creating something.
I put this blog together as a brief introduction to Re-Shft Studios. This is still the very beginning stages of what once was just the sprout of an idea. As I currently type this, I have zero newsletter subscribers but will kindly add a few individuals who I think will enjoy my content along with a few clients of mine. I hope to grow my reader base to a larger audience but for now, we’re just getting started.
I started Re-Shft Studios back in the summer of 2019 after reading one of my favorite books, REWORK by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried. If you aren’t familiar with the two, here is some background info. David, otherwise known as DHH, is the creator of the open source Web application framework called Ruby on Rails. He developed RoR while building 37Signals’ signature product, Basecamp with Jason Fried. Together, they have built a massive cloud-based company that has revolutionized the way people work. I highly recommend reading all of their books and their newsletter is an interesting place to find meaningful content as well.
why i’m telling you this.
When COVID-19 hit, a lot of people were negatively impacted from the pandemic and forced to adapt. Remote-based work is hard for some people, but it definitely has its benefits.
WFH (Work From Home) has become a standard term for employees across almost every industry. My father has commuted into Manhattan on the dreadful LIRR for over 20 years to learn he can most definitely do a majority of his job from home. While he does need to go into the city to send out and receive shipments, most of the day-to-day communication can be done from home (or the beach).
defining work.
One of the most common questions I’ve been asked is either “how much time do you work per day?” and “how much do you earn?”. Regardless of who you are or what you do, you should never ask someone else how much money they earn. That is a no-no in my book.
The other question, “how much time do you work per day?” isn’t much better. There is no straight answer for that question. I work around the clock. 24/7. I am constantly thinking of ways to find a new client, expand a partnership or create new projects. I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and make note of something to take care of the following morning. I’ll speak to my partners every day, holidays included. I’ll text with clients over the weekends if they need anything at all. I make myself available to provide value.
[ wurk ] (n)
exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
productive or operative activity.
Work is not about time, but about productivity.
Being productive is a difficult thing to do consistently over a long period of time. That’s why successful people tend to be diligent with time management and their productivity levels.
Remote-based work has traditionally been frowned upon because managers never know how much their employees are actually working. What people don’t talk about is the amount of time that is wasted while in-office. Commuting into work, inter-office conversations and department-wide meetings; they all become time wasters rather than productive work hours.
Being productive has been one of the biggest challenges for people in 2020. When COVID-19 hit, millions of people were moved from in-office to work-from-home. Working from home has many distractions and can derail productivity at any given moment, especially if you have children.
adapting to remote-based work.
I’ve been practicing remote-based work for over 5 years and continue to learn new ways to improve the way I work as I meet new people. The most common success stories or painful failures circles back to communication and time management.
I’m currently located on the North Fork of Long Island, yet I do business with people located all around the world. My partners are located in Florida, California and Oregon. Some of my vendors are located in Morocco, Barcelona, India and Vancouver.
Procrastinating is the kryptonite for remote-based employees.
It’s important to take control of your calendar and set yourself up for success early in the day. The rest of the day will become a breeze as you knock out your to-do lists earlier in the day.
wfh tips for newbies.
wake up early to get a head start on your day. your productivity levels will skyrocket during the quiet hours of the morning when everyone else is sleeping.
get the hardest tasks finished first. take care of the easy stuff last.
over-communicate with your colleagues so you are all on the same page and nothing slips through the cracks.
go for walks often, exercise regularly (3-5 days per week) and get outside as much as the weather permits. this will help you re-charge your body and mind.
limit the amount of time spent on social media. this should be no brainer. it will save you valuable time while keeping your eyes and mind fresh for more productive work hours.
If you are having trouble with remote-based work and adapting to working from home, feel free to reach out and let’s solve your problem. We help break down communication barriers, build simple workflows and create easy-to-use digital solutions for all types of businesses.
Please share this blog post with anyone who might be interested and visit out website to see what we do or read the blog.
Thanks for reading.
- mm