Is it a weekend for you tomorrow? Or you are in weekend mode every day because of remote working profile?
I am serious 😐
That’s what most people think about working from home (or anywhere)!
As a remote worker, I keep getting reactions like 👇
“Work from home? Mazze hi mazze!”
“We don’t work from home like you bro! We need to work!”
While I feel grateful about the privileges that remote working brings, it becomes important to break some myths 👀
It’s not as easy as it looks 🙅
If you ask me, remote working or freelancing is not for everyone.
Not everyone can handle it.
There are some challenges that can be tackled. While some challenges cannot be resolved so easily.
Let me break it down.
(A) FIXABLE CHALLENGES (by employees)
1) Productivity Issues.
I see people working from home in 2 extreme poles
Some people are working all day and night. Reason? They keep procrastinating or they want to finish everything on the same day.
Meanwhile, some people treat WFH like vacation. Minimal work to show that they are working. But zero productivity. I have seen this culture in MNCs. Finding that sweet spot takes practice.
Solution 👉 Plan your day before you even start working. Having some dedicated tasks in advance helps you focus on work without procrastination. Avoid being aimless in the morning.
2) Distractions.
If you’re an Indian, you know what I’m talking about 😂
From your mom calling randomly for lunch to the noisy neighbors doing some drilling work, it’s full of distractions.
Not everyone has the privilege of a silent and distraction-free environment.
Solution 👉 Set up a dedicated work office at your home. If not possible, consider working in cafes if distractions are occasional. You don’t even need to pay anything at most of the places.
Or consider joining a co-working space. You will get a table for yourself.
3) Work Life Balance.
When your office is your home, it’s easy for lines to blur.
Suddenly, it’s 10 PM, and you’re still answering emails in your pajamas.
Solution 👉 Set clear boundaries. Fix your working hours even if nobody asks you to do so.
Setting a routine helps here. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking “I have abundant time to do it. I will do in the evening or night. Or weekend.”
It never works.
4) Social Isolation.
If you consider your work colleagues as your friends, you have a problem. Call them colleagues or work buddies instead of friends.
It’s a myth that you need to go to the office to build your network. Not everyone matches your vibe at your workspace.
Solution 👉 Build your network by connecting like-minded people using online communities or offline sessions and meetups. I have a video on this. Reply to this email and I will share the link.
Search for my email with the subject line “You don’t need external motivation!”
(B) FIXABLE CHALLENGES (by organization)
5) Stressful Communications.
Lack of proper communication can be a real headache.
Too many Zoom calls can leave you feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus.
Sometimes it can be endless back-and-forth messaging that feels like you’re writing a novel.
Solution 👉 Organizations should start emphasizing on asynchronous way of working.
To explain in short, nobody is expected to reply or call immediately. SOPs and internal documentation are strong enough. If required, a call is scheduled with a fixed agenda and action items.
6) Lack of Support.
Remote onboarding can be a real challenge.
Without those water cooler chats and face-to-face interactions, it’s easy for people to feel like they’re swimming upstream without a paddle.
Solution 👉 An organization’s culture needs to be friendly with negligible politics. It can work for small and mid-sized companies but I find it tough to imagine for large companies with big hierarchies.
Organizations can create strong training programs, fun interactive sessions and most importantly, some initiatives for mental wellbeing of employees.
Remote workers are most vulnerable for self-doubt, misunderstandings and emotional collapse.
(C) CANNOT BE FIXED
7) Isolation while working.
Some people need the hustle and bustle of an office environment. They need people around them otherwise they feel lonely. Of course, nothing beats a team brainstorming session.
Why can’t it be fixed? 👉 You must understand that it is your personality and nature of your work. Not everyone is suitable for all kinds of environments.
Some job profiles need to work in isolation. While other job profiles need team collaboration.
8) Disciplinary issues.
Remote working requires you to be super disciplined and self-motivated. I’m talking about setting your own schedule, sticking to it like glue, and resisting the urge to binge-watch that new series on Netflix during “work hours”
Why can’t it be fixed? 👉 Based on my observation and experience, disciplinary behavior is something that is almost impossible to change.
If you need external motivation or someone above you, it’s best to work from a physical office.
TODAY’S ACTION ITEM
Accept that remote working isn’t for everyone.
Evaluate 2 things –
1) Your personality (most important) – are you comfortable working alone remotely and figuring out your shit alone?
2) Organization – What kind of team are you going to work with? What kind of support are you going to get? Try having this conversation beforehand. Maybe with the hiring committee or the company’s current employees.
WHAT I DID THIS WEEK
I was with my team at Lonavala. It was full of fun activities, nice talks, and some super informative sessions.
Tried zumba for the first time 👯 with some games. Had some real good time. Overall, spent nice 3 days at a resort 🤩
I am amazed to see how people seem so different at work but open up a totally different personality when it comes to entertainment. I love it!
One of the colleagues visited my place so we roamed Mumbai on Sunday 🌆
As I mentioned in my last letter, I have been traveling for almost a month. I was barely at home on any of the weekends.
So it felt good to finally come home and settle in my workplace with no major plans consuming my brain cells 😌
Weekdays were almost empty and slow with focused work. I am satisfied with the office work and my personal work that I did this week. It was a routine but productive.
Then I helped a business owner structure his website. I wonder what web designers in the market even do with their services! Either inexperienced or frauds. But it’s bad! 😑
Finally, I analyzed a friend’s eCommerce website to give some inputs. I love when I see people around me trying to build something ✨
🌐 AROUND THE WEB
DeskTime is a time tracking software. If you find yourself distracted and looking to track your online activities, this can be a good tool.