Setting Boundaries in Remote Working Environments for Professionals
Updated: Jul 16
Michele Lee Occhipinti, CEO & Founder, Ack Professional Life Coaching
www.ackprofessionallifecoaching.com
Professionals should set boundaries with time management when working remotely. As a leadership development and business coach, I have worked alongside executives and employees from the banking, legal, beauty, healthcare and pharmaceuticals industries, several had systems initiated to allow their employees to work from home remotely, even before COVID 19 and understand the remote working environment requirements from both the executive and employee point of view. The following can help the professional be more productive and motivated working remotely:
Start your day the same way you would have if it were a regular work day, heading into the office, take a shower, get dressed, have breakfast, just like you would on a regular working day. Likely a bit more relaxed in dress, but keep the routine and motivation flowing.
Dedicate a workspace, one with privacy and little distraction.
Set scheduled working hours and dedicate yourself to those hours.
Take breaks and time for lunch even if you put a load of laundry in or need some fresh air, step outside and away from the work area.
Let others in the home know your “working hours” to minimize interruptions and ask to be interrupted for emergencies only.
When the day is done walk away, go for a run, literally. Dedicate yourself to something you enjoy that makes you feel good. Set a realistic goal for you to achieve after work hours. During quarantine, it is essential to continue to be motivated.
If work permits for you to check your email after your work hours, (i.e your boss is high maintenance or a deadline is being met), be realistic and check it once or twice before going to bed. Set the standard with your boss that there are limits to your workday. Answer only those messages relating to work that require an immediate answer and let the others wait until the next business day.
Prioritize your workload each day with the tasks that are essential for you to get done and allocate a specific amount of time to each.
Many people I have coached who have had difficulty working remotely find coaching in time management helpful, the below signs can signal that the remote working environment is not efficiently working and may need help in time management:
Low productivity
Procrastinating
Rushing to get things done
Providing poor work
Indecisive or are impatient
Missing deadlines
On the other hand, another concern that can surface from those who suffer from burn out in the workforce, professionals may exhibit the following symptoms:
Anxiety and Depression
Chronic Fatigue
Insomnia
Anger and Irritability
Physical symptoms such as indigestion heart palpitations, headaches
Lack of motivation, poor job performance
Cognitive issues
Forgetfulness and inability to focus
Clients I have worked with to help with time management and/or burn out respond well with coaching, exhibiting high performance, increasing their productivity and workflow.
Leading remote teams is a demanding and unique experience. Even more so, if you were not introduced to remote working prior to the pandemic. Leading remote teams after working weeks during the stay-at-home orders, preparing for mid-year reviews,, keeping your team motivated and figuring out how to maximize your employees' productivity is even more intense remotely.
If you are a leader finding it a challenge to lead efficiently with the new remote working environment and exhibiting the signs and symptoms from burnout, take a moment to breath and complete our questionnaire. We can help you banish the burnout and lead more effectively, empowering your team to greatness during this pandemic with our premier leadership coaching program.
https://www.ackprofessionallifecoaching.com/burnout-in-leadership
For individuals seeking to banish burnout working remotely. Ack Professional Life Coaching provides a complimentary discovery session and assessment that can help you assess the areas finding clarity, instilling positive mindsets and working through priorities for time management and burn out allowing our clients to move forward within their own integrity, being the best version of themselves professionally and personally.
Please visit the life coaching program available:
https://www.ackprofessionallifecoaching.com/life-coaching
If you have additional ways to help professionals work in remote working environments, please feel free to comment below.
Do you have any questions, reach me at ackprofessionalcoaching@outlook.com
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