Our Remote Team Shares Top Tips for Effective and Efficient Working from Home

In case you haven’t witnessed first-hand, being efficient while working from home can be quite the challenge. Whether you’re a first-time at-home worker going through an adjustment period or have worked at home for years, but now must manage to homeschool as well—there are a lot more distractions and a lot of learning curves taking place.

LeadG2 has embraced the work from home lifestyle. Our entire company has worked from home since day one—and we excel at it too! A few of our experts share their secrets on how they stay effective and efficient working from home.

Common Takeaways  

While our team may share different points-of-view, they also agree in a lot of ways on how to work from home successfully. In fact, many of them share similar pieces of advice:

• Have a Routine That Works for You—One of the most enjoyable perks of working from home is not having to get up, rush out of house, and fight the daily commute to the office. While you’re not rushed out of the house, it is important to develop a routine that works best for you.
  
  
• You Have to Take Breaks—If you’re new to the work from home lifestyle, you’ll learn that we are incredibly dependent on routines, schedules, and structure. It’s hard for many of us to stop what we’re doing and take a break.
  
  
• Chat and Video Resources Are Invaluable—Making it a point to chat with colleagues, team members, or clients each day matters!

In his interview with Inside Radio, Managing Partner, Matt Sunshine also stated the importance of having the right mindset and tools to work from home. “Your mindset has to be that you are at work, even though the environment has changed.”

Expert Tips for Effective and Efficient Working from Home

Dani Buckley, General Manager

I've worked from home for over 8 years, and one thing I've learned is that it's not a one-size-fits-all approach. It's about testing out different tips and finding what works best for you! For me, having a dedicated workspace is ideal (For example, I don't like to work from my couch or kitchen table—even though I could). 

I've learned what parts of the day I'm most productive (and when certain types of work are best for me) and build my schedule around that as much as I can. For instance, I have a lot of energy first thing in the morning and can knock out a lot of quick to-dos, while in the afternoon, I tend to have more focused energy, which means bigger, more strategic tasks that require my attention. 

I like to cook, and it's also easy for me to not leave my desk for lunch—so I try to make it a priority to prepare a meal for lunch and eat it away from my computer whenever I can. Even if it's just 15 minutes—it helps me take a break. Those little breaks can go a long way because it's easy to work much longer hours when you aren't "clocking in" or "clocking out" at an office.

Dean Moothart, Director/Client Solutions

I’ve been working remotely from home for 17 of the last 20 years of my career—including the last 5 years with LeadG2. I use a daily action plan and to-do lists to maintain a disciplined work ethic and keep me focused on my top priorities.

Conversely, I think it’s important to enjoy the benefits of working at home. I allow myself to take breaks to hang out with my family and play with my grandkids when they drop in for a visit.

Working from home also helps me foster a healthier lifestyle. Instead of eating fast food on the go and spending an hour or more each day commuting, I eat smaller, healthier snacks throughout the day and carve out time for short walks around the neighborhood. I’ve actually discovered that my best sales calls aren’t when I’m sitting behind my desk, but when I’m moving around and walking in my back yard.

Isha Bell, Inbound Marketing & Sales Consultant

Video is the hallmark of remote work! Video chat is a great way to stay connected to your team. For example. You can use Vidyard (video) for team efficiency.

• When a complex problem needs to be addressed and email won’t cut it
• Quick training/walk-through
• Send video to stay in contact with clients

Video gives us the “face-to-face” feeling that we’re all missing right now. It doesn’t totally replace it, but it’s the next best thing. So, things that you’d normally do in the office, like stop by a colleague’s desk to discuss a project or visit a client for lunch—you can do via video and make it creative, efficient, and productive.

Kim Peek, Content Manager

It's amazing how much time we can waste browsing the internet or reading posts on social media. While it might seem like a harmless mental break, playing on your phone takes you out of the flow and breaks your concentration. Put your phone across the room and turn off notifications. If your day is incomplete without social media breaks, schedule them, and resist the urge to scroll throughout the day.

Your productivity will go up if you take movement breaks throughout the day. Rather than powering through to meet that deadline, take a short break to walk or stretch each hour. Avoid eating lunch at your computer, and instead, use that time to run or hop on your Peloton. In addition to better health, you'll experience enhanced creativity and reduced brain fog.

Working at home probably looks different than it did a few weeks ago, even if you have worked from home for years. If you have family members who need and want attention while you're trying to work, it might help to relax your schedule a bit and extend your workday as necessary. Plan coffee breaks and snack breaks with your kids and let them know they will get your undivided attention at these times. Take a family walk or play a quick game of tag at lunch. In this unique time, work-life balance may look different than it did in the past, but with some creativity, you can give your work—and your family—the attention they deserve.

Emily Sunshine, Inbound Marketing & Sales Consultant

I sit right down at my computer as soon as I wake up. I like to organize my whole day first thing in the morning by deciding what is priority, what needs to be done soon, and then what I just want to try and get done. By doing this, I know exactly what NEEDS to be accomplished, and that helps me to see the clear picture for my day. I also take periodic breaks throughout the day. I typically do an afternoon workout and take my dogs on walks throughout the day just to get away from my desk.

What makes LeadG2 so successful is that we hire people with the motivation and drive to work independently while also maintaining an atmosphere where we all feel like a team. I truly think it is about the people we hire and the culture of our company.

Maryanne McWhirter, Inbound Marketing & Sales Consultant

Having a morning routine has been very important for me. I do my morning routine and then go to my office to work. Keeping the mindset of “going to work” as opposed to “do my work at home” has helped me stay focused and know when personal to-dos end and work begins. 

Using Microsoft Teams to communicate with my team is invaluable. It’s a place to get work questions answered quickly as well as a casual place to talk with co-workers and connect outside of work.

Set Your Remote Team Up for Success

The tips listed above will help you develop a work setting that will improve your overall productivity and culture of your team. For more advice on working remotely, reach out to one of our experts!