How to work as a lone worker – and stay motivated
How to work as a lone worker – and stay motivated. So, how can you keep motivated as a Lone/Remote Worker? Do you know how to work as a Remote Worker? In previous articles, we have looked at what it means to be a Remote Worker – also known as a Lone Worker, Freelancer, Consultant, Virtual Assistant, or VA. Whether you are used to working from home, or the work-from-home concept is new to you, it is true that every self-employed person benefits from improving their self-motivation and self-discipline.
Being self-motivated
Being self-motivated is crucial when working from home because for some people spending time alone can be quite isolating. This can result in them becoming non-productive. Many people will also have difficulty self-motivating themselves if they are not used to working from home or are not used to spending time alone. This type of person would benefit more from working in a co-working space or coffee shop environment. They would find it more beneficial as they would enjoy the company of others and would not feel so isolated.
Now let’s have a look at some tactics to stay motivated when you are working from home.
- Be self-disciplined
- Structure your day
- Create a professional workspace
- Use an online calendar to organize daily tasks
- Confirm what daily/weekly/monthly tasks have to be done
- Set deadlines for the completion of individual tasks
- Try and eliminate as much distraction as possible
- Take regular breaks to help clear your mind
- Reward yourself when the task is complete
How to deal with isolation
Although the circumstances of people working remotely may be different, they still face similar challenges to anyone working as part of a team. Think of people who are part of a team, or a large team, think, for example, of a person working a night shift while the rest of their team is working during the day. Each person has a role to play but some have more support than others – the larger number of staff working during the day shift have more peer-to-peer support than the person working the night shift. This can mean that the person working the night shift can still end up feeling like a Lone Worker.
Remote Workers are exposed to isolated working environments which can take a huge toll on their mental health. Remember people working in larger teams may have more access to support networks, but when Remote Workers spend long periods without social interaction, this can sometimes lead to a sense of loneliness and isolation.
How to combat loneliness as a Remote Worker
In an office environment, you can have a colleague chat with you, a boss may be reading over your shoulder, or even just the smell of a colleague’s perfume/aftershave can remind you that you are not on your own. It is therefore very easy to feel isolated and feel like you are working harder when you’re working alone from home.
Here are a few tips to help combat loneliness if you work on your own.
- Have regular telephone/email catch-ups with clients
- Use video platforms for face-to-face meetings
- Use social media to stay in touch with like-minded people
- Join networking groups
- Seek out local networking spaces
- Complete professional development
Remember working alone will not be for everyone and is best suited to people who enjoy their own company.
Conclusion
Is becoming a Remote Worker right for you? Do you know how to work alone? Consideration needs to be given to your self-motivation when acting as someone who works alone. A high degree of self-discipline is required both from a business and personal perspective. Look at some of the pros and cons and see if it is right for you. Do you know any other tricks on how to work alone as a Remote Worker?