Pro Tips on Remote Working

A large majority of the global workforce are all now learning to work as remote workers. Not everyone enjoys remote working; some struggle with motivation, others with isolation. 

Blueface, a Comcast Business Company have always seen remote working and our remote team members as a cornerstone of our business success. Not just in the outstanding work that our remote teams produce but in the positive remote culture they have created for themselves and our business.

Remote Working Tips from the Pros will help you adjust to remote working, keep your productivity high and your mood even higher.

I’m Linda Liu, Wholesale Account Manager based in Hong Kong SAR, China. 

I’ve worked remotely since joining Blueface in 2018. During the Coronavirus and Hong Kong Protest periods, I’ve worked from home. 

Outside of that, I’ve generally worked from a co-working space or the Blueface Partner Office. Being stuck at home, while it starts off quite fun as its novel, as it continues, constantly being in the exact same environment can become frustrating and dull.

Exercise is Key! Releasing endorphins and increasing dopamine! There are plenty of at-home workouts you can find on youtube or even download from the app store and, although it doesn’t feel like you need it, once you keep at it, it can really elevate your mood.
Video Conferences: Don’t just hear someone, see them. Don’t be afraid to reach out! Being on a completely different timezone and alone has made it quite difficult for me to communicate with the rest of our team, resulting in instances where I’ve felt incredibly disconnected and sad. Talking on the phone is fantastic and helpful, I’ve discovered that being able to see people’s faces, even though it’s still through a screen, has really made a difference for me in motivation and becoming more involved.

Connect with Linda Liu on LinkedIn to chat about staying upbeat while working from Hong Kong across timezones, cultures and, at times, turmoil.

Hello, it’s Fiona Kearns, Wholesale Account Director based in the UK. 
I use a co-working space and I work from home too. I love the option of working at home because it’s brilliant for getting focus work done. 

It works with your personal life too, I can go for a quick run on my lunch break and put on a wash while making a cuppa. You get far more work done at home in my experience because there are less distractions. A perfect mix for me would be home working with a splash of the office to connect with my colleagues.

Plan your Breaks: While it sounds wonderful to do something for yourself on your break. The reality is you often forget to take your break and end up with a headache! If that’s you, include breaks in planning out your day.
Guilt Management: What if someone ims and you don’t reply instantly? I feel guilty that they’ll think I’m not working all the time.  The best way to manage this is to stay in contact throughout the day by phone and IM and not to wait for people to contact you!
Connect with Fiona Kearns on LinkedIn to chat about all things remote working in the UK.

My name is Kamila Cholko and I’m a Senior Marketing Executive working from Warsaw. I’ve been with Blueface for 4 years, working remotely for over a year. It’s been an easy transition for me – I used to work remotely so I had some good habits developed that just needed brushing off.

Have a plan. Having a to-do list for the day is the most important motivation factor for me. I need to have a clear plan of what I want to achieve that day, however, I also find that when I put on my to-do list the things I want to do before or after work, my days are more productive. This simple activity helps me to keep a good balance between work and personal life and keeps my energy high for the work day, cause I know I have also exciting things to look forward to when I finish work. 
Keep yourself accountable. Back when I was working from home I had problem staying focused. I was  getting distracted with the smallest things. At some stage I came across an article about a study that was proving that when we do mental work and we get distracted, it takes us about 15 mins to put our minds back to that task. I was shocked about that and I decided to find a way to keep myself more focused. I’ve found the Pomodoro method, which is a method that helps you stay focused by breaking your day up into 25-minute focus sessions followed by five-minute breaks. No coffee breaks, no quick phone checks, no email checking in the 25 focus work minutes slots. I only break it when my boss or someone from the office calls me or messages me. It’s been the most effective way of staying on the task for me since then and I can’t recommend it enough. There are plenty of easy to use apps that do the counting for you and alarm you about the breaks. 

Add Kamila Cholko on LinkedIn to learn more about transitioning from office life to remote working in another country helpful tips and home DIY. Kamila’s tips will have your house looking great in no time.

I’m Joe Roche, Head of Marketing based in Dublin, Ireland. I telecommute from time to time when I need to record voiceovers (whisper quiet) or if I have copy (words) to write / edit. 

I work from a small home office that faces towards a sunny garden where foxes and squirrels have chats at around noon. My team, for a time, was completely remote. So, although I spend much of my time in Blueface HQ, I have learned a couple of fundamentals.

Check Please: Set a goal checklist for the day. It’s easy to become unfocused in a comparatively unstructured environment. Feeling unmotivated? Complete a small task for a quick win or leave the house to get yourself back on track.
Use Your Words: Pick up the phone and use your voice. Make time to speak with someone on your team every day. Catch up about stuff on and off the field, you’ll feel better.
In fairness, my experience with remote working comes nowhere close to Kamila, Linda and Fiona but I believe I am at the same stage as many. Starting with the basics, refining as I go. Add me on LinkedIn to teach me a thing or two about working remotely.