Remote working? My top five tips

I have worked from home full time for almost 10 years now and in that time I've learned a lot about how to do it successfully. But for many people currently in self-isolation or working remotely due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it may be the first time they've worked from home or at least the first long-term remote work stint for them, so I thought I'd share my top tips.

1. Get used to being on video. Not all of us are comfortable being on camera. I confess it's not my favourite thing, but I am a convert. In almost 14 years with my current employer, I have had regular video calls with my manager and my team, who are all based in other countries. Until the last year or so, it was mostly optional. Now, almost every meeting I am involved in is a conference call using video, often with 10 or more people on the call. Being able to see people helps to build relationships and reduces the temptation to multitask or tune out during a meeting. You can see reactions, smiles and gestures which can make a big difference. If you're a small business and don't have fancy collaboration tools, Skype or WhatsApp work just fine.
2. Do not work in your pyjamas. It's the cliché about working from home that I hate the most. Apart from during a few 6am conference calls, I can honestly say I have never worked in my pyjamas. I get up, shower, wear proper clothes and make up. It's a job, and you will not feel professional or motivated in your PJs. And related to the first tip above: you may be invited to a video call at short notice and sleep or leisure wear is not a good look. I usually go for the 'newsreader approach': hair brushed, makeup on and a professional top/jacket paired with comfy jeans and ugg boots.
3. Take breaks and move. It's very easy to sit at your desk for hours and then realise you haven't moved. I sometimes even forget to eat, especially seeing as I often have meetings during normal lunch hours due to time differences with the US and Asia. Set a reminder on your PC, smartwatch or Fitbit and make sure you get up and stretch regularly. Book exercise into your calendar. Having a dog means I walk for 20 minutes twice a day even if nothing else. I also love my standing desk.
4. Set up a work space. Where possible, find a dedicated space for your PC and other work equipment, ideally one that's not shared with your partner or kids. Recently I've taken to moving to different locations in the house during the day, just to mix it up and get a different outlook - or to get the best background and lighting for that important video call! 
5. Stop at the end of the day. I am much better at this than I used to be, but it can still be a problem during peak periods. However, one of the top benefits of remote work is the flexibility in hours. As long as you get the work done and deliver results (agreeing what those are is a key to successful management of remote workers), it's up to you to determine when and how. Especially in winter, I usually stop work at 4pm to walk the dog before it gets dark, then go back to work afterwards. I might go out for a haircut or medical appointment during the day and make up the time later. As long as I am meeting expectations, that is fine. I get much more done working from home than I do in the office, so I don't feel guilty about taking time out.

Remote work isn't new. The technology is available and not hard or expensive to set up anymore. It's not possible for all jobs of course, and even for work that can be done remotely, I understand it's not for everyone. However, I hope this current crisis serves as a wake-up call to organisations large and small who still do not allow employees to work from home or other locations largely for cultural reasons or a lack of management maturity.

I'm not unusual in the company I work for. In a crisis, our leadership team can tell all staff to take their laptops home and work from there indefinitely. It's been useful more than once, even as far back as during Japan's earthquake and tsunami disasters in 2011. And it's proving critical in the extended and constantly shifting COVID-19 crisis.

The view from my home office is pretty good, despite the fly screen!

To the end of the world and back

Tasmania certainly felt like the end of the world to me this week, after spending more than 23 hours in the air and around 7 hours in airports to travel home from a business trip to New York. It's longer on the way back. It takes only (!) 19 hours in the air to get there, and it also feels shorter as you arrive the same day you left, thanks to the international date line. Then on the way back a whole day is erased from your calendar somehow (what happened to my Sunday??) and every time I feel somehow ripped off. The flight wasn't the only shock to the system, as the temperature at home the day before I left was 36 degrees Celsius (97F) and -6C (21F) when I arrived in New York! I feel very lucky to be able to travel to meet my peers and leadership team and experience different parts of the world. This time, I stayed in the lower east side for a couple of nights and managed to hit the New Museum, a couple of distilleries, the northern end of Central Park and some Jewish food spots. I love NYC to bits.

Tomatoes are in

October is the busiest time of the year for me at work, so the poor old garden doesn't get the attention it needs in spring. Despite that, on the weekend (between work trips) I bought some tomato seedlings from Cygnet Market and planted them. I chose some 'cold resistant' varieties and planted a couple in the greenhouse and some outside in the raised garden beds. Last year I found buying seedlings a much better approach for me than starting them from seed in the house in August. Maybe one day I'll get to do that again. The local wisdom says that tomato plants can go in 'after show day' (meaning the Hobart Show), but based on how cool it is at our place this evening, I'm wondering if where I live, the rule should be after the Huon Show day.

The opposite of Tasmania

This week I was lucky enough to travel to Dubai for a work event. I've been through the airport several times but never been outside before. Most of the time I was in the huge 5-star Jumeirah Madinat resort and conference centre complex, modern but built to look like something ancient. Kind of like an Arabian Disneyland, a little too perfect. I got up before dawn so I could walk along the water and get some photos to post on social media (for work of course... also below!) Many of my photos feature the striking sail shaped Burj Al Arab, which changes colour constantly during the day and lights up at night. You can't help it when it grabs your attention every time you see it. From the natural beauty of Tasmania to artificial beauty. Both beautiful, just different.

What happened to January?

Of the 31 days in January, I only spent six here at home in Tasmania. Unfortunately this meant I missed the summer festivals that Tassie does so well, like MOFO and the Cygnet Folk Festival. It also meant my summer gardening efforts were, well, pretty much zero or wasted. I came back to many kilos of broad beans that had to be picked, blanched and frozen immediately. Loads of snow peas. Tonnes of rhubarb. And after that, pretty much just weeds.

So where were we? I had work meetings in California in mid-January, so we managed to fit in 10 days holiday in San Francisco beforehand. It was my first visit to that lovely city and we stayed in an Airbnb right on the Powell-Hyde cable car line and two blocks from the famous Lombard Street. It was enough time to see almost all we wanted to: the Golden Gate Bridge of course, Sausalito, Alcatraz, a hike on Mt Tamalpais, Walt Disney Family Museum, wine tasting in the Napa Valley, hopping on and off historic cable cars and street cars. Then back home for five days and off to Singapore, again for work, but still managed to squeeze in a few sights. It has been great to be home for a few weeks, even though we were both knocked out by some horrible lurgy picked up on the flight back. So now the end of February is rushing up on us, and we are savouring the beautiful summer days and long evenings.

Living a double life

Increasingly, I feel torn between two different lives. The 'corporate' life versus the 'rural' life. One day I'm in a meeting in the boardroom in Sydney in a suit and heels and then off to an industry dinner. The next day I'm cleaning out the chook shed in dirty jeans, gumboots and my Dad's old sweater. The 'corporate me' is on the phone to my team in Beijing, Tokyo or Mumbai, then 'rural me' goes to collect the mail from the post office box 5km down the dirt road and buy the local rag to catch up on what's been going on. The people I know in one life know little about the other life. Variety is good and I love both lives, but increasingly I feel like I don't belong in either. I'm not complaining, I'm very aware of how lucky I am to be able to live where I do and do what I do. And I know most people have a work life and a personal life that are not the same thing. I'm just trying to explain this uncomfortable feeling I have.

How cold is cold?

Friends from Sydney sometimes find it hard to understand why I like living in Tasmania because "it's so cold". Well, define cold. This week I've been on the east coast of the US for work, first in Stamford, Connecticut where it was -16 degrees Celsius and a little windy the first day I was there. Ouch. A five minute walk across the road was a painful experience for any exposed piece of flesh. Outdoor activities were pretty much off the agenda.

On Friday and Saturday I was in New York where the weather was a lot milder, mostly between 8 and 12 degrees. So 'quite warm' by my new Tasmanian standards. Each time I visit New York I aim to see a few new things. Below are some photos from my brief visit to that great city this week. Later today I'll be back in the Huon Valley where many people are complaining about the heat - it is supposed to reach 39 degrees! David has put on the air conditioning (what Tasmanians call a 'heat pump') already in preparation.

Took the 'tram' (gondola) to visit a friend on Roosevelt Island 

Urban squirrel on Roosevelt Island

Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge

Fog on the Hudson River

Shopping

One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower)

9/11 Memorial

The value of fresh air

I have just spent a few days in Beijing for work. Although I saw only a tiny fraction of it, it struck me as a truly amazing city, at once modern and ancient. I'll happily admit to wandering around a little wide eyed. The first two days were beautifully clear, cool and sunny. I took a few hours the day I arrived to walk around and see a few sights. I visited Forbidden City, which was the imperial palace over several dynasties, strolled through a couple of lovely parks including Beihai Park with its Emerald Islet and Jingshan Park with its temples and view over the tiled roofs of Forbidden City. I saw the national flag lowering ceremony at sundown on Tiananmen Square and walked through some of the 'hutong', narrow streets lined with traditional courtyard houses where people have lived and worked for centuries, before the high rise era saw many bulldozed. I walked, caught the subway or bus everywhere and didn't resort to a taxi, probably a good thing as all I can say reliably in Mandarin is 'hello' and 'thank you'. The view from my hotel room looked out at the interesting new CCTV building, apparently known as the 'big pants' to locals.

The day before I left, the air quality deteriorated and I awoke to a day where the sun never breaks through the thick cloud of smog and visibility is low, almost as thick as a Huon Valley fog. Surprisingly it smelled of smoke, not car fumes. It reminded me of the very worst bushfire seasons in Sydney. I noticed many people with dry coughs and by the end of the day I had a sore throat too. Some people wear masks, but not as many as I would expect given the dangerous, toxic air. Now more than ever I am grateful for the sweet, fresh, clean air we enjoy in Tasmania.

A welcome sight

Every time I see this I feel happy and a teensy bit excited.

Coming home

I travel quite regularly to Sydney for work and never tire of the view flying into Hobart. Unfortunately it's usually dark when I return. However, over the past year or so I've been lucky enough to have a clear daytime view of a snow-covered Cradle Mountain National Park (coming in from Melbourne), Maria Island (as in the photo below that I took last month) or best of all the stunning view of Freycinet, Coles Bay and The Hazards while descending into Hobart.

Tip: choose a window seat on the left side of the aircraft (seat A) flying in to Hobart.

Homesick

I've been away from home for eight days, at work events and to work from our Sydney office for a couple of days. Right now I'm in Queensland. I wish I could say it had all been this...

... but I admit that was a totally staged shot. I was on the deck chair for as long as it took to take the photo.

Normally I'm only away for a couple of days and don't have time to think much about home, or to be honest, about anything much other than the task at hand. For some odd reason this time I have felt terribly homesick and kind of lonely, despite the many great people I've met and caught up with. Sure, Queensland is nice, and the weather has actually been cooler here than at home in Tasmania over the past few days which reached 35-40 degrees. But it's humid and it's not home. I think I will let out a little cheer when I land in Hobart tonight.

We have met several couples in Tasmania where one partner goes to work in Melbourne or Sydney all week and comes home on the weekend. It must be terribly hard to keep that up.

Remote working

Whether you call it teleworking, work-from-home or remote working, that's what I've been doing for the past 18 months full-time. Before that, I used to work from home mostly two days a week and commute into the office on the other days. It took more than an hour on the bus in Sydney peak hour traffic, so including the walk/wait at each end, the trip took more than three hours a day. It was often stressful and a dreadful waste of time, except while I was studying, when the bus trip (provided I got a seat) was great for textbook reading.

I work as a regional director of PR for a US company in the technology industry. That means spending hours on the computer or phone, writing, talking with journalists, finding them information for their stories, arranging interviews with the company's spokespeople, promoting the company's expertise. I also manage a small team in Asia Pacific and Japan. I travel interstate to host journalists at the company's conferences and for leadership team meetings. This kind of work can be done from anywhere.

I consider myself very lucky to work for a company where this is normal. I have met colleagues who work from their home in the Arizona desert, on Vancouver Island in Canada, on Waiheke Island near Auckland, New Zealand, in Perth, Macau and on Scotland Island in Sydney. Everyone in the company has a notebook computer; there are no desktops. With the increase in fuel costs, traffic and natural and other disasters, I think this is a very smart move. In an emergency situation, almost the entire company can do their jobs from home. But even in a company with the technology set-up and culture and experience to support remote workers, being able to do so successfully is still dependent on having a supportive manager and management team, and I'm lucky in that regard too.

Personally, I like working from home. I can concentrate better on the task at hand, I'm in control of my own work environment (no beige cubicle for starters), I don't eavesdrop on everyone else's phone calls, I can stand up and wander around on the phone, the coffee is good (and cheaper), there's less wasted time. I can wear jeans every day. My desk has a nice view (see above). Sure, my social interaction mostly comes from Twitter, instant messenger and the dog, but that has its upsides to be honest!

However, there are things I need to do better:

• Get out more. Late yesterday afternoon I drove into Hobart for networking drinks organised by the Public Relations Institute of Australia. It was the first time I had met other PR people in Tasmania. Some of these people are in the same situation as me. One suggested catching up for coffee in the new year, so I'll be following up on that idea. I go to local business dinners with David, put on by the Huon Valley Business Enterprise Centre, but there may be other networks that are useful. Also it means I put on a suit! And as much as I dislike being away, I also need to travel to see people more. Relationships are worth investing in.
• Exercise. In Sydney I had regular appointments to train with the totally brilliant Wild Women on Top, and I always kept that commitment, rain, shine or headache. When working from home I walked the dog every afternoon. Here I have failed to keep any commitment made to myself to keep up the hiking training, and the dogs have a huge paddock to run around in. Sitting at a computer all day long is not doing me any good at all. To change this, I have to set a big hiking goal to train towards.
• Webinars. I used to attend these more when I was in Sydney, and in the absence of PR colleagues to discuss ideas with, I found them a time-efficient way of thinking outside the day-to-day.
• Weekly 'team' meeting. Or Friday drinks, like the office-dwellers do. David and I have a regular breakfast booked in at a local cafe, but I need to do a better job of actually using the time to discuss our work.
• Keep more regular desk hours. With most of my team between one and eight hours behind me (and worse in summer), a lot of the email and calls fall late in the day my time. That's hard because I'd prefer to work early and finish before I am brain dead and inefficient. I don't have a good answer for this one yet. To be honest it was no different in Sydney.

There's more, but with this post I just wanted to share a bit of what it's like working remotely, the good and the bad. I'd love to hear about your experiences if you work from home too.