6 Ways to Get the Most Out of Remote Work

At Rebel, we are lucky to be able to work from anywhere. While we do have an office space that the majority of our staff work from, we also have remote employees.

So how can you make remote work, well, work? The challenge is not just ensuring your meetings run smoothly, but that you are taking care of yourself, too. Below, one of our amazing Customer Support Leads, Mel, shares what she has learned over the past 2 years of working remotely.

Photo by Agnieszka Boeske / Unsplash

Log off when your scheduled time ends

I will often try and wrap up extra tasks while being partially distracted by the outside world, and it stretches things out unnecessarily. I find it helpful to make sure I leave my computer entirely at the end of my shift.

Plan your food

I can't work hungry, and there is less time than you think to make and eat food.

Music

Music can help but also distract; if the beats are too good, you end up doing an amazing (no one's here to tell me otherwise) solo to Truth Hurts by Lizzo instead of crushing your work. Music designed for focus can help.

Give people time to respond

This one can be difficult when things are urgent. I like to give people 5 minutes to reply before following up.

Communicate your actions

Make sure to acknowledge questions that people ask you, whether it's via Skype, Slack, or some other platform. If you are looking into something, send a quick acknowledgement so they don't wonder if you have seen the message.

Get work-ready

Changing clothes for work really does get your mind  into it – even if they are special work pajamas.

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina / Unsplash

Finally, there are several tools Rebel uses that help to make remote work possible:

Trello: This allows teams to plan work, assign tasks, and monitor progress at a glance.

Zoom: A virtual meeting room that enables participants to actually see each other (and change up their backgrounds so it looks like they are in outer space).

We hope these tips help you make the most of your time working from home, and give you the space and confidence to take care of yourself, too.