Working and communicating remotely

Helpful Tips For Folks Working Remotely:

1) Start each day with a to-do list

a. Make sure something is simple and doable for each day

b. Embrace a To-Do List (things you have TO DO) & TADA list (things you have magically done because you are awesome-write that down too!)

2) Give yourself grace if you practice “self-care” in the middle of the day

3) Have the same boundary of time AT HOME and AT WORK – helps with balance

4) Identify SPACIAL BOUNDARIES for work when you are at home – provides discipline

5) APP: Focus- ability to set up POP ups to remind you to stay on track

6) APP: Rescue Time- Give you stats on how much time you spend on specific websites or apps etc and provides weekly summary.

7) CHROME IDENTITIES: Helps to separate work and personal life – on browsers

8) Create “rituals” to help remind your brain of your transition “work life” to “home life”

9) Schedule appointments to help you structure your start and end points of a work day

10) Asking a trusted staff member to help you stay accountable to the promises you make yourself

11) Working in the early morning/late evening hours = Pros: NO meeting distractions or email communications

12) Channel in SLACK called “Stand Up” to communicate daily to-do list (help you know what they are up to before you engage with other staff members)

13) Designated day (1 hour) meeting, each team gets 1 slide to share what they have done that week in personal or work life. Help with staff connection and sharing.

14) Weekly meeting structure “Personal” Check-In & “Production” Check-In

Items discussed:

1) Relationship with living partner(s) and working remotely

a. Anxiety and guilt for working remotely – finding things to do “remove” guilt before living partner arrives home

2) Missing the commute

a. How it provides a buffer between your HOME life and WORK life – it can feel like a transition

3) What to do when you love working in the physical space of team but transition to working remotely life

a. Felt like you “never went home” if you “worked from home”

b. Mr. Rodgers Approach: Do things that help remind your brain of the change of tasks from Work- Home life. Aka Rituals.

4) How to work across time zones

a. Identifying WHO will do the adjusting…

b. Communicating AVALIBILITY for responding via email

c. Late calls – try to compensate time during the day

5) Work requires EQUIPMENT & working remotely (not a home) but a public rented space

6) Overcoming loneliness

a. Children! (might be an extreme solution…but cute!)

b. Video chatting with another person working remotely

c. Working in a remote working space – to be in community

7) Conference Calls & Accountability

a. Scheduled VIDEO check-ins and communications for team accountability (helps with loneliness)

b. Checking in and out with SLACK

c. Water Color (on SLACK) putting random stuff there to casually socialize