I’ve held a number of positions in small start up companies where office space was limited — or nonexistent. And along while I adjusted to the new, professional world, it brought along another challenge: I would have to work remotely.
Working in a remote position is on the rise. According to a 2017 New York Times article, about 31% of Americans spend 80 to 100% working in an un-traditional office setting. And with the explosion of social media and the internet, I’m sure that trend is here to stay.
When I first started, I reveled in the freedom like an unsupervised child in a candy store. I binged on Netflix while plugging away at my laptop. I snuggled with my pups while writing up social media strategy. Stayed in pajamas all day? Did that.
Soon, it caught up with me. I needed to learn how to buckle down and really become a productive worker. Along the way, I’ve learned some great things about myself and skills that translate not only to working at home, but in the office as well.
- Discipline. A great skill that working from home taught me was discipline. To force myself to stay on one task and not get distracted by the siren song of Netflix or the warm cocoon of my bed mere feet away. What works for me is setting a time limit. “Okay, I’m going to work for the next hour, THEN take a break and watch the next episode of the Crown.” Showing you can work hard and get things done without losing focus is valued wherever you go.
- Flexibility. The opposite of rigidness is going with the flow. Working in social media means basically checking all of your business accounts at all hours of the day to make sure everything is posted and there’s no inappropriate comments. And, if you’re like me and get creative surges at night, you can work whenever you feel most awake and productive. That can mean weekends, too! Showing your versatility in the workplace is great!
- Communication. Since you can’t just stroll over to your boss’s desk to chat, learning how to effectively communicate is essential to working remotely and translates everywhere.
- Learning your own work style. I always thought I needed complete silence to get work done. Turns out, sitting in a completely silent house for seven hours a day can get old quickly (and kind of spooky). I figured out I need some sort of background noise, mimicking the sounds of an office. Popping on travel shows at a lower volume does the trick for me! By being forced to confront your own work habits without any distractions, you can figure out what makes you a more productive worker and apply those habits in future jobs.
- Computer wizardry. Usually, working remotely means using a computer to do you job. That means becoming very familiar with email, Microsoft Office, your website, software, etc. Wow your older relatives by successfully uploading a document to Google drive, or simply add “computer skills” to your resume.”
- Resume booster. Speaking of resumes, adding “able to work remotely” will definitely grab the attention of the recruiter or HR officer. Working remotely is still a fairly new concept, so it’ll show you’re trustworthy, dependable and flexible.
Faith Brody 