A New Year is fast approaching and while we all start off with the absolute best of intentions (Hell, yeah I’m going to run 10 miles EVERY single day…) it can often fall by the wayside by the time February rolls around.
And while many of us will forget our healthy eating plans, sneak that slice of cheese that isn’t plant-based, or maybe even forget to give ourselves that weekly yoga break, there are still some New Year’s resolutions that can make a real difference.
For the remote worker, setting a few goals for the year ahead is a good idea for staying motivated and productive in an environment where we don’t necessarily have colleagues around them to provide moral support on a daily basis.
Respect Boundaries
Setting boundaries between work and home life can be a huge challenge for remote workers, especially if their job involves them being available outside of normal working hours. It is important to respect those boundaries by scheduling time off and taking regular breaks throughout the day in order to ensure that work doesn’t consume your entire life.
Equally, respecting other people’s boundaries should be a super important part of growth and development. In a world obsessed with instant gratification chasing that colleague down on the weekend simply isn’t cool.
Also, make sure that we’re enforcing those boundaries! If you tell someone, workwise, or even in your personal life, that something is a no-go, then damn well make sure you tell them when they cross the line!
While there is no need to go full rage monster on them, gently reminding them that this isn’t okay can go a long way.
Keep your desk tidy
While the excesses of Christmas may have left your desk covered in tinsel, candy wrappers, and even Christmas cards, start off the new year with a clear space. In fact, Marie Kondo the hell out of your working environment. Does it spark joy? No? Then GOODBYE!
That notepad that is full? Get rid of it! The dog-eared pen you’ve been chewing that no longer works? Throw it in the trash! That takeout menu you wrote your “master marketing plan” on? Either transfer those notes, order some chicken chow mein, or ditch it!
Remember! A tidy desk = a tidy mind!
Stop ordering random stuff!
If you celebrate Christmas then hopefully you would have got a whole host of awesome presents recently. Maybe a Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts? Or panda slippers with built-in warming action? Or even a subscription to Shrub of the Month Magazine. Whatever you got, that’s great!
We love all the stuff!
However, this year… do not randomly spend money on stuff to get delivered to your house.
I know, I know! We have all been there. Seeking that heady little dopamine hit. Every time the doorbell rings and you’ve ordered yourself a little treat from ASOS, the buzz of ripping the packaging. We see you!
However, have you stopped to ask yourself WHY are you ordering these things? Are you happy and celebrating? Or are you in need of some cheering up? Are you bored and looking for something random to fill the void? Take some time to think about why you buy stuff, every time. It’s essential for your wallet, sanity & mental health!
Although, we won’t begrudge you the occasional Friday lunchtime pizza delivery… 🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕
Look after your back
You only get one spine! As much as modern science and medicine have come on in the last few decades, you can’t currently get a bionic backbone. Sorry!
So, look after it.
Even if sitting at your desk all day doesn’t seem like a massive strain on your back, over time this can lead to major issues. Invest in a good chair, support your screen correctly and get up regularly throughout the day to ensure you’re not straining yourself!
It will save you both money (hello, future chiropractic bills!) and pain in the long run!
Take time to socialize
We could say “focus more” or look into Deep Work, but the one thing that will really add benefit to your life as a remote worker is taking some time to reconnect with people.
This could be scheduling some time in your diary with a colleague to have a catch-up (work-related or just shooting the breeze about that weird Netflix doc about people who collect creepy dolls!). Or, alternatively, you could look at meeting some people in the real world… remember that place?
Whether you join a club, pub quiz team, or even a protest march (Stick it to the man!) it can be nice to reconnect with the outside world. The people that don’t know the intricacies of your job role but just want to come and chat about nothing in particular! It can give your brain a well-needed break away from the daily struggle of work.
@tldv.io If anyone has any other convo starters let me know x #smalltalk #coworkers #weekend #workbestie #9to5 ♬ original sound – tldv.io
Drink more water
Yes, we included it. Do it! Stop shaking your head and saying you already do… we all know that 7 coffees a day doesn’t count… nope! Neither does diet soda.
And, while we are at it…l et’s throw in making time for exercise here. See that’s it! We’ve covered it… now back to the good stuff.
Yes, we know we’re not your mother.
Yes, we know you won’t end up doing it. It’s fine.
We won’t either.
…Shall we move on?
Get smart with your tools
There was a time when we had to take notes by hand and we would push plows ourselves.
We don’t need to do that anymore.
There are now tools such as tractors, and tl;dv, here to save energy, and our hands from strain.
Download tl;dv for Zoom, or tl;dv Google Meet extension and you’ll never have to transcribe a Google Meet recording or take ages to edit a Zoom recording ever again.
Use that time carefully by taking up yodelling, running for chapter president of a local cat society, or learning to drive that tractor in time for the harvest season.
Schedule some vacation time
One benefit of working remotely is that you are less likely to take sick days, and get a helluva lot more things done around your home (washing Wednesdays are so cool).
However, the flip side is that you can often end up looking up and realizing you’ve not left your house in three weeks.
Don’t let this happen.
While being a hermit was cool in the Medieval era, it’s kind of…meh in the modern-day.
Take a look at your calendar for the year ahead and try and plan some time off. You can go away, take a trip, go to a music festival, visit a museum, smile at a neighbor… just have something out of the house, away from work that you can look forward to.
Learn something new
The internet is a wonderful thing. You can learn pretty much anything online these days, from coding to playing the guitar, even making your own fermented cabbage. Take advantage of this and pick up something new you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time for. And it doesn’t have to cost you a lot either – there are loads of free courses out there, along with YouTube and even TikTok.
Sometimes though, these things can seem like a great idea at the time, but then quickly get forgotten about. One of the best ways to make a new learning adventure stick is proximity. By that we mean keep the thing close. So have your guitar by your desk and practice finger placement while waiting for a report to load, or put sticky notes with French vocabulary all over your workstation. Oooh, la la!
Read, listen, engage
If you want to learn but don’t fancy becoming adept at building tiny little ships in bottles, then how about learning through books and media?
Try and read as many books as you can in a year, and listen to podcasts. Engage with other people as well – there are tonnes of online forums, subreddits, and chat groups out there to join and talk about whatever it is you’re passionate about. There are even digital book clubs that connect you with other people across the world to discuss literature (or even just get involved in some salacious digital gossip!)
Send more memes on Slack
Communication can be tricky. And digital communication can often be harder. If you’re typing away on Slack or another instant messaging platform, often nuance can be lost.
While you could prevent this by having lots and lots of video conferencing meetings (booooo!) you could solve the issue of miscommunication by learning the art of memes.
Send cute GIFs, hilarious comics, or memes to your colleagues – because sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. There is a whole world of culture out there held within those funny ERMERGERD images, or the unimpressed Disney kid…. and then there is the wonderful world of TikTok… why not give us a follow?
Discover your worth
We’re going to get a bit “teachable moment” on you here, but by the very act of seeking out growth and development as a remote worker, you’ve proved you’re pretty conscientious.
Well, it’s either that or you’re REALLY GOOD at procrastinating, and to be fair, a lot of geniuses state that procrastination helps with creativity.
It’s a win-win really!
With that newfound awareness just by being present with this article, you’re pretty kick-ass!
Make sure to really harness and learn your worth this year.
Take everything you learned from the previous 12 months and think about what you want to do in the next 12.
Do you want a raise?
Do you want to see the world?
Do you want to outsmart the neighbor’s cat?
How much better are you since you learned that awesome Excel hack?
Set some plans and absolutely go for it.
You’re a legend.
So, what are you waiting for?
A New Year is a comin’ and it’s time to take control of your career growth.
Get out there, learn something new, broaden your horizons, and keep your eye on the prize!
Good luck!
