Marathon Remote Working: Preparing for the Long-Term Run
When the stay-at-home orders and mass remote work became the norm to combat COVID-19, the country unknowingly began a marathon with a sprint. As weeks have turned into a new normal for the knowledge economy, what seemed temporary has become a disruption for business as usual. And yet, full time remote and hybrid workers have been winning the remote work marathon for some time.
As the workforce settles into the new normal of taking their office home with them, seasoned remote workers can coach their workforce from sprinters into marathon winners with some basic training on preparing for the long-term remote working experience -
Confuse your Routines – Cross-fit fans champion the idea of muscle confusion for their fitness goals. Scheduling different tasks like data entry, conference calls, and writing after each other, can build up the stamina to break up at-home monotony or to mentally prepare for that interruption over a chat space
Keep the Rituals (or Create New Ones) – Coffee breaks, lunches, yoga time, and walks are part of breaking up larger tasks and time to refresh and refocus from home. While you may not be able to get to your downtown gym or coffee shop, re-imagining those routines at home, even using virtual conferencing tools to go to coffee with co-workers, will ease away feelings of isolation
Set Boundaries – Clearing your desk or workspace matters, especially if your workspace is also your kitchen table. This does not mean you have all the long-term tasks done but is about how you want to leave things for yourself the next morning. Like Admiral McRaven’s famous “Making Your Bed” speech, keeping your desk clear means coming back to the workspace clear the next day with a sense of accomplishment already
Build a Character – Done correctly, having an online demeanor can make you seem present at the company no matter how many miles away you are. Become the guru on a topic, the in-house subject matter expert who shares interesting news clips, posts appropriate jokes, and mix up your avatar – don’t be afraid to show a little personality in virtual spaces to remind people you are still there
Work Out Loud – In a virtual meeting, if you do not speak up or even say hello, you might disappear into cyberspace. Do not talk just to talk, but make your presence known. Plan for something to say for each meeting with purpose. Use your company’s collaboration tools and intranet to share your day, just as you might in the break room back at the office
Hone “MacGyver” Skills – At home, you may find you are the IT support, janitorial staff, and mail room. Keeping hardware wired, figuring out ergonomics, and recreating your lifelines at home can be draining, but it is also an opportunity to build self-reliance and the satisfaction that comes from it. This may make you the go-to Swiss Army Knife in the office the next time there is a paper jam, and will build your gratitude for the support staff when you see them in the break room or after hours cleaning up the office
Commute Virtually – You may find you miss your hour commute if you used it for podcasts, audio books, and music. Commuting at home, even for a few minutes, helps to make a clean break between the workday and home life. Schedule a little commute time in your workspace before and after your work, even if it is just five minutes. Take a walk with your bus ride podcast, or just shut down all the technology and get a meditation in. That mental break can help you “arrive home” without bringing your last conference call to the family table, right into your kids, dogs, roommate’s, or spouse’s day
The pandemic-induced sprint of long-term remote work is really a marathon. The skills learned during stay-at-home orders will bring a new appreciation for boundaries, empathy, and being present in the moments of your workday at home or the office.
