First, make sure you can handle being without normal social interactions and people-noise. If you can get through a day without the need for distractions, you will be successful and actually complete more every day than you could “at work.”
Establish a Routine
It’s crucial that you have a routine to replace the commute, the coffee chop, getting the paper, etc. You’ll have more time and be more productive when others are stuck in traffic, so make sure you establish time lines that keep you ahead of the pace
Organize your Workspace
Some companies will require office audits to ensure compliance with protective laws, safety, etc. If you’re home office has a bar, you may want to hide it when the office cops show up. But, get organized wherever you set up shop. Lay it out – on a table, a desk, a TV tray.
Set goals
Be realistic and make sure you don’t stretch your day out just because you don’t have to spend an hour or two on the freeway.
Manage Distractions
Make sure the dog has plenty of water and don’t do errands while you’re working. Most important, do not have the TV on in the background.
Establish Boundaries
Keep a schedule and don’t migrate to your home office after hours – it will seem like you’re working twenty hours a day and it can kill your spirit, your relationships and your productivity.
Be Accessible
Make sure everyone knows how to reach you, that you are reachable and that your responsiveness is never in question, especially during season openers for your local baseball franchise.
Communicate and Participate
Participate in meetings, dial in to conference calls, and be present when you’re needed – and look forward to it – make sure you tell people you’re productive, but that you miss them and seeing what they’re microwaving for lunch.
Share your Accomplishments
Let people know the score – what are you making happen for the benefit of the business.
Accept Accountability
Even though you’re remote, you are responsible for results. Accept the fact that your level of control is different, but you have control – don’t ignore it.
Foster Strong Relationships
You need strong people back at the office covering your back – and your front. Take care of them as well.
The same could be said for anyone with a job or looking for a better one - in the future, we’ll all be virtual.
Remote working is harder than we think. I had experiences working remotely (part time job) for a technology company. Making sure that you and your boss are on the same page can be a challenge at times. The tips in this post are practical. The biggest challenge in the remote setup is communication, or the lack thereof.
It’s harder to make things happen well only through email; a lot of people seem to hide behind it even when you’re not virtual. I agree with Marlon - communication is the key and regular dialog on the phone and in person as often as possible is huge.