Is Remote Working Right for Me?
Remote working is more popular than ever, but it might not suit everyone. There are certain skills that are essential to being able to work from home, and not everybody has them.
Firstly, and the most obvious, is the ability to work in isolation. If you need the buzz of an office, or those water cooler chats, then remote work isn’t for you. It can be very isolating and lonely, and if you are a remote worker, it’s important to get your people fix in your free time, so you can connect with others. However, web conferencing tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams do a great job of allowing remote workers to join meetings and one to ones with colleagues.
You’ll also need to be a good time keeper, as with no distractions or reminders from others, you may quietly work away on one task when you should have already moved on. Which brings us onto another remote working skill: prioritization. Being able to identify and act upon the key tasks of the day without supervision, is a core skill for those working from home.
Similarly, problem solving goes a long way, and just reduces the amount of time you many need to lean on others, which could involve a long wait for them to get back to you on Slack or give you a call. Remember, when you’re working from home, you miss the immediacy of leaning across a desk to speak to someone.
You can read more about the sorts of skills you’ll need in our guide to creating the perfect remote work resume.
