Working remotely as a nonprofit specialist is a challenge, but with the right tools and techniques, you can make it work. Working from home or another remote office has its benefits and drawbacks. Nonprofit specialists who work remotely need to be efficient with their time and resources when working away from their desk. Since you don’t have colleagues coming in and out of your office all day, you need to stay organized and find ways to stay productive as a remote worker. Whether you’re working from home or from another office, here are some tips for remote work that any nonprofit specialist should follow.
Communicate effectively
When working remotely, it’s even more important to be a good communicator. Keep your communication lines clear, with no misunderstandings. This means being clear on your expectations, goals, and timelines, and communicating them to your team members. This also means being open to feedback and open to questions even if they don’t pertain to your direct work. When you’re working remotely, you can’t just walk across the hall to ask a colleague a question. You have to use tools like email, Zoom, and video conferencing. This can help keep things organized and open to follow-up as necessary. Stay on top of your communication and be mindful of the tools you’re using to do so. If you’re working remotely, it’s likely you’re also on a different time zone than your team members. This can make it harder to stay on the same page and catch up when necessary.
Stay focused with remote work tools
When you’re working remotely, it can be easy to get distracted because there’s less interaction than in an office. You don’t have to sit at home in your pajamas and watch TV all day, though. There are some tools that can help you stay on track, especially when working on more creative tasks. – Schedule your day: When you’re working remotely, it helps to map out your day. Rather than just going with the flow, sit down and decide what you want to achieve for the day. As a remote worker, you don’t have the same structure that office workers do. It can be difficult to stay focused without a structured approach to your day. – Stay focused with a to-do list: A to-do list is a great way to keep yourself on track and avoid distractions. Just make sure you check them off at the end of the day. – Stay focused with a Pomodoro technique: The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity technique that uses a timer to help you stay focused for short bursts. You can use this technique when working remotely to keep yourself on track for your tasks for the day.
Establish work rituals
When you work remotely, it can be easy to sit in bed in your pajamas, surrounded by blankets and junk food. While this is your choice, it’s not the best choice when you want to be productive. The best approach is to treat your remote work as an office job. – Create a work space: Wherever you choose to work, make sure it’s an organized, distraction-free space that helps you stay focused. You don’t have to go out and get a fancy office chair or anything. Just make sure you have a clean and clear space to work from. – Create a daily routine: When you work remotely, your routine can differ from an office-based job. You don’t have to work the same hours every day, but you should still have a routine. Your routine should include some self-care. This can include taking a break from work to exercise, meditate, or take a walk outside. It should also include the tasks you’ll need to complete throughout the day, like answering emails, scheduling calls, and completing tasks.
Utilize video conferencing
When working remotely, it’s likely you’ll need to conduct some sort of video meeting. This can be in the form of a conference call with your team members or an online meeting with a client. A video meeting can be a great way to stay connected, but it can also be distracting if you’re not careful. – Make sure you have the proper equipment: There are a lot of different video conferencing tools out there. Make sure you have the right equipment for your remote meeting. Make sure you have a good internet connection so the video quality is high. You also need to be mindful of your noise level and make sure it’s not too loud. – Stay on track: For video calls with clients or team members, it’s important to stay on track. Make sure you have an agenda or list of topics to discuss and try to avoid side discussions or tangents. – Put your phone away: It can be tempting to start playing on your phone while in a meeting. Just put it away. Your clients and team members will be more productive if they aren’t distracted by your phone.
Leverage collaboration tools
If you’re working on a project with a team, it’s likely you’ll be using a team collaboration tool. These tools can be helpful when you’re working remotely and want to collaborate with your team members. Some tools include Slack, Trello, Google Drive, and Zoom. – Stay on top of your team’s progress: Make sure you’re staying on top of your team’s progress. If you’re working in a remote team, you likely don’t see them every day or talk to them on the phone. Make sure you have a way to stay on top of their progress and see what they are doing each day. – Stay on top of your tasks: When you’re working in a team, you also need to make sure you stay on top of your tasks. Make sure you’re checking off your to-do list and using your planner to stay organized.
Tune out distractions
When you work remotely, it’s easy to get distracted. You might be tempted to start cleaning the house, take a nap, or take a walk instead of completing your tasks. To stay focused, you need to tune out any distractions and get your work done. – Stay hydrated: When you’re working remotely, make sure you stay hydrated. This will help you stay focused and alert while working. When you’re hydrated, you also work from a place of less stress and anxiety. This can help you focus on work, not your need to get a glass of water. – Get enough sleep: While you don’t have to work the same hours as an office job, you still need to get enough sleep. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night so you can stay as productive as possible during your work day. – Find quiet places to work: When you’re working remotely, it’s important to find a place to work that’s quiet, away from distractions. It doesn’t have to be a fancy office. It can be a coffee shop or even your couch. Just make sure it’s quiet so you can really focus on the task at hand.
Wrapping up
When you work remotely, it can be easy to get distracted. Stay focused with remote work tools like scheduling your day, staying on track with your to-do list, and using a pomodoro technique. When working in a team, use collaboration tools like Slack to stay connected. To tune out distractions, stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and find quiet places to work. Working remotely can be challenging, but with the right tools and techniques, you can make it work.