Improve Your Remote Working Life With Team Impact’s Top Tips

For some, working remotely comes naturally, for others there is definitely an adjustment period. Where offices are geared more toward extroverted people, remote often better compliments introverts or neurodiverse people. Not that extroverts can’t thrive in a home working setting, they just need to adapt.

So maybe you’ve recently changed jobs to a remote company, or maybe your existing role is becoming fully remote. Here are some tips from the Impacters, to make your remote working life work for you.

Tips From The Impact Media Team

First up, I spoke to founder and UX Designer James. Here are his tips:

• Make sure that you have a separate workspace, away from the areas of your house you relax in. It’s important to be able to get away from your workspace, and switch off. Working from the sofa or the dining table is not going to work out long term. You need a proper dedicated space. Some may be blessed with a spare room, or a converted garage. But if not this can still be achieved with a corner of a room that can be screened off with a room divider or similar. Just make sure you can hide your workspace away at the end of the day.
• Exercise is  an important part of a routine. It can be very easy to become very sedentary when working from home. Before you know it, you haven’t left the house in days. Make sure you include exercise in your day. Whether the gym, walking, home equipment, yoga; make time to move your body. It can be a great way to get out and socialise, as well as taking care of your body.

Micah, one of the Development team here suggested the following:

• Having music on is a big winner, and you don’t get stuck listening to some awful office playlist! You can tailor your playlist to the sort of work you’re doing. Something involved that needs your full attention, then instrumental only, ambient music is perfect. Doing something less attention heavy, then put on your favourite banger, and sing along at the top of your voice. No angry looks from colleagues to worry about!
• Make sure your work desk is set-up just right for you, so you will be comfortable and focused. Have your monitors at the right height. Working with a laptop, get a stand for it so it is at eye level and you aren’t hunched over. An adjustable and ergonomic chair is a must. Like to have something to fidget with when thinking? Have a fidget toy to hand. A safe place for your cup so you don’t drown your keyboard and mouse if it tips over. Headphones for when you need to block out external noise. 
• If you’re a coffee drinker, you can’t go wrong with a coffee machine. Whether you like espresso, capsules, drip or pressed – get something to keep you topped up with your favourite brew.
• Take regular screen breaks. Without your colleagues drifting about and distracting you, you might be inclined to stay locked onto your screen. If you need to, set reminders to take regular short screen breaks, so your eyes and brain get a refresh.

Marketing Manager Vikki had the following ideas:

• If you’re used to a commute, go for a walk before you start work. It helps you to get into the right frame of mind, get away from the house, and it’s great exercise. In my last role I walked 6-12 miles everyday, so adding a morning and lunchtime walk into my day has been great. Now the daylight hours are longer again, I may also add an evening walk to my routine too. 
• Shut down your machine at the end of the day, as otherwise it is way too easy to be working at all hours. If you shut down rather than letting your machine sleep, it’s much harder to just ‘quickly do something’, which we all know often ends up in spending several additional hours at your desk. If you remember something important you need to do, save it as a reminder in your phone, or scribble it on a to-do list for the next day. Having clear separation between work hours and personal time is so important.
• If you have a pet that likes to be close to you for most of the day, sort them out a comfy spot beside your desk, so they don’t decide your desktop is the best place to hangout. This is especially true of cats, who will sit anywhere (r/catsonkeyboards). Give them a space where they can get plenty of strokes (great for wellbeing), without impeding on your work. As someone with 2 cats, a set of pointy ears blocking your screen is not helpful!

Last up, Senior Developer Chris, had the following thoughts:

• Stretch your legs regularly. Get up and make a coffee or have a stroll about the house. Working from home often means you end up sitting sedentary for far longer without realising, so make yourself move. It also gives your eyes a break from the screen so is doubly good. Maybe even turn it into a challenge for yourself, and bust out a few squats or press ups each time.
• I love music, but sometimes I prefer a good podcast. There are so many out there, whether you want to be entertained, educated or coached. I have a huge number saved to my Spotify library, and love having new episodes to look forward to regularly.

Do you have other great tips for improving your remote working life? Let us know.