The Ultimate Guide on Navigating the Remote Life – Tips You Need to Know

By: Nina Tambal, Senior Editorial Associate

The rapid growth of technology has not only made the world a smaller place, but it has also impacted the way we live, work, learn, and experience. One of the most evident developments is the evolution of work. One day you’re just sitting in the office, the next thing you know you’re hitting deadlines one after the other, right at the comfort of your own home. We are indeed living in the digital age.

But, how does work from home or telecommuting really work? The concept is very simple — you do your regular office work at home including meetings, presentations, or even the rowdy conversations with your team. They’re all happening as per usual, only it’s virtual. Showcasing benefits such as minimized distractions, security, even more time to do other activities, it is truly a benchmark for a healthier and sustainable lifestyle.

While the perks may seem endless, there are also some downsides to it. In the midst of a remote life, how do we handle technical difficulties and monitor progress? How about a multigenerational workforce? Considering the fact that we live in an advanced society, will everyone be able to adapt if they’re not as tech-savvy? Read on to know how you can navigate through telecommuting, overcome work challenges, and balance work and life.

Creating your own space
Separating work from home is not that tricky. All you need to do is establish a designated workplace that can only be utilized just for work. People usually dress up in their smart casual attire and start the day early in order to be in a ‘professional’ mode even at their home. Some people also shake things up by switching work areas for a refreshed view and a different perspective.

Your virtual circle and you
Once you are able to set clear boundaries in between your home and working environment, you can exert efforts on maintaining a social life through virtual communities. A social life is blurry to look at, even more so when working remotely. In order to conquer that, you can use the things that are most accessible like social media or messaging apps to stay in touch with your friends. Better yet, have regular check-ins with your colleagues, share best practices, and even take a mental health breather together. This way, you can still stay connected to the world around you.

Beyond consistent communication, taking a break is important, especially for your mental health. When highly stressed, it is essential to take a step back, rest, and move forward in order to be productive. As mentioned previously, it helps to talk to your colleagues virtually or even with the people around you at home. You can also give yourself some time to think and reflect on your blessings, control, and privileges to help you know where your ground is and navigate your way to a healthy remote life. Your mental health should never be compromised.

The art of patience (and communication)
A part of keeping your mental health in check is also exercising patience. Because when working from home, patience is needed to get through the day successfully. Having patience at your side can guide you through difficult tasks and help you communicate well with people. List down your tasks for the day and estimate the time you need to accomplish them. We cannot emphasize how important patience really is.

Be patient especially handling miscommunication, one of the most common challenges in a remote life. To avoid this, you must learn to communicate better to voice out concerns more patiently and precisely. If a task is not time-sensitive, do what you can and ask for additional help from the team the following day. If it is urgent, contact the best person who can provide you with information you need to finish the job. Everyone is just a call, text, and chat away.

Tech x People
The same applies when technical difficulties arise. For example, internet stability is essential when working from home but sometimes connection can go haywire. To overcome this problem, you must be ready to deal by setting aside a pocket Wi-Fi or mobile data. Stable internet connection and consistent communication are essential factors because they can help you be digitally equipped while collaborating with others efficiently. When preparing Plans A to Z do not work for you, do not hesitate to reach out to whoever you need.

Finally, in order to navigate the remote life, we also have to make the multigenerational workforce happen. Working with people from different generations sometimes leads to conflicting ideas and ways of working. The most important consideration when managing four generations is to give them all an equal voice. Regardless of age and lifestyle, all employees should be respected and heard equally.

From concept to execution, TeamAsia believes that working from home or telecommuting may just be the future of brands and businesses. Not only because there’s a global health crisis, but because technology is pushing us to evolve in our own way. And with a multigenerational workforce like ours, it’s just all the more interesting how we are able to achieve that shift.

We hope that these tips will be useful as you navigate your way through remote work as we further embrace digital transformation.

Need help adapting or curious about how we made our own transition happen? Let’s chat over at info@teamasia.com.