With arrival of Omicron, many of us are back to working remotely again. However, after a taster of being back in the office, you may be feeling reluctant. We’ve all learned lots of lessons over the last couple of years about remote and hybrid working. So, what are the most common remote working mistakes and what can you do about them?
1. Something was missed
With remote working, it’s much easier to miss something off the list. You don’t have the same reminders around you in terms of people or places.
Solution: Don’t dwell on the mistake. Take responsibility and move on. But do make sure it doesn’t happen again. Take note of regular tasks and set reminders for when things need to be done. Make sure you have the resources you need to avoid repeating the mistake.
2. Your set-up is wrong
You thought you were back in the office to stay, so you dismantled the desk and gave the space back to something else in your home. The result? You’re back on the sofa. With the wrong set-up, you can experience all sorts of negative consequences, from back pain and lethargy to distractions and unprofessional backgrounds on Zoom!
Moreover, without a defined homeworking space, you’ll struggle to create a good work-life balance.
Solution: Take a little time to recreate a good homeworking set-up, so that you are comfortable, professional, and organised.
3. Relationships are struggling
It’s much easier to create and sustain good relationships with your colleagues and management when you are seeing each other day in, day out. Otherwise, you lose connection and incidental opportunities simply don’t happen in the same way.
Solution: Switch on the camera and engage as much as possible remotely. Make a conscious effort to communicate with key players. Be willing to go back to online networking, team building, and socialising for a while.
4. Your work-life balance disappears
For many, this has been one of the biggest problems with remote working. It’s difficult to define a start and end time to your workday when you’re at home. Indeed, research shows that those working at home tend to work two extra hours every day!
Solution: Be firm about your own boundaries and take frequent breaks. Stick to your plan and try not to let work encroach on your private life more than it would in the office.
5. You’re distracted
The washing machine is beeping at you to hang up the laundry, your mother-in-law keeps ringing for a chat, and you really don’t want to take in yet another parcel for your Amazon-loving neighbour.
Solution: Limit distractions as much as possible. Be firm with yourself about when you’ll pick up household jobs. Again, having a defined homeworking space will help here. Create a routine that works for you and make sure those around you know about it.
Things aren’t as extreme as before, but it’s fair to say that many of us will be remote working again, at least in the earlier parts of 2022. Make it a positive experience by not falling into the bad habits you managed to banish before.
Love Success is a leading London PA & office support recruitment agency.
Our expert recruiters can help you find permanent and temporary jobs in London.
View our latest job opportunities here
PA & EA Jobs l Office Support Jobs l Temporary Jobs Marketing & PR Jobs l HR Jobs l Finance Jobs