Remote Work Hack

Remote work offers us so much potential. Benefits are on offer for our organisations, people and planet.

Research shows it has some pitfalls too.

(If you want to geek out on this then check out Nick Bloom, David Rock and, for a New Zealand flavour, look at the work Otago University did in 2020’s lockdown)

I've summarised the themes I’ve noticed and put them into three categories:

- Connect

- Work

- Well

Moving from problem to solution in each of these categories takes some deliberate practice and experimentation. What works in one situation won’t be the same in another, given how many variables exist across different types of work and people.

To get your creativity going here are a few hacks you can consider to get you started.

Connect: Isolation is well documented as an issue for remote workers. Creating space to connect with others is crucial to remote success. Try some of these ideas:

1. Meet up with other remote workers who live in your area

2. Attend team meetings virtually with the team commitment of 'one remote, all remote'

3. Accept invitations to 3D worklife whenever possible

Work: The type of work we do when we're remote can lend itself to being very task-focused rather than work that generates new thinking and ideas. Carving out space to get creativity and ideas flowing when you're remote will serve you well over the longer term. Try these ideas:

1. Protect some calendar space for creativity and get out for a walk to get you started

2. Prioritise sharing your emerging ideas with team members to keep shaping and exploring your thoughts

3. Read or listen to something that inspires you every day

Well: Boundaries between work and home are physically challenging for remote workers. It can lead to being 'always-on' and something I call 'flexibility gratitude' which burns you out in the end. Try these ideas to combat it:

1. Create physical and behavioural boundaries between work and home whenever possible, such as a designated work space, or packing work away at the end of each day

2. Go for a walk when your work is done to signal the shift from work to home

3. Make yourself a healthy lunch and eat it away from your workspace

Use these ideas to inspire your own team conversation about the hacks that will work well for you and your team as you navigate your way into making remote work a raging success for people and planet!