Are you thinking about applying for a job that requires remote work? Are you nervous about the work/life shift that could happen? Don’t let these things hold you back! As telecommuting becomes more popular across industries and across the nation, it’s important that people understand that working remote can be efficient!
So what does a remote worker need to do to grow in their role at our company as well as maintain personal fulfillment in their career? Here are a few helpful tips:
1. Find small ways to stay motivated
Instrinsic motivation (motivation that comes from yourself and not from the promise of outside reward) can be difficult to sustain when you’re not in an office environment each day. It’s important to come up with small ways to keep your brain engaged. Here are a few ways we’ve heard from our employees:
- Prioritize your responsibilities in a way that will make you feel accomplished. For example, some people start their day with the most tedious work first so it’s out of the way. Others may start with a task that’s easy or the most fun to start on a positive note.
- Create a mantra that will allow you to clear your head and focus when needed. A mantra is usually something simple but specific and easy to remember and repeat. For example, a salesperson might have a mantra like “I am opening the doors to new clients and abundance.”
- Learn to say “no” to things that distract you from your core responsibilities. It’s wonderful to be involved in other aspects of the company, but you may have to no every now and then if you feel yourself getting burned out.
2. Start your morning right
When you’re working remotely, it’s probable that you don’t have to be at a specific location every day at 9am. While this can be liberating, it can also lead to bouts of… well, laziness. Even if you’re working from home, it’s important to get up, conduct your usual morning routine and get dressed. Some ideas may include:
- Don’t sit on the couch when you could sit at your desk.
- Keep the background quiet.
- Let in natural light.
- Play music that makes you feel focused instead of distracted.
3. Streamline your home and car
When you travel constantly, your car can start to look like a studio apartment–extra shoes and jackets, maybe some snack wrappers or old water bottles. It’s important that your workspace reflects your headspace. When you work remotely, this might mean tidying up your home and car are essential to your focus. Here are a few tips from Restaurant Technologies employees we loved:
- Create a uniform by streamlining your work wardrobe. Don’t worry about making lots of decisions on what to wear. Go for the outfit that makes you feel professional and comfortable and don’t deviate too far from it.
- Create a schedule (that you stick to) for cleaning your car and home office space. On Saturdays, empty your car, go to the car wash and vacuum. On Monday, your first meeting will start with a feeling of focus instead of dread.
- Make your Mondays less manic! Use Sunday evening to get ahead: delete promotional emails you don’t need, create a to-do list for the week, clean up your desk, lay out your clothes and go to bed early.
If you’re applying to work remotely at Restaurant Technologies, these tips can help you create a lifestyle that is not only focused, but efficient. Let us know if you’ve put these into place and how they’re working for you.
