New year’s isn’t just a time for resolutions. They’re also a great opportunity for year-end lessons.
Think about it. Don’t we base our resolutions on everything we’ve learned the previous year anyway?
This 2022, remote work is more mainstream than ever. Vaccination drives are still ongoing, but it’s possible that this new Omicron variant won’t be the last. Hence, it’s likely that companies (and employees) will continue (and likely prefer) working remotely.
So, as we face another year of remote working, let’s consider six important lessons from 2021:
Self-motivation is key to success in remote work.
Remote work is real work. Although it gives you flexibility and saves you time and money, it also demands more effort and discipline. With all these benefits come distractions, especially if you are a parent.
Aside from working, you may also have to do some laundry, cooking, and looking after your kids. Let’s not forget how distracting scrolling through your feed or browsing through the internet can be as well.
Sure, there’s no one breathing down your neck, but that also means you’re in charge of keeping yourself in line too. For instance, if you can’t avoid the distractions around you, it would be ideal to have a separate home office. If you have trouble kicking your browsing habit at work, you website blocking apps can help you stay focused.
So is time management and proper delegating.
That said, managing your time is easier said than done. I mean, it IS difficult juggling tasks like supervising, mentoring, and exploring other business opportunities. It is all too easy to get lost in the middle of your tasks.
If you’re struggling, you can start by learning easy time management techniques. Start small by writing down tasks or setting a reminder. It might feel overwhelming at first, but everything gets better with practice.
The next part is a bit trickier: delegating. All entrepreneurs start out doing everything themselves out of necessity. However, as your business grows, you will have to delegate a lot of your daily tasks to people who can do them better than you. So you can focus on taking your business to the next level.
We ALL want a good work-life balance.
Ah, a good work-life balance. Isn’t this why a lot of us love remote work so much? Because it makes what seems so elusive in a traditional office within reach?
Yes, we’re still working. But at least we get to see our family members and spend time with them during breaks.
And now that most people have had a taste of this, you can bet that they won’t want to go back to the way things were prior. At least not in 2022.
And speaking of a good work-life balance…
We need to build -and stick to- better WFH boundaries.
…this can only be achieved if you learn to set boundaries. Remote work may seem easy, but the boundaries here aren’t as solid as they are at a traditional workplace.
As a business owner, it may sometimes feel like you’re never actually off work. You’re likely to receive calls or messages, even on holidays and weekends.
So no matter how tempting it is to send off or open “just one email,” set some boundaries – and stick to them. After all, you also need to recharge and relax every now and then. If you really want to manage your teams well, you must also take care of yourself better.
Take better care of your health when you WFH.
When you’ve got a flexible schedule or don’t have to get up early to drive or commute, you can end up binge-watching Netflix till the wee hours. Frequently snacking on high-sodium, high-calorie snacks and neglecting exercise is also a slippery slope that comes with working from home.
To run your company effectively, you need to stay mentally and physically healthy. This means being more mindful of what you eat, making time to exercise, and getting enough sleep.
But hey, isn’t that what your typical New Year’s resolution sounds like anyway?
Technology should foster connections.
Remote work taught us the importance of meaningful connections. When you and your colleagues don’t see each other face to face, rapport and trust is even more important.
And if you know how to utilise the right technology, you can leverage these connections for maximum productivity regardless of where you are.
But really, the most important lesson we’ve learned is that remote work is indispensable. And it’s high time you make the most of it.
Remote Staff has been assisting Australian SMEs and entrepreneurs like you to find, hire, and retain skilled remote workers from the Philippines since 2007. So if you’re ready to apply all these lessons this year (and beyond) by hiring a remote worker (or team), we got you covered.
Call us today or schedule a call back and let’s get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home. Hermits, aspiring hermits, and non-hermits with interesting project propositions may email her at serena.estrella10@gmail.com.
