Months into the global coronavirus pandemic, remote working that felt temporary is beginning to feel much more permanent. While some jobs simply can’t be done at home, the pandemic is accelerating the trend towards telecommuting, possibly for the long term. Remote work is, in many ways, a privilege as it allows you the flexibility to work your own hours. However, it has also been a challenge for many, especially workers juggling tending to children, as well as young people eager to go out into the world and network. As such, many find themselves quickly losing track of things unless they decide to control when they work. As a remote worker, you have to create a new, safe and comfortable work environment to facilitate productivity, according to Marianne Mutesi, an accountant. “A common problem that remote workers experience is friends and family members viewing them as having much more free time than they actually have, especially if your job gets done primarily through your laptop. Combining work space with personal space, therefore, and not having a clear boundary of which space not to invade becomes a challenge. While teleworking, it’s important to have a designated work space and efficiently make use of it. It helps to set up an office or workspace in your home that cannot interfere with your home schedule,” she says. For Kenneth Rurangwa, a marketing officer, proactively reaching out to co-workers, supervisors and clients ensures smooth running of your duties. “You should try to create an environment that is tailored to your needs, success and even personality. Depending on your social preferences, don’t rely on them to connect with you. People need to be shown you are thinking of them. If there is no need for regular engagement with them then you should schedule reminders to reach out with an email or call,” he says. He also advises to schedule time to get some air and grab lunch. “It’s easy to get caught up with work and miss out on breaks, especially for workaholics. Schedule a stop time, which means clocking out and ensuring not to check work emails or texts when out of work,” he adds. For Mutesi, while it might sound overly simple, using the wrong tools while telecommuting can be an exercise in extreme frustration. Working with your employers to ensure that you are using efficient telecommuting tools is important. If you have a social internet platform, use them extensively to connect with your employees, but also consider how you are accessing the internet. Avoid public Wi-Fi since this increases chances for getting hacked.
