Everybody's talking about remote work.
Here are 10 ideas for being a happier, healthier, and more productive remote worker.
1. Communicate in long-form: Most companies do too much messaging and not enough long-form writing. Communicate less often, but with much more rigor.
Here are 10 ideas for being a happier, healthier, and more productive remote worker.
1. Communicate in long-form: Most companies do too much messaging and not enough long-form writing. Communicate less often, but with much more rigor.
2. Daily Progress Reports: Check-in with your team at the end of every day. Answer the following questions:
1) What did I get done today?
2) What did I learn today?
Long-form writing will improve everybody's thinking and eliminate distractions. I also like @Basecamp's system.
1) What did I get done today?
2) What did I learn today?
Long-form writing will improve everybody's thinking and eliminate distractions. I also like @Basecamp's system.
3. Weekly Progress Reports: Send these to your team on Sundays.
1) What did I get done this week?
2) What can I do better next week?
3) What did I learn last week?
These reports take time, but they're worth it. Week-by-week, you'll grow your own knowledge base.
Here's mine.
1) What did I get done this week?
2) What can I do better next week?
3) What did I learn last week?
These reports take time, but they're worth it. Week-by-week, you'll grow your own knowledge base.
Here's mine.
4. See Friends
When you work alone, loneliness is a real risk. There are rarely in-person meetings or water cooler conversations, and the activation energy to leave home can be high. Add time with friends to your schedule, and commit to meaningful time with your loved ones.
When you work alone, loneliness is a real risk. There are rarely in-person meetings or water cooler conversations, and the activation energy to leave home can be high. Add time with friends to your schedule, and commit to meaningful time with your loved ones.
5. Build a Shared Knowledge Base
We keep all of our Standard Operating Procedures in @NotionHQ. We get everything in detailed writing whenever we meet, so we can trust a central source of truth in the future. Long-term, we save ourselves time and eliminate confusion.
We keep all of our Standard Operating Procedures in @NotionHQ. We get everything in detailed writing whenever we meet, so we can trust a central source of truth in the future. Long-term, we save ourselves time and eliminate confusion.
6. Keep communication channels separate.
Different channels should serve different purposes. In general, the shorter the average message, the more ephemeral the platform. For example, your shared knowledge base is for timeless ideas, and reserve Slack for urgent messages only.
Different channels should serve different purposes. In general, the shorter the average message, the more ephemeral the platform. For example, your shared knowledge base is for timeless ideas, and reserve Slack for urgent messages only.
7. Have team overlap
Even if your team works across time zones, make sure you have 2-3 hours per workday when everybody works at the same time. Then, reserve the rest of the day for deep work or time away from the computer.
Nevertheless, you should default to asynchronicity.
Even if your team works across time zones, make sure you have 2-3 hours per workday when everybody works at the same time. Then, reserve the rest of the day for deep work or time away from the computer.
Nevertheless, you should default to asynchronicity.
8. Break a sweat every day
Your commute is gone. Your walks around the office are gone. And your daily walking meetings are gone. Make sure you stay active by scheduling a daily workout. Remote work gives you control over your time, so get in the best shape of your life.
Your commute is gone. Your walks around the office are gone. And your daily walking meetings are gone. Make sure you stay active by scheduling a daily workout. Remote work gives you control over your time, so get in the best shape of your life.
9. Track Your Time
Tracking your time working is the best way to analyze your habits. Now that you're away from the office, you can work without interruption and get clean data on you how you spend your computer time. Use it to improve your work habits. I use @Timeular for this.
Tracking your time working is the best way to analyze your habits. Now that you're away from the office, you can work without interruption and get clean data on you how you spend your computer time. Use it to improve your work habits. I use @Timeular for this.
10. Long-Term Planning
It's hard to think creatively over video chat, so our team meets in-person four times per year. These regular meetings help us build trust, plan for the upcoming quarter, and commit priorities. Once our planning is done, we enter execution mode.
It's hard to think creatively over video chat, so our team meets in-person four times per year. These regular meetings help us build trust, plan for the upcoming quarter, and commit priorities. Once our planning is done, we enter execution mode.
Here are some tactical ideas for remote workers.
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