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10 Practices To Set You Up For Success While Working From Home

Forbes Human Resources Council

CEO/Co-Founder at Virtual Vocations, one of the leading online job boards focused exclusively on remote jobs

With so many people working remotely nowadays, the pressure for employees to demonstrate they are productive is at an all-time high — and for top performers who want to stand out among their professional peers, reaching beyond-average success as a remote worker requires more than completing everyday task lists and check-ins.

These 10 practices will help you stand out as a highly successful member of your remote team.

1. Plan your day in advance.

Highly productive people plan their day ahead of time and identify the most important tasks (MITs) that need to be completed from the start. Be sure to schedule in time around tasks, meetings and projects for short breaks, and leave a buffer in case anything unexpected comes up. This will ensure you have a realistic plan for what can be accomplished during the day, even if you experience some hiccups along the way.

2. Communicate regularly with co-workers. 

Successful remote team members make it a priority to check in with their managers and co-workers each day, whether to say good morning, ask for feedback, give an update or offer support and encouragement. Show your face, even in a remote setting, to demonstrate your availability and dedication to teamwork.

3. Proactively update management on projects and progress.

If your company has a regular reporting system and desired check-in schedule in place, you’re already halfway there. But if your employer, like many companies thrust into remote work without a lot of preparation, is still trying to figure out how to track remote team members’ progress, taking it upon yourself to keep your manager informed of where you are on projects and what information you’re waiting for demonstrates a high level of organization and task management.

4. Keep detailed documentation of projects. 

You’d think that when working remotely, there would be an easy-to-follow digital trail of documents, Slack messages and email conversations to keep track of planning and show why decisions were made and projects were completed. But while there is a trail, remote professionals will quickly learn it isn’t easy to follow just because it’s digital. 

There’s nothing worse than sitting in a video meeting trying to remember the who, what, why and when behind a project or conversation that happened months ago. With this in mind, one of the best skills a remote worker can have is the ability to keep a log of project details, including reasons why it was discussed and when, along with links to the appropriate documentation for easy recall. Your supervisors and coworkers will thank you later.

5. Use an organizational system that works for you.

With so many online platforms available for project and task organization, unless you are required by your employer to use a specific platform, you should be able to find one that works for you individually. Whether you use Todoist, Asana, Trello or something similar, find what works for you personally and use it in your professional life as well for maximum productivity.

6. Take scheduled breaks.

While this might seem counter-productive to setting yourself apart as one of the top remote team players in your organization, taking regularly scheduled breaks is not only vital to your mental health and stamina, but also doubles as a visual sign that you are highly productive — your employers want to see that you’re able to complete your work and take time for yourself, as well. Don’t feel guilty about setting your status to “out on break” and taking some time to clear your mind so you can do your best work when you get back.

7. Keep learning.

Although you are working remotely and may not have as many opportunities for onsite training, making ongoing learning a priority helps you keep your skills relevant, and demonstrates to current and future employers that you are committed to staying on the cutting edge within your industry. Take advantage of online classes and webinars from thought leaders in your field, and consider attending virtual conferences that are increasingly being held in place of onsite gatherings.

8. Ask for leadership opportunities. 

Just because you aren’t in a management position doesn’t mean you can’t volunteer to lead team projects, organize a weekly meeting or plan a virtual coffee break. Still, be wary of taking on too much if you are already struggling under your regular workload. If you take on too many projects, you risk coming across as someone just trying to get ahead who doesn’t really care about those they work with.

9. Use creativity when problem-solving. 

Working onsite has been the norm for so long that a lot of problems have been solved and systems implemented based on what works in an in-office environment and with employees who see each other every day. As a remote worker, creativity is needed to solve these familiar problems in a new way. Be proactive when it comes to coming up with solutions, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box and suggest completely new approaches to solving old problems. 

10. Know your limits, personal and professional. 

While it may be tempting to say yes to everything thrown at you in the company Slack channel, fall back on your daily planning so you have a realistic view of the time you have to take on extra work. There’s nothing wrong with telling co-workers or management that you’d love to help but would need to put off a certain project or push the deadline back on another request in order to do so. 

It’s also important to avoid saying yes to co-workers if it means you’re saying no to something important in your personal life. The trade-off more often than not isn’t worth it. Above all, balance is key.

Final Thoughts

Implementing these practices in your career on a regular basis will set you apart as a remote worker who has clear expectations of themselves, communicates well, is highly productive and meets deadlines — all while exemplifying the type of balance and teamwork employers are looking for.


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