20 Tips and Tools for Working From Home: Strategic Momentum Insights
While people around the world are adapting to the remote-work lifestyle, our team is in the fortunate position of not having to adjust. The Strategic Momentum team has been operating remotely since 2017, with most of us having been remote for much longer.
Years of experience have armed us with the knowledge of how to operate efficiently while continuously cultivating our team culture. Given the pandemic situation and rapidly changing workforce environment, we figured we’d share our insights into maximizing productivity, collaboration and morale in a virtual team dynamic.
We’ve tapped each core team members for their stories and advice and, below, we share our top tips and favorite resources (aside from Zoom and Slack, which are a given) for virtual work efficiency.
CONNIE STEELE
Principal & Host
My first experience working remotely was back in 2011 when my entire marketing team was distributed across the country yet, I had to go into an office every day. Being tasked with managing a more junior marketing team with the goal of building up an entire function from afar was initially daunting. I not only had to assess the capabilities and competencies of the team quickly but also build a relationship with each person and establish a sense of unity so we could all move forward effectively.
I didn’t have any of the tools and technology that we have now. And that was a good thing because I learned that it didn’t matter. What was most important in helping my team develop and grow was to establish relationships on a personal level. It came down to really being invested in supporting them in any way but also having the self-awareness to know whether my words or actions and plans were having a positive impact or not. We all had to test and learn our way to find the right rhythm. Each day was an ongoing experiment to determine a process or system that would be productive, efficient and in the end would accomplish the goals and objectives we set forth.
Having worked as consultant where I’ve also managed projects remotely, I’ve learned the same principles still apply to not only supporting my clients, but also those on their teams. You have to be clear on everyone’s goals, objectives and tasks and continually take into account the value equation on both sides. Here are a few tips and tools that have been valuable in my experience:
Connie’s Tips for Management
Keep an ongoing pulse of your team/stakeholders by staying connected frequently and with consistency.
Out-of-sight, out-of-mind is a risk you can often run into when you or anyone else on your team is working remotely. There isn’t the ability to walk over and have a quick chat.
So the onus is on you to make sure that your team, manager, and peers feels like they are on the same page as to what you are thinking, feeling and doing. That involves communication on a consistent basis. Yet, you need to be succinct and clear in your intent. No one likes to have their precious time eaten up with endless “touch base” meetings with no real purpose or action step afterwards. The worst is having conflicting action steps after a call.
Make sure to prepare what you want to say based on what you intend to accomplish in advance and not always on the fly. Once they understand the purpose, how it ties to what they are doing now and what the end result will be, you will be able to sense the actions of others based on their written or even non-verbal actions.
Get creative and be unafraid to experiment to find the right team dynamic.
Each person on your team is going to have a different mode of operating so make sure you understand that and find a way that works best as an entire team and with each individual. And that also goes for your stakeholders, manager or anyone else you need to work with. You aren’t going to find that panacea immediately and no one tool, application or approach is going to be the panacea. You will be able to find a set of things that will create the right way to support your workflows and work.
And don’t forget to continually build your own connections personally and professionally.
Being at home without the ability to interact with others (outside of your family, which can get trying) can be a challenge. It can often feel lonely when you aren’t getting that lift from others in a way that can alleviate the ongoing work or personal stress we all have.
So make sure to make time with friends and family to blow off steam, get recharged and get that support that you know you need. Now that we have video conferencing capabilities, there’s no excuse to not have a virtual gettogether.
And never stop building those important relationships within your company or outside of it. Continually networking is key to helping you in whatever your next move may be. So schedule those virtual coffee and lunch dates.
Connie’s Favorite Resources:
White Noise Machine (No Joke) (amazon.com)
If your kids are at home, you know that they create a lot of commotion which can break your concentration. So, a tried and true solution for me is to use a sound machine which helps block out the noise and lets me focus on the work that needs to be done.
Asana (asana.com)
This helps me and my team keep track of what we are prioritizing for the week as well as what’s been done without needing to sift through an endless email inbox.
Transcription Services (Rev/Go Transcript/Descript)
Given that we have conversations with various folks about their business to help us develop strategies, plans (or for us podcasts, too), we have used various transcription services over the years to help us quickly review the most important parts of the discussion. Unlike in the past, where we might have had to sit through all the audio and take notes, being able to transcribe the discussions in a matter of hours saves so much time and effort.
ALAN CORCORAN
Content Specialist
I remember being beside myself with excitement the first time our rural home got dial-up internet.
It seemed such a vast, unknown world; The Internet. Unsure where to start, I took my first uninspiring steps online, visiting the homepage of the radio station that happened to be playing in the house.
This inauspicious start has ultimately led me to where I am today. The internet, and the world, was vast, but soon I discovered it was also small. I was no longer alone in my niche interests, I had a community, and a space to create.
Working from home can be difficult, but for a generation raised on the internet, it does not have to be. When viewed through a business lens a lifetime of posting and interacting in forums becomes networking and relationship building. Staging, taking and uploading photos becomes content creation. Writing a blog teaches you to overcome fear, build an audience, and often face criticism head-on. We are a generation who routinely reach out to strangers, potential friends, and celebrities, so we do not fear putting ourselves out there. We have built remote working skills without realizing it.
The Internet has opened up a new world of societal problems, but it also allows me to have a flexible, ever-changing career. Remote work can be a dream scenario, but it requires discipline, and it can be mentally draining. Below are some techniques that have helped me transition from my previous 9-5, Monday-Friday career, to where I am today.
Alan’s Tips for Productivity
Eliminate Distractions
If you want to find a distraction when working from home, you will find it. Log out of social media accounts, put your phone away if possible, and open a new browser that is just for your work.
Make a Designated Work Area
It can be mentally challenging to shift your focus to work when you are in the space you usually relax in. Create a designated area to allow yourself to focus on work and mentally separate this process from your leisure time. If you are working with limited space this can be as simple as working from one chair, and eating or reading from another.
Learn to Prioritize
Our episode with Geoff Woods was a real eye-opener. I still use lists to keep track of tasks, but learning to block off time and prioritize the tasks that will have the biggest impact has been invaluable.
Alan’s Favorite Resources:
Google Docs & Sheets - as an organization tool (drive.google.com)
It can be easy to dismiss these simple tools as they are free to use and widely known. But when working from home any help in getting organized is a good thing. Both of these tools automatically save your work in one place. This sounds very basic, but if you have ever scoured your workspace for a notepad, or haven’t been able to remember where exactly you saved that important file, then this can be a real timesaver.
Toggl (toggl.com)
Toggl is a great tool to keep you honest. This easy to use, time-tracking software allows you to see just how much of your day that ‘quick project’ actually took. You can hit ‘Start’ and simply track your hours worked, or get granular and categorize each project or task. From there you can identify how much time you are really spending, via Toggl’s reports.
Spotify - Ambient Music Playlists (spotify.com/ambient)
Similar to Connie’s White Noise Machine, ambient music can provide background noise that both blocks out distractions and calms the mind. It is instrumental, so there are no lyrics to vy for your attention, and the genre emphasizes atmosphere over musical structure or rhythm.
Reddit (reddit.com)
The self-proclaimed ‘Front Page of the Internet’, Reddit can be overwhelming at first glance. There are well documented downsides of the site, namely the comment sections. But, as in society, you just need to find your niche. There are hundreds of thousands of communities on Reddit, many of which can provide a break from the anxiety-inducing news cycle we are currently in.
r/UpliftingNews: A place to read and share positive, feel good stories.
r/WritingPrompts: Ideas to base short stories on, to flex those creative muscles.
r/CoolGuides: Picture based reference guides for ‘anything and everything’.
ALEXIS ANTHONY
Marketing Manager
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the remote-working, digital nomad lifestyle was a glamorous option.
But now that this environment has been thrust upon us, many are realizing the work-from-home status isn’t exactly what it’s cracked up to be.
My relationship with working remotely is bittersweet. I’ve been a virtual employee for the past three years and it’s empowered me to travel the world while continuing to pursue my career. I’ve set up shop in Los Angeles, Melbourne, Sydney, London, the Thai Islands, Amsterdam, Berlin, London, and now, Glasgow. It’s been incredible.
When you’re remote, you can create your own schedule and take midday breaks for yoga or walks whenever you want. Plus, you have autonomy over your environment (plants, jammies, coffee, windows with natural lighting—you can have it all). Travel is off the table for many of us now, but these affordances still apply when working from home.
You have so much freedom—but freedom comes at a price.
The downsides to remote work are obvious to those who are now making the shift: you are socially isolated, all forms of communication require technology, you stare at a screen much longer now than you would in an office, and you can’t phone it in anymore—you have produce something to prove you’ve been working. Your brain has to permanently be switched on.
And it’s easy to become distracted, to eat a day’s worth of snacks in two hours, and end up browsing social media instead of completing that report. So here are some of my tips for staying productive and motivated:
Alexis’ Tips for Self-Care
Create Boundaries
One of my biggest struggles has been creating a work-life balance. Especially being in a different time zone than my peers, I get messages at all hours of the day and feel compelled to respond. If that’s you, too, what helps is to schedule out your working hours (I use my Google Calendar) to create limits. During that work time, focus. But a soon as time’s up, log out of your work email, turn off Slack, and retreat for the day. You can respond tomorrow.
Drink More Water
I am a bonafide stress eater. And now amid the pandemic, my distress levels are skyrocketing. The result is turning to food and coffee as sources of comfort — and being at home means I can run to the fridge at any time. If you’re like me, and can’t help snacking, try drinking more water more often. Keep a jug of water next to your workstation so that when you feel the urge to go for a snack or another coffee, you can reach for water instead. You’ll fill up and avoid the energy peaks and crashes that come with calorie and caffeine-fueled binges.
Take Breaks Frequently — But Keep Them Short
Take breaks to move around, send off a few texts, and unplug your mind for a few minutes. You need physical and social stimulation to keep you going, and working from home doesn’t mean you have to let those things go. Just keep those breaks to 5-10 minutes every hour or two and then get back to work.
Alexis’ Favorite Resources:
Calendar (iCal, Google Calendar, Outlook, etc.)
Use your preferred calendar app to schedule out your day, including your breaks. Visualizing your working vs. non-working times will help you stay focused and motivated. At the end of the day, I will revisit my calendar to map out exactly how I spent my time that day, so I also have an ongoing record of my accomplishments for the week (in addition to tracking my working hours in Toggl). Seeing ongoing progress boosts motivation and morale.
Headspace (headspace.com)
At-home, guided meditations — need I say more? Free trials are available for first-timers.
YouTube (youtube.com)
YouTube is my go-to fount for 5-10 minute workout breaks and daily yoga. Just type the exact thing you want (5-minute abs, HIIT for back pain, yoga for stress) and watch the results roll in. Obviously, you can find anything on YouTube, but I find the home workouts particularly useful for working from home.
Skillshare (skillshare.com)
I love this site for a little creative self-learning. I try to spend at least an hour each week honing a creative skill—for me, its photography, music production, and drawing—which helps get the juices flowing for work.
What are your work-from-home tips and advice? Or what are you struggling with? Let us know in the comments below 👇👇