3 Things I Learned From Working Remotely
In a recent LinkedIn article, Is it OK to dread 'back to normal'?, the American Psychological Association found that 50% of people it surveyed have come to deeply appreciate pandemic-era routines such as remote work and social distancing, which allowed them to "glide into more predictable spaces, schedules, routines and relationships."
Now, the idea of abandoning habits formed over the last 12 months fills them with anxiety, particularly those who suffer from mental health issues.
If you’re going back into the office, are there elements of your work from home life you found beneficial and want to continue long-term? Here are a few of mine.
Working Independently Works For Me
Contrary to the popular belief all student affairs jobs are super team based, during the pandemic, I learned how to effectively leverage my strength as an independent worker and thinker. Working in academia, our industry heavily favors and promotes collaboration and I have always felt this was an aspect of my industry I found emotionally and mentally burdensome.
While I have the capacity to work in teams of course, I have found I do my best work and most innovative idea creation alone, without direction and bias from other people and noisy or distracted environments. Having ADHD, working alone and in an environment I can control allows me to be much more productive and feel more in control over my day to day.
Working from home allows me the freedom to work and think in ways that are best suited towards my skillset at a pace I feel most comfortable. I’ve learned to get comfortable thinking and speaking my ideas first and not relying on a team to validate them. I’ve really enjoyed working independently *gasp!*
Increased Accessibility and Flexibility
Working from home allows me to control the environment around me and really curate it towards my preferences and elements I feel put me in the best position possible to be successful in my work. I work with international folks and people working full-time jobs who have untraditional schedules so virtual calling has been key in connecting.
Oddly, in a virtual environment, I feel like I have more accessibility to those I work with now more than ever and with alternative work time tables, I can be flexible with my time in order to accommodate even the busiest of clients or students.
I fear going back into the workplace will force me into a schedule and a way of working that doesn’t 100% fit my needs and restricts the accessibility and flexibility I currently leverage with those I work with. I also do my best work in the morning and love working very early and not having to stick around the office till 5pm or 6pm at night.
Advocating Needs
During the pandemic work from home period, I’ve really had to make an effort in advocating my needs, verbalizing what is working, what is challenging and brainstorming solutions with my manager regularly together. I’ve actually really enjoyed this as I feel I have a better sense of what my manager needs from me and they have a better sense of what I need from them.
As a member of the mental health committee at my organization, I know how important it is for folks to feel empowered to talk freely about feelings and emotions at work. I have also worked from home in a previous role and spoke very openly at the beginning of the pandemic on what works for me and what doesn’t work for me in a virtual environment.
My manager has always been willing to listen and think creatively with me to make sure I'm getting what I need from work and my work is getting done. It's been a lovely partnership and yes, I know how exceedingly lucky I am to have a supportive and understanding boss.
Related:
Tips To Professional Growth After College From Two Career Coaches
4 Signs The 9-to-5 Workday is Going The Way of The Dinosaurs
How Gen Z Is Changing The Workplace: What It Means For The Future
Meet The Writer!
Hi! My name is Nadia Ibrahim-Taney and I help people design happy and fulfilling careers through authentic career coaching. My expertise includes career exploration guidance, resume writing, interview prep and LinkedIn profile optimization. My pronouns are She/ Her/ Hers and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I focus on how diverse identities impact and influence folks holistically and professionally. Please connect with me on LinkedIn or at Nadia@beyonddiscoverycoaching.com
