September 02, 2020

Working Remotely: Common Mistakes People Make

With digital nomadism, the world is now a global village. Remote working is fun and relaxing, but can also be a bane if you fail to organize yourself meticulously.

With a reliable internet connection, there are hundreds of remote jobs you can engage in.

Working Remotely: Common Mistakes People Make: eAskme
Working Remotely: Common Mistakes People Make: eAskme

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Consequently, the waters can be challenging to paddle through.

Here are nine common mistakes people make while teleworking:

1. Hanging on To the Same Routine

Working from home is all different from working in an office. You need to reschedule your routine and time table.

The activities you do in an office setup are all different in the remote environment.

You need to create time for your work versus your family, primarily if you work in a home setup. It would help if you also kept communication and teamwork with your colleagues.

Have some time with your manager or supervisor to keep up the warm flow.

Engage with successful remote workers for some help as you master the ropes.

2. Overworking

You are very likely to miss lunch or that cup of coffee as you work around the clock to beat deadlines.

With remote working, you can quickly turn into a workaholic and lose a sense of time.

Create a schedule and a work-to-do-list on the previous night. With this, you will avoid getting too much done in a short time.

You may suffer from body strain due to overworking.

When working with digital devices, adopt the 20-20-20 rule. Take a 20-second break from the screen every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away.

3. Juggling During Meetings

We all hate meetings. It is very tempting to keep engrossed in a forum to completion.

This is often when most of the members meet physically with a few of you online.

You are likely to engage in other tasks or even leave your meeting unattended.

This often sounds rude to the host of the meeting. If an appointment is worth your time, give it your undivided attention.

Engage with other participants and make your contributions. Be active, not passive! It’s also decent to switch on your camera and follow the discussion.

4. Losing Your Train of Thought

It is common for some things to slip through the cracks while teleworking. You could be fending your baby while working and forget some essential attributes.

Akin to any other job, own up the mistake, and move on.

Have a diary and create notes while working remotely. Jotting down deadlines and other vital elements while assisting in refreshing your memory.

Have a calendar on your digital devices and mark events on it.

Go through your calendar as you kickstart your day in the morning. In case you happen to forget something, own up and apologize to the affected parties.

5. Compromising on Infrastructure

I'm working remotely, can't I work on the couch or bed?

Big mistake!

Teleworking is just like any other job. Give it the attention and seriousness that it deserves.

Invest in a suitable desk, working headset, and a fully configured phone.

Working on the couch is not a felony, but you pose yourself to some risks.

You are likely to suffer from back and neck strains since you are not in an upright position. Sleep is another monster that takes over while working from the bed.

Invest in quality headphones for seamless meetings with your seniors and colleagues.

Make sure your phone equipment is optimally set up and get an ergonomic desk. Remember, remote working should always be fun and inspiring.

6. Indecent Dress Code

Remote working offers a flexible and diversified wardrobe. However, shun from donning pajamas as you work.

Get up early and prepare yourself in decent attire. Our clothing influences our cognition.

According to Northwestern University, employees exude vitality when they wear clothes with a symbolic meaning.

Strive to groom yourself nicely and clad decent attire.

Imagine your boss invites you to an impromptu virtual meeting while in sweatpants or pajamas?

7. Being Distracted

Remote working poses you with myriads of temptations and distractions. You may find it challenging to keep off your favorite movie series or best-selling novel.

You may also experience interruptions from your family and children.

You could be their sole caregiver, thus often get distracted.

Develop a strict work schedule and time plan.

Do not veer off your work hours to attend to other activities. Alert your friends on your available time schedules to avoid impromptu visits.

Setting up an office-like environment will also help tone down the distractions.

Give yourself some break during the work hours to attend to issues that may pose a threat to your attention.

Set structures and boundaries just as you would do in the physical office setup.

8. Taking No Notice of Call Etiquette

Communication is the backbone of teleworking. You will need to keep in touch with clients, colleagues, and your seniors.

You, therefore, cannot afford to ignore phone etiquette.

For meetings, log in some minutes earlier and test your connection. It would be best to acquaint yourself with the phone tools and software to be used in the specific meeting.

It's frustrating to slow down everyone due to your ignorance.

Mute your microphone to avoid echo feedback and unnecessary noise reception.

When answering phone calls, be concise and clear to the point. Do not shy away from airing your views or engaging with the client.

9. Disregarding Health

While teleworking, your health may go south if you are not keen.

While working in an office involves some physical activity, remote working may result in obesity due to reduced physical activity and increased feeding.

Take some walk, stand, and do some exercise as you continue working remotely. You may experience numbness or back/wrist pains due to prolonged sitting hours.

According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, sitting for a 30 minutes interval, poses fewer risks.

Teleworking is the future of work. Embrace it with sanguinity as we adopt the new norm. Avoid these nine common mistakes to enjoy the benefits of working remotely.

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