4 Essentials You Need To Have For Remote Work

What are the essentials that you need for remote work?

  1. A Dedicated Workspace
  2. Noise-Cancelling Equipment
  3. External Hard Drive
  4. Basic Office Supplies

 

New to work remotely? Transitioning to remote work from your usual 9-5 job isn’t the easiest thing to do. Converting a space into a professional workspace can pose a challenge, and it may not feel as office-ready. But, don’t worry! Below, we’ve compiled a list of the essentials you need for remote work. These are all you need to stay efficient, productive, motivated, and comfortable all day. You’ll thrive in remote working in no time! Read on for more.

A Dedicated Workspace

 

A Dedicated Workspace

First things first — the space. It is one of the most crucial elements in successful remote working. The location you work in will make or break your whole remote work situation.

So, If you’re working from home, dedicate one space to do your tasks. Whether it be inside a spare room or a table in the living room, the key here is to foster a psychological boundary between your professional and home life. It’s best to choose a spot that is well-lit and free from distractions.

This will make a huge difference in your productivity and motivation. It will also help reduce the risk of burnout too! This, combined with a desk and a comfortable chair is the starting point for an effective remote work routine.

In the same way, if you opt to work outside your home, find a well-lit place or spot with no distractions or noise. Nowadays, there are co-working spaces that are built for the comfort of remote workers. Maybe you can check out if there’s one near you.

Noise-Cancelling Equipment

 

Noise-Cancelling Equipment

You’re likely going to experience noise from your surroundings, so investing in a pair of good-quality noise-canceling earphones is a must-have. It will eliminate outside distractions while you’re working. And when you’re in a meeting, you’ll be able to hear and understand everything clearly.

Additionally, while you’re in a virtual meeting, background noise can be incredibly distracting to your co-workers or clients. This is where a noise-canceling microphone will come in handy — it ensures that your voice is heard distinctly.

External Hard Drive

 

External Hard Drive

An external hard drive is one of the best things you can invest in — especially if you are working with tons of files. It does not only increase your storage capacity, but it also backs up your important files, and it can speed up the performance of laptops with slower internal drives.

Basic Office Supplies

 

Basic Office Supplies

Despite the accessibility of online tools and productivity apps, it’s still best to have a set of handy basic office supplies with you. Plus, nothing beats writing down on a paper notebook. It doesn’t run out of batteries either.

Key Takeaway

To successfully work remotely, you need to be well-equipped. These essentials you need for remote work are everything you need for maximum productivity, efficiency, and comfort. Feel free to add more items and tools too!

If you want more tips and tricks in working remotely, feel free to read our blogs! Or, if you’re looking for a collaborative and fun environment to work in, we are a coworking space provider in Paranaque. Contact us today to learn more!

5 Tips to Avoid Distractions While Working

How do you avoid being distracted at work?

  1. Disconnect from the internet
  2. Stick to your schedule
  3. Clean up your workspace
  4. Surround yourself with productive people
  5. Let your co-workers know

 

Everyone has experienced getting distracted while working, whether it is because of other co-workers or a cluttered workspace. Even if you work from a virtual office in Manila, there are still many possible online distractions that can deter you from work. In order to help you be as productive as possible while at work, here are some tips to help you avoid distractions

 

Disconnect from the internet

One of the most common sources of distraction nowadays is the internet, there is no denying that it is very hard to ignore whenever we get a Facebook notification or message. If this is a major cause of distraction for you, disconnect from the internet or turn off your smartphone. However, if you work from a virtual office in Manila and need the internet or your cell phone for work purposes, there are still many ways to block online distractions. You can put your phone on silent, download app blockers for social media apps, turn off your notifications, and many more.

 

Stick to your schedule

Stick To Your Schedule

Another tip for avoiding distractions is to make a schedule and stick to it. Planning your day and listing the tasks you need to accomplish will help a lot in keeping you away from distractions. Moreover, make sure to allot time for a break or two during the day. By having a set time for breaks, you will feel less tempted to get distracted and take too many breaks throughout the day. Additionally, spending a few minutes to rest will help re-energize and motivate you for your next tasks.

 

Clean up your workspace

Even if you do not mind the mess in your workspace, this could unknowingly be a cause for distraction for you. Cleaning and organizing your workspace will lessen the number of visual distractions and help you have a clearer mind while working. Another tip is to have a tray or portion of your desk to keep your pile of tasks and to only have one project in front of you at a time. This will keep you from getting distracted and jumping between unfinished tasks.

 

Surround yourself with productive people

Surround Yourself With Productive People

If you are the type to be easily distracted while working alone, try working with a group of productive friends or co-workers. Surrounding yourself with productive people will help motivate you to be just as productive. In addition to inspiring you to focus on your work, being around productive co-workers will also lessen your chances of being interrupted while working.

 

Let your co-workers know

On the other hand, it is possible that being around others causes more harm than good for you. If you have a hard time focusing when working with other people, find a quiet spot or room in the office to work in. If this is not an option, you can always politely ask your co-workers to chat elsewhere or let them know that you need to be left alone to concentrate on a difficult task.

 

Key Takeaway

We all struggle against our own personal distractions while at work, whether it’s our phones or co-workers. The key to being productive at work is to know what distracts you and to actively make a plan to avoid these distractions.

Top Five Reasons Why Young Businessmen in Paranaque Should Rent Office Spaces

Why should young businessmen rent offices spaces?

  1. Budget-friendly
  2. Freelance paradise
  3. Networking socially
  4. On-the-go business
  5. Bringing the heart back to work

 

Co-working is a way to work on your projects, reports, and requirements without having to go to the office or work from home. In the Philippines, a  co-working space for each individual should properly help them concentrate on what they’re doing without feeling the stressful environment of a hectic office or the relaxed ambiance of one’s home. The Philippines has been recently adapting these concepts as the emergence and demand for unconventional style of work rises throughout the years.

 

Budget-Friendly

For young businessmen, sometimes it’s better to save up extra money from your startup capital. The rent for a corporate office space nowadays is often too expensive, especially for those on a budget. Using a co-working space doesn’t involve long contracts and exorbitant fees. No need to worry about facilities as well, renting a co-working space eliminates the hassle of paying extra electricity and water bills.

 

Freelance Paradise

Freelance Paradise

Separate your work from your home. No need to worry about the Wi-Fi going down or running out inspiration. Co-working allows you to be surrounded by other inspired and productive people. As you work with like-minded individuals, your productivity increases. Using a co-working space eliminates isolation. Worry less and work more.

 

Networking Socially

Although it’s easy to find more contacts online, establishing rapport physically is always better. You can easily get to know your future clients and collaborators by meeting in a safe and well-maintained place. It’s still best to build bridges with people even with the world at your fingertips.

 

On-The-Go Business

On The Go Business

Cut down on bringing bulky and heavy gadgets. Utilize cloud services to keep your files on you without carrying an extra USB drive. Use free messaging and calling apps to take advantage of the Wi-Fi. Even digital artists nowadays can use mobile tablets to do digital artwork on the go.

 

Bringing the Heart Back to Work

Often times, a tired and uninspired individual comes into to work just to mindlessly work. Absolutely no passion and no heart in what they do. Co-working spaces help change this point of view. A person who brings their 100% to work doesn’t just go to a job anymore, they go to fulfill their passion. That’s the specialty of co-working spaces. It’s an inspiring place and improves work-life balance. Employees and freelancers are more likely to work smarter.

 

Key Takeaway

Gone are the days of isolation when working freelance. In the Philippines, a  co-working space is a space you can call your own. Real estate in the Philippines is notorious for the wallet-breaking fees and lack of budget-friendly options. It is a brand new working environment that encourages a passion for work and collaboration with others. Allow yourself to control your work freely. Maintain your startup business and be part of a community of fellow entrepreneurs and businessmen. Keep your working hours flexible.

How to Reduce Office Micromanagement

What are ways to reduce office micromanagement?

  1. Encourage communication
  2. Remind employees once in a while
  3. Prioritize understanding versus compliance
  4. Set successful parameters

 

 

Micromanagement refers to a managing style that is too obsessed with details and control. An office with a micromanagement culture will have leaders who point out every mistake of their employee and will not allow their teams to form their own opinions. Leaders act like control freaks because they are scared of having a tarnished reputation, obsessed with rightness at all times, and are too afraid of mistakes.

In a virtual office in the Philippines, it is easier to prevent leaders from acting like micromanagers because everyone will see their harmful actions and call them out on it. It is possible because the office was designed to be an open space. Everyone is meant to be equals who can approach each other anytime. Despite the nice design, there is still the risk of people become micromanagers. Therefore, every employee should know these tips that can reduce office micromanagement, in case it does happen.

 

 

Encourage communication

Encourage communication

Communication between manager and employee can be a tricky one to do right. The reason why communication can be ruined because leaders always make these mistakes:

  • They act unapproachable
  • Whenever leaders talk to people under their team, they usually focus only on mistakes
  • They don’t seem to care about the job aspirations of their employees

When you, as a leader, do this all the time, your employees become hesitant to talk to you about important issues. This can lead to a lot of company trouble later on.

 

 

Remind employees once in a while

It is ok to remind your employees about the outputs they forgot to do or haven’t finished once in a while. But if you have to take time to remind them every day in an office space for lease in Las Pinas, then this type of management has become a problem. Yes, you don’t want your department to make mistakes as much as possible. But being overly attentive can paradoxically lower their morale and make them lose motivation to do work properly, which dampens overall productivity.

So the only answer to prevent productivity problems from happening is reminding them once in a while. If you have difficulty implementing this action in real life, these tips can help:

 

Consistently set expectations early

Whenever there is a new project, you should first have a meeting with all the team members. Besides clarifying the gist of it, you should state clearly the roles of each employee in this project.

Afterward, you make them remember their individual expectations:

  • By making a report and sending it online.
  • Write little notes. You can use sticky paper or if you have glass walls, like virtual offices in the Philippines, you use them as a board and list the reminders using a whiteboard marker.

When expectations are clarified early, employees will work exactly according to what they need without being suffocated.

 

Let go of “I’ll do everything myself” thoughts

Leaders who are prone to these type of thoughts usually do not trust their members and assume that they are better than everyone else. Additionally, they are used to making things go their way automatically.

Doing work besides your own is very inefficient. When things are inefficient, the office ends up finishing output too late.

Therefore, it is important to let go of these thoughts. If you see employees making a mistake, do not take their work. Instead, clarify what they did wrong. Afterward, you can suggest what they should do fix their wrong and then leave them to implement your suggestion.

 

 

Prioritize understanding versus compliance

Prioritize understanding versus compliance

There will definitely be times where employees have no choice but to listen to you as a leader. For example, your budget manager has no choice but to pay the rental fee for the company’s office space for lease in Las Pinas. If she doesn’t, you may not have a space to work in.

But forcing them to comply with every decision you make is just tyranny. Before you discuss your plan to the team, already list reasons why you want to push through it and be prepared with sample explanations to answer the employees who may oppose your plan. When you do this, you can also ask the reasons your teammate objected to you. Afterward, employees can give suggestions that are potentially helpful

 

 

Set successful parameters

As the name suggests, these parameters are meant to measure how successful your employees are at doing their jobs. Instead of you judging how good or bad your employee, you can set a sort of grading system. For example, you can tell your teammates that they all have a quota of 4 outputs per day. Whenever they do, you can confidently say they did a good job.

 

 

Key Takeaway

Micromanagers are the way they are because of reasons such as being afraid for their reputation. No matter how much an office aims to be open in design, leaders like these can still exist. Therefore, employees should know about these tips that can reduce office micromanagement.