Remote Tea 🍵 Beyond the Blur: Why Remote Work Needs Clear Boundaries to Flourish 😁
Issue 204
🧠 Working smarter
Welcome back, and hello to all new subscribers! Let’s start with a tip on how to improve your ability to find balance and rhythm in your workday. Executing today's suggestion can be a complete game-changer.
Set clear work hours
Remote work, a double-edged sword, has revolutionized the way we live and work. Yet, the convenience of a home office can easily bleed into an "always-on" mentality, blurring the lines between professional and personal lives. This constant connectivity fosters a breeding ground for overwork, burnout, and ultimately, decreased productivity. Setting clear work hours isn't just about structure – it's a powerful tool for reclaiming well-being and maximizing performance.
Imagine yourself, laptop perpetually humming, emails pinging well into the evening. The stress creeps in, creativity stagnates, and the joy of personal time withers. Setting clear boundaries, and establishing defined work hours, becomes an act of self-preservation. It allows you to step away, recharge, and return with renewed focus like a phone switched off to conserve battery. This mindful "unplugging" sparks increased productivity and well-being, a wellspring from which better quality work naturally flows.
Clear work hours foster not just individual benefits, but also build a culture of respect and collaboration. By communicating your available hours, you set expectations with colleagues, avoiding the unnecessary pings and calls that disrupt their time. This creates a symphony of focused work periods and shared downtime, where collaboration thrives on mutual understanding.
Remember, boundaries are not rigid walls, but rather, dynamic guidelines. Life inevitably throws curveballs, demanding occasional adjustments. The key is to maintain a core structure, a commitment to defined work hours that prioritizes both professional success and personal well-being. By embracing this healthy rhythm, you'll rediscover the power of clear lines, not just in your calendar, but also in your life.
Finding success:
Define your schedule: Decide on core working hours and stick to them as much as possible.
Communicate clearly: Inform colleagues and manager of your hours and desired response times.
Use visual cues: Set work hours in your calendar and use status tools to signal availability.
Create a dedicated workspace: Separate your work and personal spaces physically and mentally.
Schedule breaks: Plan regular breaks to avoid burnout and refocus.
Turn off notifications: Avoid distractions outside of work hours.
Practice saying "no": Politely decline work outside your defined hours when possible.
Respect others' hours: Be mindful of colleagues' schedules and avoid unnecessary communication outside their work time.
Be flexible: Adapt your schedule when needed but maintain clear boundaries overall.
Review and adjust: Regularly evaluate your schedule and adjust based on needs and workload.
Remember, setting clear work hours is an ongoing process. Be patient with yourself and adapt your approach as needed to find a balance that works for you and your unique situation.
💡 Finding inspiration
Remember to seek out new perspectives regularly, whether through books, experiences, podcasts, products, events, or visiting with your fellow remote workers.
Find or make space for a comfy reading chair and a library of inspiring books: Having a dedicated space to relax and read can help you to de-stress and come up with new ideas. Remember, the most important thing is to create a delightful place that is comfortable, functional, and inspiring for you. Experiment with different settings until you find what works best for you.
Here’s a link to a simple chair we like.
🗞️ A bit of news
We consume a lot of information so you don’t have to. Here are some noteworthy reads.
Atlassian is running experiments to solve remote work challenges
Atlassian’s “team anywhere lab” is staffed by behavioral scientists who run experiments to solve the biggest challenges of distributed work. Full Story: HR Brew
Get Your Dream Remote Job in 2024 (includes a guide)
Whatever your reason, finding a great remote job is easier said than done. Since you could theoretically take a job anywhere in the world, the options can seem limitless and impossible to narrow down. Full Story: Tech.co
Remote Jobs That Pay at Least $30 Per Hour
Information from online platforms such as Upwork.com, Indeed.com, and Reddit to identify trends and common opinions about the highest-paying remote jobs with salaries above $30 per hour. Full Story: Yahoo Finance
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More ways to connect
Connect at your pace with 3,000+ fellow remote workers in the Remote Work Slack.
Use Virtual Coworking Rooms as individual workspaces and shared team spaces for communities and teams.
Work Club is like an online gym that provides daily coworking sessions over video that members can attend anytime to get focused and accomplish more.
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