Today we are talking about working from home! Barbori Garnet is a writer and author of Home at the Office: Working Remotely as a Way of Life (Atmosphere Press, September 2021), artist, musician, and gardener based in Alberta, Canada. In collaboration with her, I posted an excerpt from her book that you can check out here. Barbori enjoys writing non-fiction and writes on remote work, home offices, gardening, and more. She has a BFA in Painting & Drawing from Academy of Art University and an MA Communications in Public Relations from Southern New Hampshire University. Let’s hear her experiences in working from home and some productivity tips that might come in handy!
Working from Home: A Time for Enjoying Work and Learning
By Barbori Garnet
At times, by working from home you might feel overwhelmed with new technology to learn. You might also feel lonely and disconnected from colleagues and others on your team. However, finding the right resources and activities that you enjoy and including them in your remote work, working from home can be a great time of work and learning.
Would you be able to talk about what it was like working in office and then the adjustment of working remotely?
From my experience and time working in brick-and-mortar workplaces, I have found that working in a traditional work setting provided less options for flexibility in hours and took time for the commute to work. Two reasons that I decided to start working from home, beginning with part-time hours, was to have flexibility in my schedule and be able to focus my time on work rather than using it for a lengthy commute. However, while I worked part-time from home, I still worked outside the home part-time. Working remotely and working in an office is what is known as hybrid work, and might be preferred by some people.
Going from an office setting to working remotely did not result in too much of an adjustment for me as I had already experienced working from home and liked it. It is something that I continue to enjoy. However, here are some of the things I have learned and found helpful.
Read Books, Magazines, Articles, and Web Resources
Whether you are looking to learn more about working from home or just need encouragement or new ideas, I recommend finding and reading books and other resources on a regular basis. It will help you stay up-to-date on new technology and solutions available that could be just what you need or were looking for to better organize your workspace or increase your focus during work hours.
Know What Your Goals Are
As you start working from home, searching for a position, or advertising for clients, it is a good idea to take some time to know and list what your remote work goals are. Goals can include but are not limited to:
- having a flexible schedule to care for family
- maximizing your income by having your own business or passive income by creating and selling digital items
- making extra income to put towards travel, retirement, reducing debt, or increasing savings
Having a goal or two can help keep you on track and motivated when working from home, especially when deadlines are looming or you feel overwhelmed by work responsibilities.
Connect with Other Remote Workers
It can be helpful to connect with others who work remotely, both to be encouraged and give encouragement. Having an online and in-person community and support network of remote workers can provide a place to share ideas, solutions, and resources. Knowing that there are others who can relate to the ups and downs you are experiencing and going through could make the difference in your work.
Use the Tools and Platforms You Need for Work
Whether you need to use Slack, Excel, Zoom, or other platforms, make sure that you have access to and use the tools needed to accomplish your work tasks and communicate with team members and clients. Take the time and initiative to learn new platforms and the different features those platforms offer. Being aware of the tools available will ensure that you are using the tech that keeps your business running smoothly and efficiently. If at any time you need to change or upgrade your tech, it is a good idea to check online and ask others for recommendations and reviews.
Enjoy Working from Home
Find some things that you enjoy about working from home and have some fun with working remotely. Go for a walk during your break, have a cup of tea or coffee, or play relaxing and calming music in the background as you work – include fun moments throughout your remote work hours!
By adding the above ideas to your work day and week, you will find that you are once again looking forward to the commute to your home office. Begin to notice, too, the joy that you will discover in working from home!
Do you work from home or want to? Tell us your experiences in the comments! 🙂
Connect with Barbori on Twitter and Facebook, Head to her website where you can sign up for her newsletter as well. Follow on Goodreads and Amazon for bookish updates!
Cover Photo on Unsplash
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