Thread by @jamonholmgren

Remote work requires new habits. I'll post tips on new habits to develop as I think of them in this thread. #remotework #remoteworkworks

Slack tip: in high-signal channels, if someone posts something important to the group and you read it but don't need to respond, mark it with an emoji reaction so the OP knows you saw it. It takes a couple seconds and is very helpful.

Never share a video camera on a video conference call. I don't care how much money you spent on that special conference room designed for it, just don't do it. One person, one camera, one headset/earbuds. Just get in the habit.

More about that here: shift.infinite.red/taking-the-pai…

Post in your project channel (or other team-oriented channel) when you get to work and when you leave. Not to "keep tabs", but rather replacing the "oh, hey, looks like Jamon just walked in" part of working at an office.

More about that here: shift.infinite.red/5-slack-channe…

Along those lines, optimize for trust building and goal accountability rather than vanity metrics like seat time. With remote work, it’s more important that people get things done than that they look like they are getting things done.

This isn’t easy, by the way.

Slack tip: when you receive a message, acknowledge that you saw it, even if you lack time. Favorites:

"Thanks for sending this -- I'll read it over tonight and get back with you."
"Hey, just letting you know I saw this. Pretty busy right now but I plan to look into it later."

Slack tip: if you’re writing a message to someone on the weekend, to avoid pinging them, just spell out their name like this: “j-a-m-o-n, <message>”. It not only avoids Slack sending a notification but also lets them know you don’t need an answer right away.

Setting clear expectations and getting stuff done is far more important than working a regular work schedule (9-5 or whatever).

But don't forget to do both of those, every day: 1. Set clear expectations and 2. Get stuff done!

I added a recurring reminder for everyone to set DND for the weekend with this Slackbot command:

/remind #somechannel every Friday at 5PM to "Remember to set DND on your Slack account for 48 hours with `/dnd 48 hours`. Have a great weekend!"

This will post every Friday at 5PM!