Maintain Connection, own Your outcomes | Succeed at working from home
This article was orginally published on Medium in early 2020.
With the COVID-19 outbreak, there’s been an onslaught of articles this past week about how best to work from home. While the need to have break periods, a clean working space, and putting on pants (yes, apparently we need to be told this) are all important, I feel like we’re missing a large part of the conversation — connection and mental wellbeing.
I’ve worked remotely in almost every variation — from one day a week to full time remote. I’ve evolved a lot in how I work over that time and I hope these strategies are helpful to you. With news the US has suggested all gatherings of 50+ be cancelled over the next 8 weeks, looks like we’re in it for the long haul. Stay safe everyone!
The Basics:
As mentioned above, there are tons of resources available regarding tech and basic setup. I’ll only briefly state what’s been non-negotiable for me:
Have specific working hours and breaks in mind. When I walk upstairs to my office with my coffee and water in hand, I’m starting work — both mentally and physically. I make sure to keep my phone a few feet from my desk as well as any other things that might distract.
If you don’t have a dedicated office space or separate room, create a makeshift one. Even sectioning off part of the kitchen table or counter that will be your daily workspace is helpful to getting in the right mindset.
Noise. Turn off the TV, NPR, etc. Try to shut out notifications and news.
Finally, get comfortable. No, I don’t mean work from your favourite spot on the couch. Make sure your computer height is correct, use a mouse and keyboard, and invest in a half decent chair. You’re there several hours a day. Make your space a source of productivity, not a detractor.
Now, onto much more meaningful suggestions.
Start with Empathy
Despite many people thinking otherwise, I’m an introvert. I love being alone. Love working remotely. There are many people who don’t fall into that camp. One of life’s hardest lessons to live out — Respect where other people are at, their needs, and how you can make them feel most appreciated, seen, and heard.
My biggest lesson when I started working remotely was that I needed to adapt and stretch to account for other’s engagement styles. It may lessen your productivity by 10% but it’s worth it to make your team feel engaged in the long run. I had a colleague that really liked to chat over messenger during her first hour of work. Drove me bonkers but I realized engaging with her during that small window, filled her cup and made the rest of her day significantly more productive.
On the flip side, remember people aren’t mind readers. If you would like to work differently with someone — whether that’s how your meetings function, how often you Slack (instant message), or how and why they reach out during the day — you have to communicate that with them. Don’t get snippy towards someone because they keep instant messaging you their every thought. It’s up to you to communicate your preferences.
Seek to empower people. Know someone who is always quiet during in-person meetings? Chances are they’ll be silent during video calls. Try to ask them direct questions and ensure their voice is heard. When asking a question while on a call, leave space for people to think. I try to count to 7 before I move on.
Key message: Be flexible. Learn other people’s styles. Be open to stretching what makes you comfortable for the greater good of the team. Know yourself. Communicate!
Maintain Connections
Setting up an environment and habits that encourage true connection will pay dividends long term. Again, sounds basic but often ignored when the busyness of work and distractions of home collide.
Be respectful of people’s time. If you’re on a call with someone, pay attention. Don’t text or email while talking to them. Look them in the eyes and seek to have true conversation. We’ve all been there when someone is not actually listening. If this happens over and over, it can greatly impact the relationship. If you’re too busy for the call, don’t be on the call. Period.
Do video as much as possible. Ensure people can see your face. Windows and large lights need to be in front of you, not behind.
Message someone to see if they’re free for a quick call — this replaces walking over to someone’s desk.
Kristy Gentes, a Customer Success Enablement Manager from Boston, shared she often loves when colleagues have something interesting behind them during video chat. “Whether it’s them noticing my latest house project or me seeing new photos of their kids, it makes us remember our larger lives outside of work and affirms our connection as colleagues.”
A few fun ideas to create and maintain connection:
Schedule lunch dates (over video call)
Schedule coffee breaks — reheat your latte and have a 15 minute mid-morning video chat. This can be such a mood booster on hard days.
Getting on a video call with a team? Ask everyone to share what they’re making for dinner that night or something else simple but connecting. You’ll more than likely end up laughing and starting the meeting off on a great note.
Ask people to share photos of their “assistants” that day (ie, dogs or kids)
Create an activity based challenge. For example, a few remote workers and I had a mini-challenge of taking 30 minute walk breaks each day. We texted photos of ourselves, stayed accountable, and again — it helped us connect. May sound small but it’s about engaging over the little things as well as the big, complex business goals.
And remember — you’re human and your colleagues are human. Take the first two minutes during a call and ask how someone is doing. I’m extremely guilty of skipping this. It’s astonishing to me the difference in relationships this makes long term. Show you care.
Owning Your Outcomes
This section is more about mental health and accountability but I feel it is equally, if not more important.
One of the biggest fears employers have with remote work is unknown productivity levels. You’ll want to prove your ability to get stuff done, and quickly.
The biggest takeaway is OWN YOUR OUTCOMES. Your boss does not and should not care about your distractions. They care if you’re thriving and adding value to the organization. If you are falling behind and struggling to focus. Own it. Work through it. Change what you need to but get it done! If you know you struggle scrolling Instagram, put your phone across the room. If you spent the last hour sending memes to a colleague instead of prospecting, take a 5 minute walk and refocus. You own what you achieve everyday. No one else is responsible for your success so own the process of enabling yourself to achieve it.
Set yourself up for success the night before. End each day by writing tomorrow’s goals. From there, map out your day. The next morning you walk into your “office” ready to tackle your goals and whatever challenges arise. This also helps me have an official end to the work day.
If you work from home this week and on Friday find you did not get nearly as much done as you thought you would. Reflect, transition, and make sure you start next week ready to try different strategies.
Push through the discomfort that new situations often bring. Ask for help if you need it. Own Your Outcomes, Own Your Day!
As we all adjust to this unique and often stressful situation, I hope this article was helpful in enabling your transition. I’d love to continue the conversation! Comment your favourite strategies to stay connected or something that helped you stay focused this week.