The definition of remote work (also known as work from home or telecommuting) is a type of flexible working arrangement that allows an employee to work from a remote location outside of a company office.

If you’re a Gen Xer like me, working remotely wasn’t in the realm of possibilities when you entered the workforce. You commuted Monday through Friday to your office. If you were lucky, you might have had a laptop and the ability to work from home one day a week. Video conferencing? What’s that? You sat in a conference room face to face with your colleagues. Jeans at work? Only on Fridays.

The Workforce Has Changed Tremendously

Fast forward to 2022, and the pandemic made many companies realize that employees don’t need to be located in the same building to be productive. And, because of this, more and more remote jobs are emerging worldwide every day. Here at Front Porch Marketing, we’ve always been remote, and it rocks!

For many people, gone are the days of worrying if you are going to be late to a meeting because you were stuck in traffic. Business casual and casual Fridays are a thing of the past. It’s business on the top, sweatpants on the bottom. Want to work in a different location? Just change your virtual background on Zoom. Work lakeside. Work from the beach. The options are endless.

Overcoming the Pitfalls of Remote Work

Working remotely definitely has benefits that can range from eliminating a long commute to more control over your work hours to spending more time with family. On the other hand, it can also have drawbacks. Whether you’re a long-time pro of telecommuting, or new to the game, let’s talk through three of the pitfalls people make working from home and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Not having a dedicated workspace.

While not everyone has an extra room in their home for a dedicated home office, it’s important to find a space that is free of distractions. Setting up camp from your couch or bed is ok from time to time, but is not advisable for the long term because it lessens your productivity and blurs the lines between work and home.

Think of your work space as your home cubicle. Maybe it means rearranging your bedroom to make room for a desk and chair. Or, do you have a breakfast nook or dining room that no one uses? If so, make it your own with a fun lamp and a picture or two, but most importantly, keep it simple and organized and solely focused on work. This home office environment allows you to set firm boundaries between work and home.

2. Household distractions.

Having the ability to do a load of laundry, being home for a repairman, or putting dinner in the crockpot are all benefits of working from home. But, if you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself wasting a good chunk of your day working on household responsibilities instead of your work task at hand.

Utilize your work calendar by scheduling breaks and a dedicated lunch hour. Use short breaks time to take out the trash, fold a load of laundry or prep kids’ lunches for the next day. Your lunch hour is also a great time to run a quick errand, or get your blood flowing and go for a walk around the neighborhood. If you plan out your time, you’ll find at the end of the work day you have accomplished your work responsibilities and freed up some time in the evening by checking off a few nightly chores from your to-do list too.

3. Work-life balance.

If you are accustomed to being in an office, you more than likely are used to a set start and end time. Sometimes you might go in early or stay late, but typically when you leave the parking garage your work day is over. This isn’t the case when you work remotely.

While flexible hours are a benefit of working from home, it’s important to set boundaries. For some that might mean a set start and end time. Log in at 8. Log out at 5. For others, it might mean working chunks of hours to accommodate kids’ schedules. Whatever your work hours are, when you aren’t working log off your computer and turn off email notifications on your phone. Let your colleagues know this time is dedicated for family or personal time. When you have a balance, and time to disconnect, you will find you are happier and more productive while you’re working.

Remote Work is Here to Stay

It may take time to get used to a remote work environment, and find the schedule and tools and resources you need to be successful. Just know that more than likely you are not alone. Reach out to your colleagues and friends and family. They might have some tips and tricks to help too!

The working world is changing, there’s no doubt about it. Remote work arrangements are on the rise as companies maneuver to keep overhead low, and more and more workers are prioritizing flexibility in their work schedules.  A recent Labor Report indicates that 23% of workers report doing some or all of their work at home, and this trend shows no signs of reversing.

Here on the Porch, we all work remotely. We gather when we need to, have robust dialogue via phone, text and email, and share work product and resources digitally.  The rest … the when, where and how we work … is entirely ours to manage.

For me, it’s ideal. Solitude and silence are welcome commodities. I can largely plan my work around my kids and my commitments. I can work anywhere, at any time. It’s a great combination. But it’s not always rainbows and unicorns, and unfortunately, it’s easy to succumb to the pitfalls.

Distractions

Office environments come with their own set of distractions, there’s no doubt about it – the ringing phones, the chatty co-worker, the people who pop into your office when you’re at your most productive. But when you work remotely, your entire life can be a distraction – the unwashed laundry, the food that needs prepping for dinner, the television, the phone calls from friends.

It’s ok to let yourself go there on occasion, the ability to multi-task when necessary is one of the perks of working from home. But don’t sabotage yourself. Identify your triggers and make a conscious effort to avoid them. Put the remote control away. Set aside a window to respond to personal texts and emails. Or make deals with yourself – work for a few hours straight and then allow yourself a 20 minute spin on the Peloton or 30 minutes with the Real Housewives.

Designated Work Space

If working remotely is a once in awhile situation, working from the kitchen table or having Kelly Ripa on in the background is fine. But if working from home is the norm, you need a designated work space.

Set up a space to work in and ensure that you can be productive there. A designated room in your home that can act as your office is an ideal situation. Ensure it is well lit and stock it with all that you need to work efficiently. Don’t have an entire room to spare? Then set up a desk in a quiet corner and Container Store the heck out of it. Staying organized and focused is a must.

Boundaries

The good thing about working remotely is that it gives you the flexibility to work whenever you need to. The bad thing about working remotely is that it gives you the flexibility to work whenever you need to. So boundaries are important.

You will be more likely to succeed if you set up a schedule for when you will work and stick to it. This will not only ensure that your work gets done, it will ensure that work doesn’t bleed over into your personal time with your family. Know when to work and when to put it away. It will keep you efficient and it will keep you sane.

Change It Up

Although working remotely can be rewarding, it can also be isolating. If you find yourself feeling disconnected, change things up. Take your laptop to Starbucks. Have lunch with a remote colleague instead of spending an hour on the phone. Connection is a human need – don’t create a life lived in a tunnel.

The ability to work remotely is a wonderful thing. If managed properly, it can give you the perfect combination of efficiency and flexibility. With a dash of Real Housewives.