The challenges of working remotely and how to overcome them

It goes without saying that the last few years have been challenging in a plethora of ways. The global pandemic has required us all to play our part in changing our behaviour in order to protect our fellow citizens from the spread of infection.

One of the key changes to our everyday lives has been the need to work from home. And not only has this been the case through the more severe lockdowns but prompted companies around the world to reconsider how their workforces are configured, with most making the decision to pivot away from the nine ’til five office-based approach to a far more adaptable model. A bit like the bitcoin up revolution, we’re now seeing a working-from-home revolution!

This can be good news for many, not only saving on commuting time and cost but allowing workers the opportunity to live in further-flung places, spend more time with family or allow those with disabilities or childcare responsibilities the flexibility to work more easily around their schedules.

But what about the downsides? We take a look at some of the drawbacks and suggest some ways to overcome them:

Lost watercooler moments

It’s become something of a cliché, but there is a lot of truth in the idea that it’s the spontaneous moments of interaction we have with colleagues that help us tackle work problems, create better working relationships and generally give us a lift when we feel anxious, over-burdened or even just bored! When working remotely, make full use of the communication tools you have to hand, whether it be the company chat where you can talk one-on-one with teammates or in groups, hop on video calls sometimes just to have a social catch up rather than a work conversation or even where possible, meet with colleagues “in real life” when you can, whether for a weekly coffee or a Thursday after-work drink. You will quickly notice that these small points of contact will help you feel less isolated, help you feel more connected with your workmates and ultimately make you a more fulfilled worker.

Blurred lines between work and leisure

Although in principle it might seem like you have more spare time working from home, sometimes the opposite can be true. Without the natural bookends of travelling into an office by a specific hour or the cut-off created by needing to get home, it’s easy for your working hours to bleed over into your spare time. Even a lunch break can evaporate without a work colleague suggesting you pop out to the local sandwich shop, with you instead raiding the fridge at 2pm for whatever you can scavenge and munch over your laptop. Make sure to create boundaries: block out a lunch hour in your calendar so no meetings are booked then. Be strict with yourself and your colleagues about start and finish times, close and put away your laptop when you are not working and try not to check emails on your phone out of office hours. If you make yourself consistently available it can become a vicious circle where you are expected to be available. Working all hours can be a false economy, as no company benefits from burnt-out staff and poor mental health can affect productivity. 

Idea generation

Ever feel like your best ideas come to you when you’re literally nowhere near your desk? Although it might be tempting to maximise your sleeping time by rolling out of bed at 8.59am and getting straight to work, you’re actually not giving your brain the chance to wander and be stimulated by a wide variety of things that can counterintuitively help you solve work problems or spark new ideas. Avoid that feeling of work “block” by giving yourself a wide berth in the morning: wake up at the usual time you would if you were commuting and use the time to have a leisurely breakfast and read the newspaper. Or take a mid-afternoon break and take a walk around the local park to breathe in some fresh air. Or, if you’re not on calls all day, why not work from a café to give yourself a change of scene? Do what you must to get those creative juices flowing!

The editorial unit