Seven Useful Ways to Improve Your Remote Workspace
While companies continue to weigh the pros and cons of remote work, employees continue to look for solutions that enhance their productivity.
No matter whom you surround yourself with, there seem to be many different opinions on whether the workforce can thrive off working remotely, full-time.
Freelancers worldwide have proved the work-from-anywhere method efficient. Yet, companies continue to weigh the pros and cons of their employees working from home, measuring success by both productivity and activity.
A bold yet anticipated move from the streaming giant that claims ‘controlled chaos’ is part of their DNA, Spotify just released an announcement that they would give their 6,000 people staff the ability to work from anywhere in the world.
Almost twelve months have passed since the inception of the pandemic. And as many employees claim to have mastered the WFH method, others continue to navigate different challenges, whether desiring better work-life balance or struggling to meet demanding deadlines.
Nonetheless, remote work will be here for a while. So, in the meantime, here are useful ways to improve your remote workspace.
Declutter your mind, desktop, and workspace.
When was the last time you checked in with yourself, your screen, and your surroundings? Remember that if you are the average of the five people you spend your time with, you are also the things you surround yourself with.
If both your desktop and desk is cluttered and messy, so are your thoughts.
Take an hour out of the week to meditate and realign your focus to prepare your mind and concentrate on the critical tasks ahead. What’s your mission within the organization? Are you in charge of driving client success? Are you challenged to pave the way for the marketing team? Or are you the go-to person for product and technology innovation?
Clearing your mind, devices, and surroundings allows you to make way for new ideas, concepts and remove unwanted stress.
Find comfort in utilizing the recycle bin often and make folders your best friend. Not only will they help you clear your mind, but the practice will allow you to stay focused.
Invest in a good work chair.
The average office worker sits a shocking 15 hours per day, according to a study by Forbes. That’s 3,915 hours per year. Multiply that by 25 years, and you’ve almost reached 100,000 hours sitting in the same position.
By sitting for long periods, we become at greater risk of obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, and heart disease.
Investing in a good work chair reduces the number of breaks you need to take due to being uncomfortable and will save your neck and back from pain in the long run.
Use quality communication tools.
Nothing is worse than your app shutting down in the middle of a presentation. Audio problems, screen delay, and network redundancy failure are just some of the few things that can interrupt an important meeting.
With SmartChoice’ all-in-one collaboration approach, you can reap the benefits of 99.99% uptime and complete network redundancy. With their proprietary network, users can benefit from their partnership with Microsoft Teams, getting the best of both worlds with SmartChoice’s backend and Microsoft Teams’ frontend.
Surround yourself with tools that make you happy.
Do you love working with colors? Do post-it notes help you internalize messages better? How about your preferred choice of software apps? Do they help you focus on the tasks ahead?
“You’re only as good as the tools you use,” a saying has been around for many years, according to Teambay. What do we mean by tools? Devices, equipment, mechanisms, resources, applications — anything that is utilized during the job to assist you in completing your task.
Incorporating another monitor or having a physical desk phone tends to help employees worldwide feel like they’re working at their company’s office.
SmartChoice helps users connect their phone systems to their collaboration tools, allowing them to answer phone calls from either their laptop, cellphone, or desk phone, giving companies the chance to maximize the lifespan of their existing infrastructure.
When you supply yourself with the proper tools, you reduce the chance of an inefficient workflow and raise your productivity levels.
Develop boundaries.
If you’re living with other family members, it’s tempting to interact and perform service acts for them in the middle of the workday. As this may be difficult to avoid, it’s essential to let them know ahead of time that your workspace is strictly for work and to focus on your responsibilities within the organization.
If this remains a challenge as you work from home, position your explanation in a way that allows them to see the benefit of not disrupting your work flow. You can say something along the lines of, “I’d appreciate it if you could allow me to work during my working hours so I can complete my tasks on time and spend the rest of the day with you, worry-free.”
Incorporate natural elements.
According to research by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, workers exposed to natural lighting stayed on task for 15% longer than their sun-derived counterparts.
Another study conducted in 2014 by researchers in Australia, the UK, and the Netherlands, showed that office environments with greenery and plants significantly increased workplace satisfaction in employees, heightened self-reported concentration levels, and air quality.
Take advantage of well-spent breaks.
Schedule two ten-minute breaks aside from your lunch break throughout the day. This will decrease your chances of burnout and will allow your mind to release endorphins.
Many studies have found that breaks can reduce or prevent stress, help maintain performance throughout the day, and reduce the need for a long recovery.
If you’re working from home, taking ten minutes to go outside for a walk to encourage a healthy relationship between you and your workspace. That way, you won’t resent working at your desk but rather be ready to seize the day when you return to it.
As remote work obstacles can be taxing, integrating these simple ways can reduce our efforts to continuously maneuver obstacles. Along with the few benefits of working from home, it is always best to know a few tips and tricks to work better and stay ahead of the game.
How can SmartChoice help?
SmartChoice can help you simplify and modernize your communications architecture without you having to invest in costly upgrades. We provide tailor-made solutions that integrate both the old and the new and let you take your communications to the next level without adding risk to your organization. By working with us, you can count on receiving white-glove customer service and 24x7x365 US-based support to prepare your enterprise for the future of communications.
