Self-Motivation
Your boss isn’t going to pop up behind you while you’re online shopping now, forcing you to quickly close the browser. Working from home even part of the time requires more self-control and self-motivation than you’ve likely experienced before. Even working for someone else, your day is no longer fully controlled by sitting in your cubicle for set hours with prying eyes all around.So, how do you motivate yourself to stay focused? How do you ensure productivity and efficiency? A few ways to do this are:
Work in a designated workspace.
Even if you have a small apartment, you can put a standing desk or table that is solely dedicated to work, away from any temptations like Netflix.Take breaks!
One of the most detrimental things to productivity is thinking you have to be on 24/7. You’ll be more motivated when you’re refreshed. Use the Pomodoro Technique. In this technique you work in 25-minute sprints, with a short 5-minute break in between. You’ll be surprised how much this can impact your workflow.
Reward and/or challenge yourself.
As humans, we’re always influenced by external factors. So, dangle a carrot for yourself. Say you’ll meet friends for happy hour at 5:00 p.m. if you finish all your tasks. Allow yourself to log off at 4:00 p.m. if all your tasks are completed. Things like that will make work seem more fun and manageable!Then, take these methods and discuss how you use them in your interview.
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication takes new meaning when it comes to remote and flexible work environments. Now, rather than face-to-face communication being the top priority, you must know how to utilize collaborative technologies to communicate effectively with your peers, stakeholders, clients, and team members. And for most, that is a new skill set that has just started to be perfected over the last couple of years.Here are a few ways you can enhance your communication skills for this new work environment:
Master active listening.
Oftentimes problem solving is based in understanding what is being explained—both verbally and implied. Active listening is defined as truly listening and understanding with a goal of retention. You pay close attention to non-verbal cues, facial expressions, and body language to infer more from a conversation. It’s so easy for things to go in one ear and out the other ear in Zoom calls. For effective communication and active listening, engage during team calls with video on and encourage your team members to do the same. Non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal, and with video you’ll be able to engage in both. In addition to observing non-verbal cues, take notes when listening, and let people speak and ask thoughtful questions. All these actions will help you and your team reach the next level. And hiring managers want to hear this is something you’re dedicated to practicing.
Be knowledgeable about available technology.
Zoom, Loom, Google Hangouts, Slack, Asana, Monday, Dropbox, Salesforce, Trello, Google Drive. We could go on for days, but we won’t. These are all forms of communication tools used by remote teams worldwide. The more you have basic operational knowledge of, the more useful you will be to new teams!Build relationships from afar.
Be intentional with relationship building within your organization. Part of what makes teams effective is their ability to connect and befriend one another. If you set up one-on-ones with peers, mentors, and your boss often, you’ll not only be keeping that line of communication open, but you’ll also be creating meaningful relationships with intention. That is a trait that will benefit you on any team!Creative Problem Solving
Working remotely comes with unique problems. Management isn’t as readily available to help you work through issues. You’re likely working through problems with clients and colleagues via Zoom, Slack, and other digital communication methods, which up until recently weren’t the norm. So, how have you solved problems creatively and how can that be applied to the new roles you’re seeking?One tip to show your capability here is to consider the STAR method.
Used by interviewers and intentionally build your portfolio of applicable workplace scenarios. The STAR method is an acronym for:- Situation
- Task
- Action
- Result
This is the Trifecta of WFH Skills—Make it Work to Your Advantage
If you focus on building and perfecting these skills, as well as learning how to master the pitch in the interview, you’ll have that new role in no time. Struggling to implement these practices or verbalize how you use these skills to be an effective and efficient remote worker? Let’s chat about how NimblyWise personalized training and coaching can help you level up to land that dream job.
