5 tips for working from home in a bearable and successful way

And you found yourself working from home in the blink of an eye! Whether it was because of your company's requirement —after all, in Latin America and around the world, remote work has been adopted as an effective way to keep businesses active— or because of an opportunity that just arose, the fact is that this is now your new reality and you need to adapt to it.

And you found yourself working from home in the blink of an eye! Whether it was because of your company's requirement —after all, in Latin America and around the world, remote work has been adopted as an effective way to keep businesses active— or because of an opportunity that just arose, the fact is that this is now your new reality and you need to adapt to it.

So welcome to the amazing world of remote work. Flexible? Sure! But it's also a huge challenge. A constant, daily juggling act at home and a workflow that can't stop.

To make this period more bearable and your days more productive, we have created a list of five tips for working from home.

1. Create a work routine

The first tip for anyone who is just entering the world of remote work is to create a routine. Having a well-defined schedule helps you put aside procrastination, allows you to do your work and prevents tasks from piling up.

No, we're not saying it's something you have to follow to the letter – after all, one of the great benefits of working from home is flexibility – but it's worth establishing a starting point.

Use flexibility to your advantage!

Those with a busy meeting schedule will have less flexibility to move schedules around and create an alternative routine. But for those who don't have a very strict work schedule, the advice is to use flexibility to your advantage.

With a little self-observation, we can figure out when we are most productive and work best during those times. Maybe you are one of those people who likes to get up later. Maybe you value a nap after lunch or, who knows, even a few extra hours in the early morning. Adjust your schedule and make it work for you, but be consistent.

Let's get back to the topic of routine. It's worth establishing a daily mini-ritual: it can be a hearty breakfast (preferably away from the phone and the computer), a bit of exercise, or, who knows, a combination of both.

Other ritual ideas that work are:

• Wear work clothes: spending a day or two in pajamas is very nice, but living in pajamas is very damaging to self-esteem;

• Open the windows: natural light and fresh air are always welcome;

• Get informed: A few minutes of daily reading or, who knows, listening to a good podcast will bring new ideas into your day and even inspiration for new projects;

• Drink plenty of water – it makes a big difference to your health and well-being.

2. Define your workspace

Working for a few hours sitting on your favourite side of the sofa is a wonderful privilege. However, doing this for several weeks in a row can, for example, affect your spine. It is better not to risk it!

Defining a workspace is essential to succeed in this new period. It can be a room (ideally), a small space, or even a table that serves a double purpose. To spend at least a third of the day sitting down and producing, you need to be very comfortable.

Prioritize your comfortSee if your company offers any work-from-home benefits. Many companies reimburse work monitors (working on a large screen is a huge advantage when it comes to production) and other accessories that can improve your quality of life, such as a good headset or a good mouse. You don't know the difference they make in your day-to-day life until you invest in them.

And before we forget, it must be said that lighting is essential. If your work area is very dark, it is worth investing in a good lamp.

Space division and rulesOrganize your work material and, if you are sharing that space with other people (husband, housemates or children), establish rules and schedules. If necessary, establish a shift system.

Nowadays, with kids out of school and a partner working from home, alternating schedules can be a good strategy to make things work. For example, one of them can start earlier.

Either way, you'll need to be able to conduct that important meeting or make that weekly call without being interrupted by things that aren't part of your work routine.

3. Take breaks

If in the office you never had to worry about the organization and priority of your daily tasks, the wide freedom of remote work brings generous doses of responsibility and goals that cannot be left unfulfilled.

Have a to-do listIt doesn't matter if it's a virtual list or a physical notebook to write down. The important thing is to stay on track so you don't let routine overwhelm you.

And of course, a good list has to have a daily, weekly and monthly plan. The idea here is to complete the day-to-day tasks without neglecting future opportunities or extra projects (which will give you a good image) when you have some extra time.

Since we are talking about time optimization, it is worth outsourcing processes with smart tools that help you perform tasks masterfully. Some useful tools are the following:

• Rescue Time – helps you identify how you use your time and the number of hours you waste answering emails or browsing social media;

• Evernote – helps you organize your life and work materials. A sort of external brain that actually works;

• Trello – A spectacular tool for managing teams and tasks. Trello is useful for those who work remotely, as it helps you organize tasks and avoid dozens of unnecessary emails;

Take breaksPlan your schedule to include a break. A coffee, a walk (those who work from home tend to walk very little, so pay attention to that) or simply five minutes to check your social media while lying on your couch (yes, you are welcome here).

The important thing is to create a productive routine without giving up on well-being. Besides, a break makes all the difference.

Beware of interference from houseworkThose who work at home tend to eat lunch at home and, in one way or another, household chores become more visible.

A balance between your home routine and work is essential for success in this new phase. It may take a few days to reach the point of balance, but you will achieve it.

Distribute tasks, be flexible, and make your own rules. The dishes piled up in the sink may have to wait until the end of your work schedule before you can wash them. No problem.

4. Use tools that support remote work (and stay updated)

For remote work to happen, it is important to choose platforms that support it. Here, of course, we are talking about Tableau.

Tableau allows you to automate data distribution and create dashboards that update in real time and can be viewed on any device: computer, tablet or smartphone.

Tableau also allows global companies to simulate risk scenarios that may be occurring in other parts of the world in the Latin American reality, making forecasts much more assertive.

It promotes the integration of different areas of the company that can work together, even in different places around the world. This is essential for the success of remote work.

Always up to dateAnd since the topic is success, let’s talk about your personal and professional development?

One of the biggest challenges of remote work is staying up to date with market trends and innovations, which is essential for advancing your career. Remember that extra time on your to-do list? Add at least one hour per week to learn something new or keep up to date.

Here are some suggested learning tools that will make a difference in your analytical performance:

• Free course videos: amazing material to learn new techniques and even inspire projects;

• On-demand webinars: Dozens of topics and practical inspirations to get your business intelligence off the ground – there are webinars on business intelligence, business analytics, finance and much more. They are worth seeking out.

• Tableau Public: A community of users from all corners of the globe. Here you can find amazing dashboards, fun analyses ranging from music to business intelligence topics, as well as users ready to share knowledge. It's worth taking advantage of them.

5. Keep it social, keep it fun

Being remote doesn’t mean being isolated or lonely. Swapping a lively office full of creative people for a space is a big challenge, especially for the most extroverted. To avoid virtual “loneliness,” our advice is to create communities of common interests within the company, encourage the use of webcams in meetings, and, who knows, even organize virtual events.

Let's use technology to our advantage to add a human touch to everyday life and bring a bit of the positive energy that comes from teamwork. Here are some tips:

Turn on your webcamOur first tip is to turn on your webcam and show a big smile. Showing your face brings your team closer, bridges the gap, and shows that we are all in this together.

And it's true, turning on the webcam will force him to get out of his pajamas and put on his work clothes. It will do him a lot of good!

Promote seminars/coursesIf you manage a team, how about bridging the gap by promoting quick conversations every week or, who knows, a course that involves other areas?

Companies with an engaged analytics community can (and should) use this moment to bring up new topics, propose challenges, think collectively and, of course, nurture a community full of potential.

The more people work together on projects defined by affinities, the smaller the distances, and the better the results.