In 2008, I started working for an Amsterdam-based company and was the only employee in the Czech Republic. There wasn’t an office, and I had no colleagues nearby. This was a first for me, but I’ve done it for almost 12 years now.
Since then, I’ve tried many approaches. Some worked. Some were a disaster. And even after more than a decade away from the office (mostly), I’m finding new ways to stay productive and happy working from home.
With the COVID-19 outbreak, many companies are requiring employees to work from home. It can be hard if you’ve never done it or haven’t done it regularly. But I’m a big believer in remote work (it’s one reason I’m at Citrix) and wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned over the years.
Learn to Fail
This whole blog post is about my experience. Yours will probably be different. After all, you have to figure out your own rules for working from home and experiment. You’re going to have success, but you’re also going to have a lot of failures. A lot. Learn from them and make adjustments frequently, even if you have been working from home a while.
You’re going to have success, but you’re also going to have a lot of failures. A lot. Learn from them and make adjustments frequently,
For example, I recently reconfigured my entire home office and refreshed my routines. Be transparent with your friends, your team, and your manager about what you’re doing so you can find the best way to be productive. Failure is part of it, and I will always be experimenting with new approaches.
Define Your Divide
Being a productive remote worker requires discipline, especially if you’re trying to show that you’re trustworthy and that working from home isn’t something for emergency situations only. In my experience, the best trick is to find ways to divide your “work mode” and your “home mode.”
I have a dedicated working space. I tried the couch and the dining room table, but those never worked for me. I eventually would get distracted. When you find that place, record a few minutes of audio there (for example, using Skype’s Sound Test Service), ideally with your family around, and listen to it. You’d be surprised how much people on your conference calls can hear. I was surprised to learn that some microphones are designed to highlight background noises, and that my Jabra headphones have eight microphones that are GREAT at picking up children singing, crying, or asking you where their favorite stuffed animal went.
I also have distinct work and home routines. I start every day the same way, which helps me transition to “work mode.” When my headphones are on, I’m working. And I wear them, even if I’m not listening to anything. I also use my desktop computer as an on/off switch. I turn it on while I’m preparing my first coffee, and it stays on for the rest of the day. Turning it off? That’s a signal my day is done.
Engage Your Family
Work-from-home discussions often focus on an employee’s relationship with their manager. But what about family? If you’re new to working from home, understand that it doesn’t just mean change for you. It also means change for your family. I have two small kids, and my wife stays home with them. I’m surrounded by my family for most of the day, and over the years, we’ve developed tricks to make it work.
If you’re new to working from home, understand that it doesn’t just mean change for you. It also means change for your family.
First, find the right balance between work and home. I have set work hours that I follow, and I make sure my family knows what they are. Every morning, I talk to my wife about my work schedule and when I plan to “return from work.” If that changes during the day, I tell her right away. If she needs help with something, like taking the kids to the doctor, I make plans to work later and catch up.
I also have physical signals to let them know I’m working (those headphones, but I’ve experimented with “on air” light and other things). We also have clear rules around interruptions. I know what’s important, and that it’s OK to take time away for my kids, who are 3 and 5. If they need time from me to talk or to show me artwork they’ve done, they leave their favorite toy on the side of my worktable as a signal to me. (I’ve tried to convince my wife that we need a bat signal projector at home, but I haven’t been successful … yet.)
Work Schedule
I’m more productive when working from home, but the reasons why have changed. When I started, it was mostly about working longer hours. But over time, I’ve gotten smarter about working and better at organizing my schedule.
Over time, I’ve gotten smarter about working and better at organizing my schedule
One change I made this year was starting earlier. I wake up around 5:30 a.m. and start working at about 6 a.m. I spend the first 20–30 minutes reading blog posts and articles I saved the day before and catching up on email and Slack. I also use this time to plan my day, so I know what I want to work on and what I expect to complete by the end of the day. I was never an early bird, but this change has worked wonders for me. My most productive time of day now is 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. I eat breakfast much later, but I always start my day with a cup of coffee.
I also divide my day into small blocks. Usually, I start by working with colleagues in APJ or working on more difficult projects, like documentation. Once I’m done with my APJ colleagues, I’ll turn to EMEA, while our times overlap.
I try to schedule all my calls/meetings in the afternoon, because it’s typically the least productive time of day for me. This is also when I’m responding to emails that people will read the next day (or that aren’t urgent).
Finally, I always save fun projects for the end of the day. This could be development, scripting or lab setup, Citrix Optimizer, or automation for Citrix Tech Zone. This fills time that might not otherwise be productive.
These work blocks are often linked to each other, too. For example if I need to prepare a demo (not one of my favorite things), I prepare the lab in the last working block (fun!) but record it and edit it in the morning (not fun!).
Achieving Long-Term Success
For many people, working from home is temporary. But what if you want to make it a long-term option? Here are few tips for making a long-term WFH arrangement successful.
- Commit and Deliver: You want this to work for you and your manager and company. Show them that they can trust you, that you will work hard, and that you can deliver on your commitments. I know exactly how long it would take me to commute to the office, and that’s additional time I put in every week.
- Invest in Your Office: I have three 4K monitors at home, a powerful desktop, and a couple of NUC servers. I just bought a high-end chair yesterday and a standing desk few weeks ago. Get a good microphone or headphones (I recently picked up Jabra 85h and am very happy). I like headphones (or a microphone) with hear-through technology — with the push of a button, you can clearly hear everything that happens around you.
- Take Regular Breaks: With a home office, your job can overwhelm your home life. Take regular breaks, have some snacks/drinks at hand, and get exercise during the day. With a home office, your schedule is probably more flexible. Take advantage of it. What you do during the day is probably more important than when you do it.
Share Your Tips and Tricks
Working from home can be a big change if you’ve never done it or haven’t done it on a regularly. But if you’re thoughtful about your approach, you can be productive, happy, and very successful.
Got comments, tips or tricks of your own? How’s your experience been working from home? Let me know in the comments below!
