Whether you’ve been working remotely part-time for the past few years or you’re starting a brand-new remote job, there are a few adjustments to make to ensure you’re as successful as you might have been in a full-time office job. There are a lot of distractions at home! But there are also some perks to your new working situation.

To help overcome the distractions, get into a productive groove, and learn new skills, here are some tips for navigating the remote work landscape:

1. Establish a workspace.

Sitting on the couch with a laptop is not the best way to start. No matter how much space you have, you’ll want to designate an area as your working location. Clear the dining room table of clutter or get a desk that will be big enough to hold what you need for work. This will help you separate your work life from your home life, creating a clear boundary and visual cue for where your attention should be (and will help anyone who lives with you know when you’re working and when you’re off).

2. Be an excellent communicator.

When you sign on to start your day, make sure whatever communication program your team uses (Slack, WebEx, Teams, etc.) shows that you’re online and active. Send a little message to your supervisor letting them know you’re ready to go — over time, you might be able to stop doing this, but if you’re new to working from home or in a new job, it’s a good indicator to both of you that your workday has started). Get to know those communication programs and use all the tools they provide, including knowing how to virtually raise your hand during a meeting, how to open the chat during a conference call so you can ask questions or make a point at the moment, etc. Just because you’re not in the same place as people doesn’t mean you can’t have water cooler conversations with your colleagues; use those tools to check in and create personal connections that are so important to building a strong team.

3. Check in with your supervisor about expectations, then stick with them.

If this is the first time you’ve worked from home, have a conversation early on with your supervisor about what’s expected of you. Establish your working hours and learn theirs as well; understand whether you’d be expected to be reachable after those hours and how your working hours would be adjusted as a result. Talk with your team, too, and understand when everyone works and how often they expect to check in with each other. If you have an unexpected absence — you’re sick or need to care for a sick loved one — be sure to communicate that quickly and, if possible, check in during the day.

4. Establish your working hours and routine.

When working in an office, there are certain patterns and routines to help structure the day. You’ll want to do your best to create similar routines in your remote work day as well: Wake up around the same time as you would to commute to work, then give yourself a break around the same time you’d go on a coffee run. Don’t forget to take your lunch break as well — whether you work through it or close the laptop and go for a walk. When it’s time to shut down for the day, close the laptop, turn off your work phone, and be done for the day. This can be a hard practice to adopt as the computer is right there, but it’s important to set and maintain boundaries in order to be successful and resist the pressure to be “on” all the time.

5. Resist the urge to tackle personal errands.

Remember that you’re working from home, the key word: WORKING. You’re being trusted to be responsible, responsive, and productive; you don’t necessarily have the freedom to spend the day making personal calls, running your personal errands, cleaning your house, etc. Some offices might make exceptions to this, but for the most part, you need to treat this as you’d treat working in an office. You’re there to work, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or whatever your working hours are. Signing for a delivery is one thing; doing your weekly grocery shopping is another entirely. Follow the lead of your manager and colleagues.

6. AI learning and skill development.

Embracing the power of AI-driven learning can significantly elevate your remote job experience, regardless of your field. As AI continues to revolutionize industries, integrating it into your skill development strategy can offer a competitive edge and enhance your remote work performance. To dive deeper into how AI can transform your remote work life, consider exploring these sources:

Coursera offers a wide range of AI courses, such as “AI For Everyone” and “AI Fundamentals for Non-Data Scientists” enabling you to grasp AI concepts and understand its practical applications.

Google’s AI Resources, like “Machine Learning Crash Course,” provide a hands-on approach to AI concepts, helping you integrate AI thinking into your remote tasks.

It can be difficult to transition to working from home if you’ve worked on location your whole life, but there are some perks to it. Be sure to dress the part and to be responsible to your team during the work day, but enjoy the perk of not having to fight your way through traffic or having to go out in bad weather! You’ll find ways to be productive and focused and reap the rewards of remote work.

Looking To Explore Remote Opportunities in Hawaii?

If you’re interested in trying a remote job, or if your remote job is not working for you, Bishop & Company can help! Take a look at the jobs we have available and give us a call. Our team can talk you through the application process, help get your resume in order, and will put in a good word on your behalf if they think you’re a good fit for the job. Give us a call today and let’s get started!