Remote Working Tips?

Congrats on the new job!

Remote working isn't for everyone but I love it.

I’ve worked remotely for a few years and all the obvious productivity advice is obvious because it works. I’m talking about needing:

• a dedicated workspace with a good chair
• natural light
• a pull up bar or kettlebell/weight near your desk so you can keep active between tasks
• a regular supply of coffee.

But the main thing that makes me more productive sounds counter-intuitive at first:

Do less work.

Let me explain:

I’ve found that I am most productive when I have taken the time to go outside for a walk, cooked a decent meal for myself, played with my dogs or done some form of exercise. Even things like having a shower or doing the dishes is enough of a cognitive boost to get work-related things done.

And when you think about it, spending an hour to do one of those tasks doesn’t eat into your time that much when you don’t have to commute.

Hey Jake, congrats on your new job!

Here are some tips I think can improve your remote working experience:

• Dress as you would when going to an office
• Plan your day and have a clear set of priorities
• Set time for deep-work (distraction-free work is really important)
• Set time time for taking a break
• Know when to call it a day
• Invest in a great chair & desk that feels comfortable since you're going to spend most of your day at it
• Drink a lot of watter/tea (hydration is really important but so overlooked)

Hope this helps.

P.S. Shameless plug - I actually started a newsletter about remote work and building a team culture when working remotely - if you want you can subscribe for more articles, tips and actionable advice - https://cultureweekly.substack.com

All of the suggestions here are great, I find that remembering to switch off and out your work down is also really important. You will find you end up working far more than you would in an office and you have to remember to down tools and have some you time.

Hey, good luck. worked remote for past 6 years as a developer - here my piece of mind

• 8 hours is enough, establish begin and end of the work day, create a routine around it , mine is working clothes + coffie
• have a dedicated places for work, food and rest, switch them, even in single room - my biggest fail is to eat at working table
• good chair, table, monitor, pc - it's your working tools, keep it top notch
• go out some time for working in cafe, parks, libraries, even coworkings - it's fun and productive

The biggest tip I can give is to get a standing desk. When I went remote due to covid, my back instantly started to hurt (not because of the chair). What I found, is that I was no longer strolling an office to talk to people or walking down the hall to have a meeting, or walking a few blocks to grab lunch. I was just sitting all day everyday. So I bought some automatic standing desk legs to retrofit my existing desk. I now stand while I work a good 60% - 70% of the time.

If you are curious, this is what I bought:
Standing Desk Legs: https://amzn.to/3hV6lcT
Standing Mat: https://amzn.to/350FRTD

Hi Jake,

I worked remotely in 2016-2017 and again from July 2019 until today. Probably not a lot to add to what you have already read/heard.

• Try to find a place that allows you to isolate and use as your office (preferably not your bedroom, playroom, kitchen, etc). I have a small 2x2 mts. room that fits that role. Some people even rent a small office or co-working place (at least pre-covid).
• Try to stick to a schedule, similar/same as the one you are used to.
• Find some physical activity to do. I really missed walking back from the office to my home after work. I replaced that with tennis, but right now due to covid not available and I feel the difference. Even a short walk around the neighborhood, for example after lunch or at the end of the day, should feel good.

Enjoy the benefits! but don't stay too much inside :).

P.S.: The ergonomic chair tip is extremely good. Spend what you can afford in a quality one. My favorite would the: Herman Miller Aeron or similar.