In March 2020, businesses across the world were forced to send workers home as a result of the onset of the pandemic. For those workers fortunate enough, this opened up the ability to make the shift from office worker to a remote worker.
In the digital marketing field, most activities are executed online these days. This makes the industry highly suitable for a remote workforce. Social media, web design, email marketing, SEO, and other digital marketing specialties offer jobs that allow workers to easily make the transition, already being used to operating solely from a computer or other device.
Learn how you can transfer to become a successful remote worker.
As companies began to see the benefits of remote working for digital marketing teams, many made the decision to continue allowing their teams to work from home, even after restrictions were lifted.
While the benefits have been clear to many, there are also challenges. To truly be successful working from home, it may be necessary to make some changes in your life.
This article will explore several things you may need to adjust to maintain success as a remote working employee.
Making the Move
Many remote workers are finding the space in which they currently live just simply no longer makes the cut now that they operate from home.
One major issue is the blurry line between work and personal life. At the office, it’s easy to separate the two. But, when working from home, it becomes quite challenging.
Often, you find yourself struggling to find the quiet space you need to really focus on your work. For some, this may require moving to a larger home, or at least once with a more remote work-friendly setup.
Many workers also took the opportunity to save money by moving to more affordable areas. If you work in a high-cost place like New York City, for example, remote work allows you to keep your job. You can stick with your employer who is located in the city, while you move on down the road to a more affordable suburban area.
If you find yourself in this situation, the first thing you’ll want to do is calculate your mortgage payments to ensure you’re making a move you can afford. While upgrading your home can work wonders to improve your productivity, you need to be confident you can afford the move.
Make sure the home you choose has all the elements you need, like a secluded office space (with a lockable door), for instance. This will allow you to be successful and increase your productivity.
Communicate…a Lot, When Working From Home
When working in an office environment, you often run into your colleagues in the hallway, in the breakroom, or in meetings. In a remote situation, it’s much more challenging to get that much-needed face time with your co-workers.
While I don’t recommend over-communicating to the point of annoyance, you’ll definitely want to communicate more regularly than you did in person.
Set up a chat channel with your team. This way you can communicate with short notes to keep projects flowing or just to say hello. Regularly send out emails to your colleagues listing out what you’re working on and offering to support them in their efforts.
It’s perhaps even more important to keep in touch regularly with your boss. Let your boss know what you’re working on. Update them on project progress, show key stats, and consistently find ways to offer insight into the value you’re bringing as a remote worker.
Learn to communicate a lot with remote workers to stay successful.
By communicating more with your team and with your leadership, you can not only maintain a more productive work environment, but you can also avoid being forgotten and potentially putting your ongoing employment at risk.
Take Breaks and Get Outside
When you work and play at home, the lack of changing scenery can take its toll on you. Not to mention, as a digital marketing pro, you spend the whole day staring at a screen. At least when you worked at the office you would pack up and drive down the road. Then you’d spend the day in a new environment. Now, that all has changed.
To combat the negative impact of constantly seeing the same scenery, use your breaks to get outside and switch things up. Go to a local restaurant for lunch or take a walk at a nearby park.
Find ways to switch things up. Not only will you be staring at your computer screen all day, but you’ll also be staring at the same rooms and walls in which you now both work and play. Switch it up, and you’ll be able to avoid getting sick of your surroundings.
Remote Worker Changes
Working from home is wonderful (for most people). It’s not for everyone, but if you truly enjoy working remotely and hope to continue doing so, you’ll want to follow the tips above to maintain productivity and enjoy continued success.
Assess your current living/working environment and determine whether it’s time to make a change. If it is, due your research first to ensure you end up in a space that’s more conducive to your needs.
Stay in touch regularly with your team to avoid being forgotten. It’s easy to stay connected in the office. At home, however, there are so many distractions. Without regular face time, you and your teammates (and your boss), can easily forget one another.
Get out of that same environment when you can. Take heed to change things up and get a change of scenery.
In Conclusion
If you keep up with the list above, you’ll rock your remote working job. What other tips do you have for changing aspects of your life to increase your success as a remote worker? Drop your replies in the comments below.
