The whole world was forced to change when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Across different industries, work as we knew it will never be the same again.

We have learned a lot since COVID-19 led people to stay home in 2020. However, the biggest takeaway is that remote work is a viable and successful option for everyone who has the right tools in place. This is why it is expected to continue through the next decade.

Be prepared to face the new year by discussing the biggest lessons learned about working remotely. Find out how you may use this information to push a more efficient way of working in the future.

Building virtual office walls

The more virtual your work is, the more you need structure. This has to be a priority if you were used to having your own cubicle or workspace in a physical office. It might mean setting up virtual spaces to bring the team together to solved shared challenges.

Consider if your colleagues are parents with children at home, or if they have ageing relatives in their care. Their struggle may be that they are locked in by themselves and are feeling alone. Increase engagement among these different individuals by adding them in a group chat.

Setting up a dedicated workspace

When the pandemic started, companies expected workers to be remote for only a few weeks or months. During that time, working from the dining table or in the living room didn’t sound so bad. The problem is that weeks turned into months and it’s been well over a year since.

Understand the value of having a designated workspace, including effectiveness and ergonomics. If you don’t already have a home office set up, prepare a separate space with a proper desk and chair. Keep it as far away from the television or kitchen as possible to minimise distractions.

Realising that burnout is real

Though you’re spared from the commute, you still get drained and burnout from working online. It’s noticeable in the quality of your work, as you have a harder time meeting what is expected of you. If you don’t feel engaged, you won’t want to give it your all.

In a traditional office, you have natural breaks where you participate in informal conversations or attend meetings so you’re not staring at a screen all day. Do the same when working from home. Maybe take a walk around your house every 2 hours, or play with your pets once a day.

Keeping yourself connected to others

It’s hard to follow the company culture or experience happiness as an employee when human interaction is lacking. Gallup reports that engagement between workers has dropped over the course of the pandemic despite the previous improvement in trends. Hence, find ways to insert interactions in your workday.

Suggest to your superiors or colleagues that you meet up for online escape rooms, yoga classes, or even movie nights. These enable you to take a break from work and go back to the casual interactions that build up invisible social capital. Communicate regularly with everyone for a much-needed human touch.

Arranging schedules differently

One thing you must understand about virtual work is that your teammates won’t always be on the same schedule as you, compared to if you’re working in an office. You’re going to have to arrange your work and private times in a different way.

If your employer allows you flexible schedules, it’s easier to manage work-life balance and handle distractions. There’s more to think about when you’re trying to schedule a meeting though, especially when your co-workers live in differing time zones. It gets all the more confusing with daylight savings during this time of the year.

Implementing the right tech

Time tracking, project management, file sharing, and video conferencing were already popular before the pandemic happened. Since the number of people working from home increased, there has also been an increased demand for virtual desktops and secure applications that enable you to work more effectively from anywhere.

Having the right technology is important when you want to keep pace with your virtual teammates and clients. To prepare, research tools for business management, communication, data and security, and project management. Many of them are free yet full of features so acquaint yourself with them.

Struggling to disconnect

Most managers objected to work-from-home setups because they worried that employees were going to slack off. What happened since the start of lockdowns was that people spent worked almost an hour more everyday. Washington Post reports that they averaged 48 more minutes of work.

This might be considered a win for employers but not for employees like you. You’re going to feel burnt out more quickly and strongly. To combat this, strive to maintain work-life balance even when the lines between work and personal time appear blurrier.

Straining to adjust to virtual

Some workers are unfamiliar with technological platforms and tools or are uncomfortable with the isolation of remote work. They find that being in a physical office is more conducive to working—and it’s not just the older generation who feel this way. Younger employees also want to work in an office than at home.

Are you still struggling with remote work despite being online since 2020? Ask help from co-workers who have been virtual for longer. They’re sure to provide you great advice on managing your time, maintaining work-life balance, and feeling fulfilled despite the reduced amount of human interactions.

About working remotely in 2022

This is the second holiday season that the world is going to be celebrating within the pandemic. A lot has changed since 2020, especially with the way that we work. Just make sure that you learn along the way and apply the wisdom in the way you work remotely.

If you’re still looking for a job that you may do online, you are in the right place here at Remote Workmate. We work with a wide range of clients from around the world and update our career listings on a regular basis. With blog posts like this, we help prepare you for remote work too.