast to other sites on their site it's not only about the number of job openings. But, all jobs listed on GrowthHacker are of the best quality.

Tips to improve productivity when working remote

Working remotely involves managing numerous aspects. These suggestions can help you get this balance right and aid you to create your ideal (productive) situation:

A dedicated work space and hours of operation

Flexible work hours can cause distractions and excuses when working so it's essential to create a routine as soon as you can. If you fail to do this, you'll always find yourself tempted to get involved in other activities but before you even realize it the day is ended!

There is no need for an office space in your house office in order to make remote work successful. A room or space that the family and roommates aren't disturbed (and optimally, with the option of closing doors!) suffices. Many remote workers believe that it's beneficial to work in a place which has a focus. It is helpful in making an obvious distinction between the moments you're working, you mean business--and when you're not not in the office, it's not work!

If you're not able work from home, it's an option to find the best place to work outside of the privacy of your home house. This could be the library, coffee shop or even a coworking space (to give a couple of alternatives).

If you like being in an environment that is quiet, then being in a library could be an ideal option. This isn't a good option for people who are constantly making calls. Look over the types of workspaces located outside your home and then figure out a fit in with your "normal" everyday schedule.

Eliminating distractions

Distractions can be the most significant obstacle for productivity, particularly when remote workers are involved. It's a common practice, however an Salary.com research found that an most employees are absent for at least two hours per every day because of various distractions. The loss in productivity of businesses is 544 billion dollars annually. We can guarantee that the figures are steadily rising over the years due to the ever-growing number of distraction aspects are introduced into our everyday routines.

The first step to eliminate your mind from the clutter you're faced with is to do an examination of your daily routine to identify the areas where you may waste your time. You can use software for tracking time like rescuetime to track the amount of time you spend on specific websites as well as specific types of.

When you've identified where you are spending your time, you can take a proactive approach to reducing the amount of time you've spent by creating a schedule of things you need to perform on a daily routine. You can accomplish this by dividing the time you devote to reading into smaller chunks. This could include the reading of emails. Speaking of emails, as according to the McKinsey Global Institute it is estimated that an average individual is working for around thirteen hours per week. It's about 28 percent of the time they are working!

In you are planning your time block it is important to be realistic about the time you'll be able to allocate to different projects. You should estimate your involvement for various activities and projects in order to allow for delays and unexpected events. If you're able finish the project in a less duration than you had anticipated it means you have time you want to accomplish, including shopping, or just relaxing!

Make sure you take care of things that aren't as important in the future.

When you're working It's easy to be lost in the details which don't have to be urgent. In your head. If you don't think it's urgent, resist the urge to take action immediately.

Why? It takes most people around 25 minutes to regain their attention again following a distraction. If there is any issue, make sure that it is quick to let it be known, if necessary, as well as when you'll be scheduled to meet. This "trains" anyone you speak to in the knowledge that you're busy and can't do everything in one go and they must take their time.

Remove the distracting factors

Apart from issues with focus and concentration in particular, it's also crucial to stay clear of distractions or distracting circumstances in your work.

If you notice frequent checking your email or check for social media updates, you can take advantage of programs such as StayFocusd to block access to certain websites. If you're one of those who's immersed in their mobiles then you must be able to switch your phone off, and then put it in a place where you're able to focus on work. If Facebook is a big problem for you, then think about the extension Facebook News Feed Eliminator Extension to Google Chrome..

On a final note ensure that you keep your workspace neat and clean so that you don't get tempted to tidy up your workspace in order to delay working.

Employ the Right People

Due to the worldwide connectivity which we are living in, it's not difficult to connect with virtual employees that can assist you in the issue you're trying to solve regardless of the cost. If you're trying to reduce expenses, you might consider utilizing virtual workers from countries with less expensive costs of living. It's a disadvantage that it will be necessary to deal with issues related to culture and communication in addition to different times zones. If you're dealing with those who accept cheap rates Be aware there are instances when your work quality additionally reduced.

Toggl suggests hiring workers who have the following three prerequisites:

• There's a long-standing tradition of self-management. Self-motivated self-managers can inspire themselves to work and without the need for control.
• They've got a solid support program. Remote work can be lonely. Find colleagues who have shown they're ready to face this task, and who also provide support in their home.
• They possess writing skills. Because a significant portion of the communication between team members who are in remote places is text-based it is important to have people on your team who can communicate clearly.

Create a Task Management System

To establish the correct workflow, it's crucial to establish workflow systems. This is crucial for remote teams. If you're looking to accept new members, make sure your onboarding process includes an explanation of the system and the way it operates.

Systems provide a framework to assist your team to make the process more effective.

Task Management Systems to Consider

There are a variety of ways for assigning tasks priority but we'll focus on the three most effective models from the most popular ones:

ABC Method

ABC method ABC method is an easy method of setting priorities where you put tasks on your schedule according to

• They are among the most crucial tasks: one that requires urgent attention. The risk is being penalized severely if they do not be finished on time.
• B for essential tasks. However the task could lead to small penalties in the event they aren't completed in time. The assignments could cause anger if they're not finished in time, but they don't need to cause to worry about life and death like assignments A.
• C for tasks that are easy to complete, but there is no penalty for not completing the tasks. It is one of the very least, things capable of being put off.

If you're assigned multiple tasks to finish for A, B A, C or B, each task could be assigned numbers 1, 2 or 3, (and the list goes on) according to the priority of each. Imagine it as a strictly-controlled method to start your A-1 task immediately and do not start another task until you've finished.

Eat the Frog Method

A simpler version of the ABC strategy, this will help you complete what you're not eager to complete (usually the most significant and demanding task of your day). This isn't easy but being disciplined about adhering to this approach can assist you with the difficult jobs!

The Four-Square Method

The technique was devised by Stephen Covey in his book The Seven Habits of high-performance people, this technique is used to dividing all the tasks you have to complete into four quadrants.

• The initial four quarters are reserved for crucial and urgent work (top priority)
• In the second half, time will be reserved for tasks crucial, but not necessarily urgent.
• The third quarter is reserved to work which is urgent, but not critical.
• The fourth quarter of the year is reserved to fund initiatives not essential or vital.

The tasks in the first quadrant are ones you perform, whereas the tasks of the following quadrant comprise tasks you select when and how you'll employ to complete the goals. The tasks that fall in the third quarter comprise those are ones you DO NOT RESIST, while those that fall in the fourth quarter your workspace could be those you decide to not do (or think about to do at some point in the future in the future).

The three methods of directing activities aren't suitable for your specific work environment Consider these other methods of prioritizing that you could think about.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT MULTITASK.

Many people believe that multitasking is beneficial however, as per the study conducted by a neuroscientist from MIT multitasking makes the likelihood that you'll fail and reduce your efficiency and hinder creative thinking. The brain is forced to expend more energy when you switch between various activities. However, creative thinking comes from a long focus.

The time you spend focused on one subject is far more efficient than 1.5 hours spent performing multiple tasks. You should begin a task (no distracting factors) to complete it continue by completing the next.

3 January, 2019,

While you're constantly thinking of different things the brain must follow its path to keep track of every aspect of the many tasks you're working on. Don't give yourself being skeptical and keep your focus to one project at a!

Tips for Saving Time Remotely

Time is money, and is the most effective resource for remote employees. Use these tips for saving time to be more effective:

• You can delegate or outsource. All people require assistance in some way. If you're having an assistant on the job or even a remote group there is a need to assign specific tasks, or portions of tasks (like researching to write blogs) for getting things going. This process begins by choosing the tasks you'd like to delegate. They are typically the less urgent jobs (like that of the C and B tasks within ABC's ABC strategy) specifically when working on training. Give plenty of time to each team member to complete the task in order to review the results and add your own suggestions prior to when anything is due to be done.
• Avoid attending gatherings. They are generally time-wasting and should be avoided when you can. If you are required to organize an event with someone, you must organize your own event and keep the duration at a minimum of 30-minutes (15 minutes should be your choice!). Create a timetable and be certain that everyone has plans in place, so that you're in a position to discuss ideas with one another at the start.
• Use shortcuts. When it comes to emails, you could make use of template templates or shortcuts, such as TextExpander that can help you extend the meaning of the most frequently used phrases when you type in the correct text shortcuts. Use programs to allow you to create or maintain passwords (like 1Password or LastPass) to ensure that you do not need to commit data to your brain (or more importantly, make sure you keep your information secure).
• Unsubscribefrom unnecessary emails, for example, messages from companies don't interest you, which only add to the things which need to be sorted out from your inbox of emails.

Make sure you take an interest in these innovative productivity methods.

Work remotely from your home with the tools

Zapier says that the three components of an effective remote configuration include processes, tools for teamwork and. Since you can't effectively supervise other individuals, be sure you are in control of the tools you use and your process.

They're some of the most widely employed remote tools.

Accounting and Invoicing using QuickBooks

QuickBooks connects with your bank accounts, ensuring that you can effortlessly keep track of your business's expenses. In addition, you could utilize Quickbooks to create invoices in addition to make payments to your employees using Payroll.

A lot of remote workers for multinational companies are viewed as contractors who are independent. When this happens it's a great idea to employ the aid from a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Companies such as IC Tax consultants only work with employees who are facing these types of situations. They have the ability to manage pay stubs, as well as the tax related paperwork that is required and paperwork, which eases the strain of tax season.

Cloud Storage: Google Drive

Communications: Skype and Slack

It's simple to rack up costs when you have to conduct regular local or international calls. For remote workers, the solution to this problem will be Skype that allows unlimited video or audio phone calls (and also conference calls)--as as the user has an internet connection which is stable.

Jan Hofen, founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Planio is an avid advocate of text-based tools that facilitate communication. This is especially true if you have coworkers who live in multiple nations. You can't keep seeking help whenever there's an opportunity! Utilizing tools that communicate via text assists in clarifying the issue because you get the chance to think about everything you have to communicate before you review and alter your message for clarity.

Payments: PayPal

Project Management Asana

Time Monitoring: Harvest

Harvest is a complete system for managing time that lets users track time as well as charge customers. It is also compatible with other applications such as Asana as well as Quickbooks. If you are employed in a remote workplace and you consider that you need to be monitoring them from time time, you can utilize Hubstaff to capture screen shots of their monitors to ensure that they're in line.

Time Zone Sanity: everytimezone.com and there

In terms of working at the home office, it is necessary to manage various timezones for coworkers blogger, programmers and bloggers. Instead of trying to find out about the various timezones, you can bookmark a program that converts timezones for you such as everytimezone.com. It is also possible to go further and use tools that let you enter the time of people who work with you and make it easier to locate, such as there.pm.

Make sure you take proper care of your body

If you're enthusiastic about the project you're working on or chasing some important deadlines, you'll be fully engaged at the job. Doing nothing to take charge of your needs is one of the most efficient ways to exhaust yourself.

Here are some important tips for self-care techniques as well as making a lasting remote work setting.

• Be aware of your motivation. Be aware of the principal reason for why you began working from the comfort of your own house. Was it something to do with having the chance to be with your loved ones? in the interest of traveling? Do you know if you're in line to meet your goals. If not, it's time to modify your plan or get assistance to reduce your workload.
• Make sure to take regular breaks. Many people believe break time is not productive when you are engaged in a range of tasks during breaks. However, taking breaks have been proven to boost effectiveness by reducing fatigue in the decision-making process, increasing creativity and enhancing understanding. If you're concerned about losing time, why not take breaks and complete what you must finish, such as loading your clothes at the same time, clean dishes, or even vacuum? Making sure you get up at the correct time is essential for well-being!
• Eat properly and exercise. After working for a while and eating, you might want to take easy and order a meal delivery. The benefit of having your own at-home office is the capacity to cook healthy meals. Additionally, through controlling the schedule of your schedule it allows you to set aside the time in your day for exercise. The most important thing is to look after yourself since that's the only option that's available (and because the care it provides is cost-effective). An exercise desk that can be elevated or a standing ball can be a great option to break up your monotony sitting for long lengths of time.
• Finish your day with a closing sigh after the conclusion of your day. Even though there's no set working hours or anyone says you must take a break after the day's work, it doesn't indicate that you should go on working until your body is willing to let go. Set healthy boundaries. There will always be work when you wake up each day. Be aware that your task will not be taken serious. So you should take advantage of this opportunity to stay close to the ones you love dearly.
• Professional development. While you're ensuring that your body is best of its ability and your mind is in top shape, it's also essential to nourish your mind. It's essential to continue learning new courses (even online classes) or to attend a conference. You never have to be older to learn something new.
• Give yourself a treat and treat yourself. It's a lengthy and hard-working process, so it's proper to give yourself an incentive for all the hard work you've done often. It could be as simple as a little treat (like that chocolate treat you've always dreamed of) or an extravagant gift (like your dream trip that you've dreamed of taking). The gift doesn't have to take a huge amount of money. Maybe a date night with the people you cherish is enough. Make sure not to commit to it as the reward comes after the results. Delaying the moment of gratification can help to develop willpower. It will also assist you to discover the drive to finish the job with minimum effort.

The Last Thoughts All you should know about working remotely

There are plenty of benefits of working remotely however there's also a few challenges. If you're proficient at managing your time effectively, just like your boss, you'll be able to maximize opportunities to realize your full potential.

     What are your most effective tips for working remote? Share them in the remarks!

Maddy Osman

Maddy Osman creates engaging content by using SEO the best techniques for thought-leaders, marketers as well as the heads of agencies who have many things to attend to with clients and projects. Find out more about her method and her experiences in her Blogsmith blog The Blogsmith as well as read the latest posts on twitter: Maddy Osman @MaddyOsman.

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