What I Mastered About Remote Working

What I Mastered About Remote WorkingWhat I Mastered About Remote WorkingIts been alfruchtwein a year since I started working for remotely from Dublin. And Im excited to share that weve joined the Global Work Remote Dayand our whole team will be working remotely on August 4th Today, we have a number of remote employees in Dublin, London, and Barcelona, while the HQ and the majority of the colleagues are in Sofia, Bulgaria. I have experienced both the challenges and benefits of working as the only remote team member from Dublin. It allows me to get into the flow state quicker and stay focused for longer. I have also put a lot of conscious effort to master remote working and to verstndigung im strafverfahren with the risks of Feeling isolated Getting demotivated disengaged to deliver Disconnecting with people and companys problems In the past year, Ive tried various approaches. Today Im at that point when I can say I nailed it I mastered it How do I know I succeeded? The short answer is Im happy and productive, most of the time. To master remote working, I focus on 3 main things Creating following a routine Mindfulness (Re-)connecting with the teamCreating and following a routineIts easy to just go with the flow and depend on the energy of the rest of the team when everyone is in the same room. Its hard to rely only on your energy and motivation every single day when you work remotely. Before I started at I dedicated some time to think what will give me energy and help me tune into my own rhythm. I created a daily balanced routine allowing me to deliver daily. Im still following it almost a year later. This is what most of my days look like7 am wake up, fill in my Five Minute Journal, shower, do exercises, make breakfast and (sometimes) lunch for work 8.30 am walk to Cluster, my co-working space, and grab a herbal tea on the way (that used to be a single espresso shot in Kaph, but I gave up on coffee a week ago, as it welches making me too anxious) 9 am in the geschftszimmer and ready to kick off around 12.30 pm lunch I always have a 30- or 60-minute slot for that in the calendar even if Im having a lunch on my own. The team in Bulgaria is two hours ahead of me, so when its lunch time for me in Dublin, they have just had their food and want to call me. If I dont have the slot blocked, its very likely Id skip lunch and the break and thats not sustainable when you want to deliver daily. at a random point of the day dedicate 15min technology free, to relax my mind6 pm usually done by then. I make sure I finish by then, so I can enjoy the evening, rest well, and come back fresh in the morning.11 pm go to bed, (hopefully) read a bit, fill in my Five Minute JournalThis table in my partal notebook works as my daily checklist. It allows me to stay accountable to myself if I stick to the things that are important for me as a routine. If Im not, then I can dig deeper and decide if I should drop this activity or approach it in a new way. I ts not about a 9-to-6 mentality. Respecting my time outside of work and enjoying it with people who I care about is what allows me to get into flow state in seconds, and be in it for hours every day. Interruptions? No one interrupts me in Cluster, the coworking space I work from. Everyone is disciplined and focused on their own work (okay except for one guy who watches Netflix) I love that everyone is friendly and ready to help out if you want to talk or need advice. MindfulnessMindfulness has helped me approach and successfully deal with anxieties and frustrations. Remote workers are more likely to burn out. Its easy to leave the office when everyone else leaves. But its hard when you are the only person and theres so much more to do and you want to get this one more thing done. Its important to know when your working day is over. What helps me stay productive and deliver daily without burning out My routine I know when its time to leave My productivity planner I focus on the top 3-5 things that absolutely need to happen today. These are things that are urgent and important and would have a direct impact on the companys bottom line. I make sure I actually have the time for those things by blocking slots in my calendar not just for meetings, but also for executing work. That makes my daily planning more realistic. No distractions during meetings I focus on the hangout where the call is taking place. I dont open any additional tabs and I put my phone away from me. I noticed that when Im in a meeting and trying to get a better use of the time by doing something while in the meeting has the opposite effect. It results in anxieties and frustration. For a while Ive been strict about it not getting distracted in meetings allows me to get the most of the meeting and feel better. (almost) Daily sync with a founder when I am physically far from everyone else, its important for me to feel close and to be heard. The founders Georgi, Dimitar, and Volen, take this ver y seriously and on most days I talk to at least one of them on a work-related or a personal topic. This goes both ways and we feel close to each other. We work as one.View from my desk ??Remote workers are more likely to get frustrated. Its easy and natural to feel supported by colleagues when they are physically around you and can notice a change in your mood or energy. They can come to you and talk to you. Thats why its important to know how to deal with frustration on your own. Heres how I do itMy Five Minute Journal filling it in is the first thing I do in the morning and the last thing I do before I go to bed. I keep the journal and a pen right next to my bed. A walk in the neighborhood moving helps me relax and clear my mind. Sometimes I go to a coffee shop for a tea (now that I dont drink coffee..), to a museum or a park. Finding something inspirational takes the stress away and freshens up my mind. A power nap when I feel tired or overwhelmed and a walk wont help, I resta rt my mind by taking a 20-minute power nap. Luckily, theres a tiny, yet cosy couch in the room of the startup Restored Hearing and Rhona, Eimear, and Chrissy dont mind me sneaking in for a bit. Talk to someone immediately there are two people in Cluster who are my close friends, amazing professionals, and I love talking to them about anything Clusters owner Goodwin, and Louis (creator of the Everyone Hates Marketers podcast Hotjars content strategist). I have laughed with them, cried with them, shared insights with them. It makes all the difference in the world to have someone physically next to you. A blank piece of paper + a pen when Im dealing with a complex problem or challenge, having access to all of the resources in the world doesnt help. In moments like that, I switch off my laptop and put my phone away. Instead, I take a blank piece of paper and a pen. That pushes me to simplify the problem, structure it, and solve it piece by piece. Once I have this high-level plan, I can easily dive deeper and outline the details.(Re-)connecting with the teamAt we have a number of tools and mechanisms that allow each team member to stay up to date, feel connected, engage and bond with the others. Using Slack, G Drive, Intercom, Trello, etc solves some aspects of it. What truly makes an impact for me are The one-on-one meetings I have with various people in the company Face-to-face time I go every 2 months to Bulgaria and spend 1-3 weeks with the team in the HQ. Some of those trips are for our annual retreat or power weekEnhancers visit Dublin Tanya, our blog editor media relations, was the first team member who came to Dublin for a week. Getting to know her and having her as a guest at home was very different from the way we had engaged with each other in the office in Sofia or during a Power Week. Georgi, co-founder CEO, is in Dublin at the moment. He came over for 3 weeks so we can kick off the hiring of Head of Marketing, Digital Marketer, and Customer S uccess roles for the office here. (The timing was perfect so he can join my housewarming party)Being remote with other Enhancers Volen, co-founder COO, and I spent a whole month working remotely from Lisbon. Related articlesHow Hotjar built a 100% distributed companyStop with team building events, try a retreat insteadWhy we joined Bynders Global Work Remote DayBuilding relationships on trustAnd I build trust on open communication and transparency by being specific and giving the context. I add everything in my calendar and my colleagues can see what I do before, during, and after work. So if Im offline when they need me, they would know if Im at a work meeting, an appointment with a doctor, focusing on a job spec offline, having a coffee with a friend, or attending an event. In this way, they also know how quickly Id reply and if they need to call me to reach me immediately.How do you work remotely?I would love to hear your thoughts on remote working. Feel free to post them as co mments or email me directly at vessy.com. Im based in Dublin, so shout out if you are around for a coffee.

12+ work-appropriate Halloween costume ideas

12+ work-appropriate Halloween costume ideas12+ work-appropriate Halloween costume ideasHalloween is arguably one of the most fun holidays to celebrate outside of work and even AT work if your company celebrates it. However, finding costumes that are appropriate for work gets more and more challenging every year.Here we share some of the most clever, creative, and quick work-appropriate halloween costume ideas that you can try next time Halloween rolls around1. MimeIts easy Blank skinny jeans, striped shirt, suspenders, white gloves, and classicmimemakeup will have you ready for Halloween at work in no time.2. Mary PoppinsYou can really wear almost anyschooloutfit and carry an umbrella and oversized handbag to nail the wholesome Mary Poppins look. Check outthis ideafrom Marie Claire.3. PencilWear a yellow sheath dress (or a long sleeve yellow top and pants), black or charcoal heels, and an eraser pink hat to finish off the look. You can customize your shirt or dress to say 2 pencil if you feel your ensemble could use an explanation.4. FarmerLayer a pair of bib overalls over a flannel shirt and you have a wholesome, unisex costume thats fun, affordable, and warm. Add a trucker cap for a finished look.5. A Frappe from StarbucksA little creativity goes a long way withthissimple do-it-yourself Starbucks frappe costume (but you might choose a longer dress for the office). After all, what could be more work appropriate than coffee?6. Wheres Waldo?A piece-of-cake costume red and white striped shirt and hat paired with jeans andtenniesyou already own Add round-rimmed glasses and voila you have a quick, easy costume thats okay even for customer-facing workers.7. UnicornUnicorns or the idea of them are all the rage lately, from makeup trends, toys, cartoons and even business terminology. They make an easy, work-friendly halloween costume too Whether you purchase a ready-made plush unicorn onesie that seem to be sold everywhere these days, or you can make your own DIY version by wearing a bright furry top (and matching bottom, if you have it), wearing multicolor unicorn-like sparkly makeup, and putting a horn on your head.8. Nurse or DoctorGrab a scrub top and bottom from a local thrift store or department store, hang a stethoscope around your neck, and wear your favoritetennis shoes (or sneakers, crocs or orthopedic shoes)for a fun, easy costume.9. Clark Kent (Superman)All you need for this is a nice, clean suit, a crisp collared button-down shirt and a Superman t-shirt underneath it all. Keep a few buttons of your white shirt unbuttoned to let the Superman tee show through and there you have it you have this fun, yet subdued superhero costume look10. A ChildPut your hair in pigtails, wear an outfit that could pass as a childs outfit (think overalls, bright colors and sneakers), and carry a backpack all day to pass as a kid on the first day of school you might notpass, but you know what we mean.11. A 50s HousewifeWear a 50s style dress, tie a wrap around your head, and throw on some heels and an apron for a 50s housewife costume.12. GhostThrow a sheet over your regular work attire, cut two eye-holes, and call it a costume. Its (almost) free but it still counts. The perfect compromise for people who dont love to dress up.13. Your BossSteal the show by dressing up as your boss Do whatever it takes a wig, the right shoes, their favorite outfit, the bag he or she carries every dayuntil your identity is unmistakable. This one has the potential to win you the costume contest if you have one, for being most creative but also super relevant and funny amongst coworkersThis article was originally published on Kununu.com.

How to Survive a Bad Day at Work

How to Survive a Bad Day at WorkHow to Survive a Bad Day at WorkIt happens to the best of us. You find yourself at work with your head in your hands, unsure if you want to pound your fist on your desk or run screaming.So, whats wrong?Quite simply, its a schwimmbad day on the job. Unfortunately, youre at the office, and you dont have the luxury of climbing into bed and pulling the covers over your head. Your boss and coworkers are counting on you to be productive. And you feel the pressure to maintain your professional game face, at least as much you can manage.Many things can trigger a stressful day like this. Maybe you feel overwhelmed with assignments. Perhaps your boss or coworkers have infected you with their own bad moods. Or maybe you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.Are you angry or just hangry?Sometimes we get so busy that negative feelings just kind of creep up on us. When we finally notice, we may chalk them up to generalized stress or a bad mood, then attempt to power through the day without investigating whats actually going on.But it can really help to identify your feelings. Are you angry? Overwhelmed? Anxious? Disappointed or sad? Just by naming the emotion, you have taken a big first step in releasing its grip on your mind and mood.Once youve figured out how youre feeling, youre in a much better position to understand what caused it. Did your boss criticize your work or fail to appreciate an achievement? Was it something your significant other said that morning, or something you regret saying yourself? Are you hungry or sleep-deprived?Once youve figured out the cause(s) of your grumpy mood, you stand a better chance of correcting it. And correcting it doesnt have to mean confronting the issue directly. Maybe all you can do for the moment is vent your feelings to a trusted friend - or officially take the issue off your plate until you have the resources to tackle it.Whatever the cause, here are some techniques that can help make a hard day bearable - and maybe even a wee bit fun1. Use the magic of musicFew things can wipe away the frustrations of a horrible commute or help you through a heavy workload like a favorite song. If youre free from meetings for a little while, slap on a pair of headphones and let the music take you to your happy place.2. Go viralIf you can, take a quick break to watch a brief, uplifting video. That hilarious clip circulating online, a motivational message or a moment from your brde vacation can help to flip your mood around in a few short minutes.3. Fight it with friendsWhen youre feeling good, you probably have no problem picking up the phone and venting to a friend - or strolling down to chat with a colleague. But what about when youre feeling down? Then it can be a lot more difficult. Wallowing in isolation is unlikely to make you feel any better, whereas a conversation with a sympathetic friend can change the entire dynamic of your day. It can be hard, but the effort i s so worth it. 4. Run away (momentarily)We often feel pressure to look productive at all times. But regular breaks can actually make us be more productive. Checking social media at your desk doesnt count as a break, especially if you spend all day sitting in front of a screen already. On the other hand, you dont have to attend a 90-minute yoga class to feel better - and you may not have that luxury, anyway.That said, a break of 10 minutes or so can make a big difference in your mood. Do stretches, head outside for fresh air, walk around the block or brew some coffee in the break room. You may be surprised how a small reprieve can make a significant change, even on the worst of days.5. Set em up, knock em downWhen your morning looks like it could quickly turn ugly, a little forethought can stave off the nastiness. Maybe all the tasks on your plate are overwhelming. Or perhaps personal issues are distracting you. Before diving in, take 10 or 15 minutes to create a list of the things that must get done today.Getting all those tasks out of your mind and onto paper can provide relief in and of itself. You may even find everything is more doable than you imagined. And as you work through your list, you have the satisfaction of checking off the boxes as you go.You may find that you really do have too much to do. If so, you know its time enlist help from your boss or a colleague - and you can show them exactly why you need their help.Check out more time management tips that can make your workday easier.6. Bring the happy to othersWhen youre in a bad mood, you may close down and think only of your own problems. Break the cycle with a simple act of kindness.It doesnt have to be a big deal, either. When you go for a coffee, ask a colleague if you can get them one too. Compliment a coworker. Write a thank you email to a customer or member of your team. The person likely to benefit the most is you.7. Eat for energyStart your day off with a decent breakfast. You may save a few minutes by skipping a meal, but your empty stomach might come back to bite you. Some people get irritable when theyre hungry. Others lose their ability to concentrate or suffer from fatigue. However it affects you, hunger is bound to weigh down both your mood and your productivity throughout the day.Sure, a healthy lunch isnt going to solve all your problems or suddenly make a bad day fabulous. But it can give you the stamina to meet challenges with greater ease. Or promise yourself a favorite food stop after work - looking forward to a great dinner can easily lift your spirits.Have you had too many bad days at work lately? Ready to search for a new job? Register with Robert Half to gain access to a wide sortiment of job listings, career tips and professional development coursesRelated postsHow to Relieve Stress in the Workplace 5 Simple TipsWhat are the Most Stressful Jobs? (And How to Know if Youre Interviewing for One)How to Beat the Sunday Night Blues