Remote work: how we do it
I worked remotely for almost 10 years, and learned different aspects of such work: both bad and good. I realized that remote work is suitable for a certain type of people. You must be able to focus, motivate yourself, as well as correctly manage your time. You do not have these qualities? Nothing, at first I, too, did not know how.
There is no director nearby, no one asks to make the site "more fashionable." If the weather is good outside, you can go for a walk, take a meal at the computer, answer a couple of letters, move a couple of pixels, then go to the gym. At first for me it was all in the order of things. Of course, I didn’t always do that. I wouldn’t be who I am if I’ve scored all the time. I just had no work schedule for which office workers usually live, which makes work more productive.
Remote work can be very hard. You need to set a strict schedule for yourself and choose the right tools so that your dream of working remotely does not turn into a nightmare.
')
Time boxing has changed my life. I made it a rule on Sunday afternoon to set tasks for the next week, so that every hour was taken into account, including the time for walks and the gym. This allowed me to focus on each task and not worry about what I would have to do next.
Thus, I developed a certain rhythm, which allowed us to avoid unforeseen overtime loads. I came to the conclusion that work at home is not work at home: you cannot wash, clean the garage, mow the lawn. Are you at work. When was the last time you were in the office when you heard from Jim that he had to stop in order to go home and wash the dishes? I think never. All the time, imagine that you are in the office, and outside business decide outside working hours.
Now, at Focus Lab , my weeks are on schedule. But I continue to record every week the time spent on design, to be sure that all tasks are done. We have a project manager, and she lets us know when we forget something. Fortunately, working remotely, she cannot crack my head, but from time to time I get epicfail.gif from HipChat.
For remote work, additional tools are needed, in addition to Adobe CS. When you work with a team like Focus Lab, or with several teams at the same time as a freelancer, interaction tools become critical. You must always be available during business hours and promptly answer questions.
At Focus Lab, we use the GoToMeeting video platform, both for communication with the client and for internal meetings. This allows you to personally interact with our customers and colleagues (like me) who are not in the office. You'd be surprised how close the video is. I had the opportunity to meet with Sam face to face only a few months later, as he began working at Focus, but since we talked about GoToMeeting it seemed as if we had known each other for a long time and see each other every day.
Another invaluable tool that allows us to be in touch is HipChat. If you are reading this, please stop and download HipChat . In my opinion, this is the best product for collaborative remote work. We have a project, a company, and personal rooms in it: all to share interesting finds, cat gifs, memes from our GTM meetings, etc. This is our virtual office. Sometimes even something related to work happens here;)
Super important: your office should be where you want to go every day. It is you, your computer, maybe a couple of cats, and your thoughts. If your work is boring, and the office looks like a prison cell, you will be constantly overwhelmed, and the lawn you cut will be the only achievement of the day. The interior of my office is very different from the rest of the house: there are skateboards, an idea board, a ceramic deer head, etc. on the wall. Make sure your office is a place where you can spend 8 hours a day.
Try to leave your home office when the opportunity arises. Recluse is not a myth. And if you have a chance to go work with your team or on the client side - do it. This is not necessary, but keep in mind that direct communication with people increases the productivity of team members. This is a great reason to take off your pajamas and take a shower. Even if I’m half productive when I work at the Focus Lab office (see our instagram, our Nerf wars, Planking contests, and other fun), I look forward to the days when I can pat Bill on the shoulder and ask him about something, or get tips on growing a beard personally from Matt. In truth, these personal meetings and work weeks generally provide a successful telework experience.
Remote work is not for everyone. Frankly speaking, I would be happy to work in the office every day, hanging out with the Focus Lab team, and working together without a computer between us. But my reality has its advantages. If I want to turn off all communications and design a few hours without distractions, I can do it. I can see my family during the day, and not just in the mornings and evenings. I do not spend time in public transport and traffic jams, which gives much more valuable time to work.
Do you work at home? I would love to hear how you deal with the various obstacles inherent in remote work!
PS Thanks for the help in translating karaboz
There is no director nearby, no one asks to make the site "more fashionable." If the weather is good outside, you can go for a walk, take a meal at the computer, answer a couple of letters, move a couple of pixels, then go to the gym. At first for me it was all in the order of things. Of course, I didn’t always do that. I wouldn’t be who I am if I’ve scored all the time. I just had no work schedule for which office workers usually live, which makes work more productive.
Remote work can be very hard. You need to set a strict schedule for yourself and choose the right tools so that your dream of working remotely does not turn into a nightmare.
')
Schedule
Time boxing has changed my life. I made it a rule on Sunday afternoon to set tasks for the next week, so that every hour was taken into account, including the time for walks and the gym. This allowed me to focus on each task and not worry about what I would have to do next.
Thus, I developed a certain rhythm, which allowed us to avoid unforeseen overtime loads. I came to the conclusion that work at home is not work at home: you cannot wash, clean the garage, mow the lawn. Are you at work. When was the last time you were in the office when you heard from Jim that he had to stop in order to go home and wash the dishes? I think never. All the time, imagine that you are in the office, and outside business decide outside working hours.
Now, at Focus Lab , my weeks are on schedule. But I continue to record every week the time spent on design, to be sure that all tasks are done. We have a project manager, and she lets us know when we forget something. Fortunately, working remotely, she cannot crack my head, but from time to time I get epicfail.gif from HipChat.
Tools
For remote work, additional tools are needed, in addition to Adobe CS. When you work with a team like Focus Lab, or with several teams at the same time as a freelancer, interaction tools become critical. You must always be available during business hours and promptly answer questions.
At Focus Lab, we use the GoToMeeting video platform, both for communication with the client and for internal meetings. This allows you to personally interact with our customers and colleagues (like me) who are not in the office. You'd be surprised how close the video is. I had the opportunity to meet with Sam face to face only a few months later, as he began working at Focus, but since we talked about GoToMeeting it seemed as if we had known each other for a long time and see each other every day.
Another invaluable tool that allows us to be in touch is HipChat. If you are reading this, please stop and download HipChat . In my opinion, this is the best product for collaborative remote work. We have a project, a company, and personal rooms in it: all to share interesting finds, cat gifs, memes from our GTM meetings, etc. This is our virtual office. Sometimes even something related to work happens here;)
Home Office
Super important: your office should be where you want to go every day. It is you, your computer, maybe a couple of cats, and your thoughts. If your work is boring, and the office looks like a prison cell, you will be constantly overwhelmed, and the lawn you cut will be the only achievement of the day. The interior of my office is very different from the rest of the house: there are skateboards, an idea board, a ceramic deer head, etc. on the wall. Make sure your office is a place where you can spend 8 hours a day.
Freedom of movement
Try to leave your home office when the opportunity arises. Recluse is not a myth. And if you have a chance to go work with your team or on the client side - do it. This is not necessary, but keep in mind that direct communication with people increases the productivity of team members. This is a great reason to take off your pajamas and take a shower. Even if I’m half productive when I work at the Focus Lab office (see our instagram, our Nerf wars, Planking contests, and other fun), I look forward to the days when I can pat Bill on the shoulder and ask him about something, or get tips on growing a beard personally from Matt. In truth, these personal meetings and work weeks generally provide a successful telework experience.
In conclusion
Remote work is not for everyone. Frankly speaking, I would be happy to work in the office every day, hanging out with the Focus Lab team, and working together without a computer between us. But my reality has its advantages. If I want to turn off all communications and design a few hours without distractions, I can do it. I can see my family during the day, and not just in the mornings and evenings. I do not spend time in public transport and traffic jams, which gives much more valuable time to work.
Do you work at home? I would love to hear how you deal with the various obstacles inherent in remote work!
PS Thanks for the help in translating karaboz
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/222161/
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