3 steps to a better remote work experience

Whether it's about taking your breaks on time or focusing on your health as much as work, a remote job is great only when you learn to balance it with your everyday life.

• More than 55% of hiring managers consider remote work as the new normal.
• There’s a company that sends remote workers on a 3-month vacation across the US.
• But even with the craze, it’s still unclear whether the life of a digital nomad is as good as it sounds.

I have worked remotely for the better part of my career. Freedom and flexibility have always been really important to me, so working from anywhere is the perfect set up.

However, remote work does have its unique challenges. Here are few tips to help you make the most of it.

Don’t be a stranger

I have found that working remotely can be a lonely experience. You can end up looking at your screen all day and never communicating with other people in a healthy way. So, make sure to reach out to your team (we use Slack) on things that are not work-related. Treat it like an office and act like you’re running into people in the hallway. You’ll make friends quickly and it’ll make your work much more fun.

Take care of yourself

Oddly enough, it is very easy to start getting sloppy in your day-to-day life when you first start working remotely. Because you can work whenever and wherever, there is no one but you to keep you acting like a normal human being. At first, the freedom feels amazing — wearing pyjamas and not showering until you feel like it — but, after awhile, a little routine and order starts to help you be more productive, happy, and healthy. For example, even though I work remotely, I still take a shower everyday and get dressed in normal work clothes. It’s a little way of taking care of myself when it would be just as easy to stay in sweats with the blinds shut all day.

Work at your own comfort level

When you’re not working – don’t work.

I know, it sounds a bit redundant. But if you aren’t intentional about this you will find that you are kind of always working. It’s especially difficult during those times when you should be off work and focusing on your family, or friends or free time. There is always a message to read, an email to send, and a task to complete. Make sure when you are finished with your work and all your loose ends are tied up – shut everything down, close your laptop, and go live life. The beauty and privilege of working remotely is the freedom it provides.

Working remotely is an awesome experience, and I don’t plan on ever going back. As someone with a little experience in it, I know that if you follow the steps above and you’ll see how amazing remote work can be.