That’s not a problem if you’re in Los Angeles working with someone in New York, but it’s more of a challenge if, say, you’re in Chicago working with someone in Copenhagen. We did it with Copenhagen working from 11am to 7pm (local time) and Chicago working from 8am to 5pm-just enough for the key four hours of intersection.
Remote workers need to be flexible when working with others in different time zones. As my teammate Matthew said: “You have to think a bit more about when to send messages to others-and learn not to watch your phone for notifications when you don’t plan to work. That’s a good part as well, though; you can move your work around when needed, and you can hand off work to others who can finish it up during their day and get it back to you.”
Technology hiccups
Nothing makes a remote worker shake in fear as much as an internet outage. Or, perhaps, when your computer breaks. Both are your problems to solve.
Attorney Elizabeth Potts Weinstein says that she and her husband have worked remotely for years and “by far the biggest challenge is being able to rely on a stable and fast internet connection. We do our research ahead of time, but that doesn’t mean that the speed and stability is guaranteed, particularly in developing countries.”
Many public Wi-Fi hotspots can also be spotty. And even with a decent internet connection, video conferencing apps aren’t always reliable, so virtual meetings can be an exercise in frustration.
For peace of mind–and to avoid delays in your work- have a backup plan. A mobile hotspot device like a MiFi or a cell phone plan that allows tethering can save you when your internet goes out. A backup computer–or maybe even a tablet–can get you through the day until you can get your computer fixed.
Bad health habits
Knowledge work tends to be sedentary work-no matter where your office is. However, when you’re at home, it’s easier to slip into bad habits.
For one thing, there’s the fridge. As Cody says, “with the refrigerator only 14 steps from my home office and my bedroom a mere 22, the freshman 15 is a real phenomenon when converting from an office job.”
Exercise might also fall by the wayside when you’re overworking, and you might forget to go outside enough. (Fellow remote workers: are you getting enough vitamin D?)
There’s no magic pill for this one either. You just have to be more mindful when working from home about your health habits. You can set reminders for yourself in your calendar or to-do app to eat a salad or do some yoga.
Despite the challenges above, remote work is very rewarding-as long as you know what you’re getting into and can handle these common issues. If you persevere, you’ll enjoy flexibility, autonomy, the chance to work in your best environment, higher productivity-and perhaps also more time for a life outside of work as well.
Create physical boundaries between you and your workspace. The best thing is if you have a dedicated office space so you can shut the office door–or even lock it, as Cody Jones, Director of Partnerships at Zapier, does. Sorry, we’re closed. If you don’t have a dedicated office, even something as simple as putting your laptop out of sight when work has ended can help you avoid the temptation to log back on. Or you can try sectioning off part of a room for work so it feels like a separate space.
Train your kids and significant other to be self-sufficient and occupy themselves. It’s frustrating to be interrupted because you’re the only person who knows where the scotch tape is.
Working remotely, if it is to be successful, usually requires some overlap with the hours your coworkers are putting in. we’ve found that we need a good four hours of overlap to avoid collaboration delays and feel like a team.