It’s definitely not the 2021 a lot of people had in mind and for some, it’s getting increasingly difficult to stay motivated and focused on career progression while working from home. With that being said, while it’s not the norm for a lot of us, growing a career virtually has been the norm for years for those who work on global teams. It takes a little pivoting and mindfulness but you can absolutely take control of your career from home with a little extra awareness, communication and planning.
Here’s five ways to take control of your career from the kitchen table.
Get the basics right. How’s your home office set up?
It’s unclear how long we will remain working remotely, so at this stage it’s best to make some changes that will set you up for success in the medium to long term. A good place to start is with your home office set up whether it is situated at the kitchen table or in the spare room. Consider what you can do to create a barrier between your home office set up and your actual home, whether that means packing away the laptop each evening or having your office set up in the corner of the room that doesn’t interfere with your ability to switch off in the evening and at weekends. If you’re working in a busy household, a good set of noise cancelling earphones will be your saviour! Minimal visual distractions can help to prevent procrastination and a notepad is key for jotting down your top priorities of the day to keep focused. Don’t underestimate the power of a change, switching things up every so often can give you the boost you need while we live, work and play within the same four walls. Even changing the direction of your desk every few months so you’ve a slightly different view can freshen things up. Some people like to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day which can help overcome the afternoon slump!
Recharge to take charge!
Creating and maintaining work-life balance habits can really support you in switching off each evening to ensure you are in the right mindset to drive your career forward the next morning. Habits such as completely shutting down your laptop each evening, getting out for a walk straight after work and creating headspace for yourself throughout the day through short ten minute intervals can provide the foundations for switching off fully.
Stay in mind while out of sight.
Avoid the term “out of sight, out of mind” materialising by proactively keeping your stakeholders and managers up to date on your deliverables. Scheduling these “update calls” with management also serves as accountability for you to ensure you complete the work you committed to in time before each call. Without those “water cooler conversations” our informal work relationships can suffer. Think about how you can re-activate those informal conversations virtually throughout your week. Most importantly, while working remotely make sure to keep the virtual lines of communication open with management about your desires when it comes to career progression and take time to understand your managers expectations so you can factor them into your roadmap.
Do something each day that your future self will thank you for.
People often find it tough to get going in the mornings so planning your day the evening before will get you off to a focused start. A good working day routine is key for ensuring the day goes the way you want it to! Before you finish work each evening, jot down your list of outstanding tasks and decide which three you’re going to prioritise the next day before closing the notebook and forgetting about the list until the next morning. These days more than ever we need something to look forward to, so planning your daily and weekly rewards is just as important as planning a catch up with your boss!
Turn off the auto-pilot mode!
Many of us let our career slip into auto-pilot mode which can lead to career dissatisfaction and uninformed decision making. When is the last time you took a moment to reflect on whether you’re enjoying your work, if you’re getting what you need from your career and what you’d like to learn next? Do you know what you’re getting out of your current job and the impact it’s having on your life and career? Without the answers to these questions, you can’t fully take control of your career and make the right decisions each day that lead to your overall desired career destination.