A few remote working tips from twenty experts with 100+ years experience working remotely
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🪑get a great chair and desk
An ergonomic chair and an electric sit + stand desk are essential
Nobody wants back pain and it’s impossible to do great work for a long time without them
🗣understand async working
Asynchronous work is the super power of remote work. It empowers everyone to do deep focussed work without distractions
This allows you to maximize the benefits of remote, have more control over living, and do the best work you have ever produced
✍️always over-communicate
Ensuring everyone knows what is happening and where things stand takes concentrated effort remotely
Over communicating helps keep everyone on the page
🆘ask for help regularly
Not being able to turn around and ask for advice or feedback from a teammate like you would in office often stops new remote workers doing it
Ping a team mate any time you need something, especially if there is no documentation that solves your problem
🥗go to lunch with people
I regularly go out for lunch with friends, family and colleagues
Social time is critical, we are social animals, and doing remote work right means you get far more of it and far more that is higher quality as well
🏃♂️pick up an active hobby
Get out, keep fit and healthy, and get some fresh air
Nothing enables you to break away from the grind of work more than planned daily excercise
✈️travel as much as you can
You’re no longer handcuffed to an office in a fixed location so take advantage of it
Working holidays where I continue to produce what is expected while also vacationing are priceless
💻have a great work setup
Being as safe, comfortable and productive at home as in an office means you need the same tools and equipment
Get a good keyboard + monitor and setup at the proper heights to prevent neck, arm and back pain
⏰learn when to finish the day
Work is never done as there is always something else to do
Build a habit that marks the end of the work day, even if it’s as simple as closing the laptop lid when you’re done
❤️more time for family & friends
Remote work allows you to spend more time with the people you care about most
Take advantage of it and improve your quality of life
🎧get a noise-cancelling headset
Critical when working in areas where you have no control over the surrounding environment like a coffee shop
Allows anywhere to be your ‘office’
🗓️block off time in your calendar
Use your calendar to schedule your day – and then be ruthless in defending those blocks of time
Lunch, deep work, excercise, etc. all have a place and treat them the same way you do other events: don’t cancel them
⚡️tave a ‘transition’ activity
For me, my work day starts when I put my shoes on. Others start their day with a 10-15 minute walk in their neighborhood
Find what works for you
✍️document everything you do
Documentation is another super power of remote teams. It ensures knowledge is always growing inside companies instead of getting lost when people leave
Make it shareable + accessible! This lets other people get value as well
🚧separate work & living space
It’s important to acknowledge the privilege in this, not everyone is fortunate to have it
At times in my life when I wasn’t, I split spaces psychologically, i.e. a rug on the floor in my room
Using a ‘third space’ is also key like coffee shops
🚶♂️take walking meetings
Every meeting doesn’t have to be a Zoom call. Get out and go for a walk while you chat
Walking meetings are the best way to do this
🎥only attend essential meetings
The best remote teams I’ve ever known never feel the need to attend a meeting just because it’s scheduled
This is something more companies should adopt
👯♂️still see your colleagues
Working remotely does not mean you never see your team mates!
Find time to meet up on a cadence that enables you to have the best possible communication and collaboration
We often see remote teams having far better relationships than office teams
🏝remember to take breaks
Not getting enough work done isn’t a concern – remote workers are far more productive – burning out is the real problem
Well-being and mental health are incredibly important. Make sure you take regular breaks and vacations that improve them
😃always assume positive intent
The most important thing
Tone and nuance are almost impossible to pick up all the time in written communication
Always assume positive intent when reading messages and jump on a quick call if you are unclear on anything
Want a great hybrid or remote work experience for you or your team?
In the last year, 11,000+ companies with 20m+ employees signed up to learn how we can help them set up, support, and scale their remote team globally
A few reasons why this is so important
[ a thread ] 💻🏠🌍
❤️Why Remote: I missed my daughter walking, laughing & talking for the first time. Almost everyone who's worked in an office has a similar story
Remote meant a higher quality of life. More time to do the things that make me happiest
While continuing to do meaningful work
🌱Founding Story: Me and @TreyBastian, founded a FinTech startup initially. It had to be remote because of the above and also it was the only way we knew we could find, attract and retain great talent
As we built a remote team we immediately began encountering challenges