There are many reasons for working remotely these days that go even beyond personal motives. Due to the recent COVID19 pandemic, we’ve seen a surge in people working outside of the formal office and looking for quick tips in setting up their virtual offices.
Setting up a virtual office isn’t straightforward — we each have different needs when it comes to productivity. Some need a quiet space to get their work done, while others thrive with people around. Whether you work from home, a cafe, or a co-working space, it’s important that you’re able to get work done.
In order to master remote work, you have to discover what you need to stay productive and connected so that you can work in harmony with your team. And with the right setup, the perks far outweigh the frustrations. In this SuperPower Hour, I highlight a variety of different virtual offices by remote working experts.
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Discovering what you need for your virtual office space.
- Define your work. Teo Härén is one of the most requested experts on creativity in Sweden and the author of Härabete, a book about working wherever you are most productive. He started working remotely before the time of Internet and doesn’t like to define his office, but instead looks for the space he needs to solve the task at hand. In other words, not every task requires the same tool or effort. There are certain things you can do in a café and other things that require a quiet place to focus more intently. The key is to work where you’re most productive for the project that needs to get done.
- Hold self-retrospectives. Michael Sliwinski, founder of Nozbe, stresses the importance of “incremental improvements”. He encourages workers to hold annual retrospectives of their home office to see what works and what doesn’t. He says having a dedicated area specifically for work is essential.
- It’s a journey. Writer and trainer in innovation and Agile methods, Jesse Fewell, says that creating a virtual office is a journey that anyone who works remotely should be prepared for. He says that you will not have it figured out on the first try.
- Have the right tools and technology for your work. Corey Grusden, CTO of SoFetch.io, a company that designed and built a Slack plugin for stand up meetings called Standup Bot, doesn’t have an office. He works anywhere he can sit down, preferably in a quiet space. He instead lays emphasis on the right technology to get the work done, e.g. a mobile phone, laptop, and an Internet everywhere stick. Having these simple gadgets allows you to at least check your email and possibly do other essential tasks.
Looking for handy remote tools and gadgets for running your virtual office like a pro? Check out our complete list HERE!
Podcast production by Podcast Monster
Graphic design by Alfred Boland
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