Remote Work Environment: Balanced, Agile and Adaptable
by Jacques Viljoen
Working from the comfort of your own home, and perhaps in your favourite pyjamas, comes with the avoidance of the stresses of travelling to a venue which may be miles away from home or having to organise accommodation which entails extra cost and inconvenience. Furthermore, it is being argued that more than half the managers in today’s business settings must cope with disruptions and distractions that cause them to take up to 25% longer to complete their projects and tasks (Taylor, 2020). It is thus vital that you both reinforce your focus, and make modifications in the workplace, that will both lessen the impact of such distractions and cut them to a minimum.
Working remotely has become the new norm. We have gotten used to it in some ways, but we might still face challenges. It could range from setting up your workplace, motivating yourself or understanding the importance of work-life balance. Research found that workers who work at least some of the time remotely are happier, feel more trusted, less stressed, are more inclined to recommend their employer to a friend and are less likely to leave than their office-based colleagues (Harvey, 2020). People choose to work remotely to achieve better work-life balance, increase their productivity and to avoid commuting.
Working from home will inevitably mean you’ll need to adapt your working style to suit your home environment. You’ll probably need to learn to structure your working time differently, work out what you require to do to keep your vigor high throughout the day and avoid unnecessary distractions of varying types. You’ll need to discover how best to communicate with your colleagues, making sure you’re connecting with them regularly and effectively, keeping in touch so that you maintain positive working relationships and build a strong united team that you feel a crucial part of. The ‘new normal’ way of working requires us thus also to be agile and adaptable when leading our virtual teams. For some, it’s unchartered territory and will require a new mindset and new skills. For others, it’s a time for recalibrating their connections with their team members who work remotely (MTD Training, 2020).
In today’s technology-driven world, upskilling is becoming progressively important simply because technology changes so fast. More and more people are choosing to pivot mid-career as well as differentiate their skills later in life. This is a clever move in an uncertain economy, and it allows people to merge exceptional abilities as well to differentiate themselves from the competition. It also is essential for simply staying up-to-date on technological trends to stay more competitive in the marketplace. Working remotely can thus provide a chance to acquire new skills since the most competitive worker in the future is one who persistently sharpens his or her skills. While you are working from home, why not afford yourself a chance to acquire new skills or advance your current skill level ?
Work-life balance is a blend of personal and work life that is sustaining to you and the significant others in your life. It will be indispensable to see how home working impacts on your home life and, where appropriate, the people you live alongside. Be flexible, and maintain secure positive connections, all the while balancing work and home life the best way you can. You might want to work out how home working supports you, your self-care, your self-esteem and your career.
A healthy balance will keep your life free from undue stress, busyness and guiltiness so that you can lead a happy, healthy and purposeful life.
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