5 Tips from the AJE Team for Working Remotely

My name is Brandon Jernigan, and I have worked for AJE since 2010. Over the course of my time here, I have benefited from the flexible and remote-friendly work environment promoted by our company. I'm delighted to share with you many of the lessons I have learned over the past 10 years.

As companies, universities, and other institutions around the world do their part to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic, many people find themselves working from home for the first time. Remote work strategies can vary depending on your individual needs and the nature of your work (Are you a writer or researcher who needs deep focus? Does your job require a heavy meeting schedule?).

The news and social media are flooded with advice about working from home, and self-help articles offer deceptively simple tips for productivity, habit formation, and time management.

At AJE, we have worked remotely since 2004 to support scientists and researchers. However, we know that working from home during this global emergency can be very stressful for anyone.

I find it more effective to start with a few underlying principles than to start with unrealistic productivity goals. Your productivity and focus will improve with practice as you discover what works best in your situation, but it's all too easy to neglect the fundamentals.

1. Set boundaries

Office design remains a contentious topic, but good office environments generally support productivity by allowing for social interaction and movement as well as privacy and focus. When working from home, you face all kinds of challenges. Friends, family, and neighbors will often assume that you're readily available. It can be strange when you find yourself repeatedly explaining your remote work to others, but remember that only a small fraction of employees have experience working from home.

To set boundaries, try the following:

• Remind others about your work schedule and habits, especially the time you set aside for focused work. A flexible work schedule can allow you to accommodate others, but you risk burning out if you don't establish routines and rituals for your work day.
• Create a space devoted to work. Even in small spaces, a desk or a ritual for converting your dining table into a desk (and back again) can help. Physical barriers can be helpful (e.g., “Mom's working when the door is closed”).

2. Respect your own boundaries

Working from home has its comforts and distractions. If you've blocked off time to focus, don't be distracted by the laundry (and don't feel guilty because you're not doing the laundry). If you are a parent juggling parenting responsibilities, sharing those responsibilities according to a schedule may help. Once you've adjusted to working from home for a few days, these household obligations can become even more distracting than Netflix or video games, so set aside routine times for life tasks. During your day, remember to take time to exercise or walk in the sun. Likewise, try reconnecting with a hobby that you love. It can be a fulfilling break from the chronic stress of work and pandemic news, especially if your hobby doesn't involve screen time.

3. Get used to asynchronous collaboration and communication

I could offer tips for remote meetings, but here's a different option: schedule fewer meetings. Video conferencing technology has improved significantly over the years, but your colleagues are facing new challenges, including some that need troubleshooting. Someone may forget to include a video link for a meeting, the computer may take longer than expected to update, or the new noise-cancelling headset may not work with the default settings. Some will be telecommuting for the first time, others will be working from home while also watching their children, and so on.

Consider temporarily adjusting expectations around projects, meetings, and other communication so that team members can easily contribute when they're available and most productive. Your work doesn't have to happen at the same time as your teammates' work. There are many tools you may already feel comfortable using, such as email, group messaging platforms (e.g., Slack), and collaborative platforms (e.g., Google's office suite). As you explore your options—and AJE has prepared a list of some of them for you—be intentional about your collaboration. To truly embrace flexibility, be clear about expectations so that colleagues don't burn out due to an unspoken assumption that everyone should be online at all times or immediately respond.

4. Practice self-compassion

Aim to get just a little better at working from home each day, and don't give into productivity shame. At home, there are plenty of life and work distractions, constant device notifications, and the looming possibility of isolation. Self-compassion and a healthy dose of joy can help you guard against burnout. Self-compassion involves practicing kindness toward yourself as an alternative to self-criticism and accepting your common humanity. It means respecting yourself as “fully human—and therefore limited and imperfect”—and recognizing that your experiences are “part of the larger human experience” (Neff 2003).

5. Take care of yourself

Working from home can be isolating, even for introverts. We all need healthy forms of social interaction, and working from home can be especially difficult during winter months or when we're restricted to being indoors. During this global pandemic, you may find yourself working from home for the first time while also coping with high levels of fear and anxiety. It's important to prioritize your physical and mental wellbeing and to connect with others. If you're a leader or influencer in your organization, help others by reducing the stigma associated with mental health.