Are you working from home more now than ever before? Have you noticed a difference in how you need to organize your day to stay motivated? Now that the newness is over, are you getting bored with your remote working arrangements?
Working from home demands different skills than working in a busy office. While it can provide a quiet sanctuary conducive to completing tasks efficiently, it can also take away some of the stimuli that helped us get our jobs done. If you expect to be working remotely for a while, it’s helpful to brush up on three key skills that will help you excel from the home office such as Communicating, Influencing Others and Completing Tasks.
Communicating
It goes without saying, that it was easier to call across the office to your co-workers, or bump elbows at the coffee station when you worked onsite at the office. Now that you are working remotely, it takes more effort to reach out and communicate with your colleagues. However, communication with colleagues can pay off by offering teamwork and collaboration that can boost your mood and your project’s success simultaneously, depending on the communication medium you choose.
Have you ever noticed that your go-to communication technique is email? While email or texts are quick, they often leave something to be desired including the tone and back and forth of good communication. Try picking up the phone more often to talk to a colleague, or plan a Zoom conversation so you can interact and see each other’s facial expression. For it’s not just communication most of us are after; it’s connection, collaboration and teamwork too.
Influencing Others
Now that you’re working remotely, can you see how building your Influence Skills could be advantageous? Influence helps you to position ideas and choices in a way that will help your listener draw logical conclusions and lean in the direction of certain actions. Did you know that there are 6 Principles of Ethical Influence that you can bring to your conversations and communications? Ask us about our interactive virtual training program Influencing For Business Results to learn how these principles can help you be more effective in your job.
Completing Tasks
While working remotely can bring advantages, we definitely miss out on some of the office stimuli that helped us feel good about our contributions. It’s easy to get bored or lose interest in tasks that don’t seem to be part of a larger picture. If you notice any of those negative feelings, try to see how your tasks fit together to accomplish a larger goal. Break a project down into bite-sized tasks and plot them on a check-list so you can check them off one by one. Celebrate tasks have been completed on a daily basis and make sure that you mark the completion of projects with a special event or treat. Whether it’s having a virtual coffee break with a colleague, or going for a walk outside, celebrating your accomplishments helps you gain a sense of satisfaction even when working remotely. Consider the use of whiteboard, zoom team meetings, and old fashioned bulletin boards in your home office to help you see how your progress on small tasks is getting you where you need to go.
Summary
Working remotely brings a host of different challenges when compared to working in the office. Brushing up on the three skills of Communicating, Influencing Others, and Completing Tasks will help you and your team thrive in this new environment for months to come. Check out our program on Powerful Business Communications and contact us at 1-800-501-1245 to learn how to bring this powerful training to your Team.