6 Helpful Telecommuting Tips for Remote Work Success 

Ah, work in the time of a pandemic. The coronavirus has forced more and more employees to work remotely, as they spend their days at home or perhaps in a coworking space. All of them – whether seasoned veterans of remote work or beginners who started after the virus hit – could benefit from some telecommuting tips.

If you want to work more productively and enjoyably from home, then this article’s for you. Check out six telecommuting tips below.

1. Be Safe Online

Safety isn’t just for your reaction to the virus. It’s for your online habits, too.

Cyber-criminals take advantage of remote workers by way of malware links, scams, spoofs, and more. Be aware of that as you sift through your email inbox, answer the phone, and browse the web. The less you do non-work-related things at work, the less likely it is that you, your co-workers, or employer will be hacked.  

2. Get Comfortable (But Not Too Comfortable)

Remote workers can literally work from the comfort of their own homes. However, with great comfort comes great responsibility. Find a space at home for work, and stick to it.

Make sure you’re away from places reserved exclusively for your personal life. Try out your couch or kitchen table for work, and get yourself a supportive office chair of the appropriate height. Wherever you work, remove all distractions so that you can focus.

3. Get a Second Screen

Like it or not, remote workers stare at a screen all day. With so many web browser tabs and windows open at once, why not make your life easier with a second screen? You can dedicate one monitor to one half of your workflow, and the other monitor to the other half.

4. Be Prepared for Meetings

One way to prepare for virtual meetings is ensuring that you have a well-functioning webcam so that your co-workers, boss, and clients can see your beautiful, smiling face. Use your smartphone’s camera or buy a camera monitor for less than $75.

You’ll also need high-quality software like Skype, Google Hangouts, or Facebook Messenger, all of which are free. The standard corporate software these days (that you may have already been using for work) is Zoom.  

Unlike Hangout and Messenger calls, free Zoom calls are end-to-end encrypted, but they can only last for up to 40 minutes.

5. Have Messaging Software

If your organization doesn’t already have messaging software, then impress your boss by suggesting Slack (free or only $6.67 monthly for video or phone calls) or Microsoft Teams (free with limited storage or $5 per month for the pro version).

Thank me later.

6. Use Good Headphones

Want to listen to music while you work? Then find a pair of high-tech headphones, like the Amazon Echo Buds or Apple AirPods or AirPods Pro.

What Are Some Telecommuting Tips?

If you listen to these telecommuting tips, working from home won’t be like working in lonely, solitary confinement five days a week. Rather, you’ll be able to efficiently and comfortably enjoy your job. What’s more, your co-workers will only be a message away.

Other career-empowering advice is only a click away in the Business section of our site.