Working from home can seem like a vacation at first. No longer subjected to a daily commute; reclined on your couch with a laptop at your fingertips; getting little things done around the house. However, remote work can leave some people feeling isolated and lacking in productivity.
There are a number of tips and tools you can employ to create a virtual working environment that is both effective and enjoyable.
Be your own boss
Not everyone is accustomed to working from home, and getting into work mode in the comfort of your own home can be a huge adjustment. It can be easy to get distracted. There’s always linen to fold or washing up to do. Even chores that you have been meaning to do for a long time, like cleaning out the fridge, may seem more important than getting on with work. Mary Emily O’Hara in A Guide on How to Make the Most of Working From Home During Coronavirus Outbreaks suggests that “…the trick to avoid procrastination is to be your own boss. Set your own working hours, deadlines, and breaks and stick to them like glue”.
Stick to a schedule
It’s helpful to stick to your usual work routine, including getting up early, showering and, yes, dressing out of your PJs. To kick-start your working day it helps to identify tasks you want to complete, keeping in mind any deadlines.
PageProof makes it simple to set due dates for online proofs; invite team members to review and approve your work; or choose from a range of reminder and notification options. If a reviewer has looked at the proof but hasn’t finished yet, you can even send them a nudge in the form of an email notification. Similar to a virtual tap on the shoulder.
Select smart tools
Working remotely would not be effective without software technologies. To allow remote workers to collaborate successfully select a combination of simple but smart tools. You should consider tools to promote smart communication; easy access to corporate resources; secure workflows.
PageProof not only makes online proofing of anything and everything easy and secure, but it also allows integration with many of your other business tools. Examples include:
- Slack and Microsoft Teams for collaboration
- Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Box for team storage
- Basecamp, Asana and Monday.com for project management
- Canva for marketing teams
- Adobe Creative Cloud for creatives and video producers – made especially easy with our Adobe CC extension
- Integrate PageProof with 1000+ web apps using Zapier.
At a time when working from home is becoming the norm, it is vital to create a remote working environment that is both effective and enjoyable. Creating and sticking to a schedule is imperative as is employing smart tools to ensure that you are not left feeling stranded.