The light and dark side of working remotely

For some people, working remotely sounds like a dream come true. Especially for introverts. They prefer to spend time in solitude, the quiet makes it easier for them to focus and they are much more comfortable with working alone. Thanks to pandemonium, they can breathe a sigh of relief. They are not required to interact with others too often, and in fact have the perfect excuse for avoiding group meetings. This greatly improves their mental comfort. In addition, working remotely means more freedom of action and less stress. The boss is not looking over our shoulder, so the feeling of pressure and being controlled is reduced. Add to this the saving of time and money on constant commuting to the workplace. You can get comfortable with your laptop on the couch, in your sweatpants, wrap up in a blanket and turn on your favorite music. Sounds beautiful, right?

However, like everything, remote work also has its dark side

Not everyone will feel comfortable working from home. Especially those people who feel a strong need for human contact. Isolation, especially forced isolation, will have a bad effect on their mental health, as well as their work efficiency. The lack of a strict schedule and control is a strong temptation. How about such a short nap? How about Netflix? Procrastination is quickly catching up with us.

Methods to combat the dark side

• To minimize the problem of distraction, we should start by assigning ourselves a suitable place to work. A different room from the one we use as a bedroom will work best - we won't subconsciously associate it with relaxation.
• We should also set some boundaries with household members, so that their presence does not interfere with our concentration. We need to accustom ourselves, but also others, to how to work remotely.
• Why not take advice from specialists? Either a time management course or a course on running remote services - such as those offered by our training company - can be useful here.
  The STELLA VIRIUM Foundation for the Development of Qualifications, which cooperates with us, will also soon begin activities under the Career Boost project - one part of the project is a webinar addressing, among other things, the topic of effective work from home.
  
  Opportunities for further training are abundant around us - let's be vigilant, because it's always worth developing!

Remote work has its pros and cons - like everything. It allows us to develop some competencies, such as time management and productivity, but causes a decrease in others, mainly social competencies. Therefore, let's not forget to smile into the webcam during remote meetings with co-workers! :)