Remote Work, Our New Normal
According to the US Census, in 2019 3.4% of Americans and 5.2 % of the world worked remotely. This means about 95% of the global workforce is trying to adjust to a new schedule, new job restructures, and a whole new environment overnight. Although many are slowly adjusting to our “New Normal”, there are still so many things that can throw you off, delay deadlines. Possibly get you fired or even worse, lose a long time loyal client because your daily game plan was not set upright.
I have been working remotely for 4 and a half years now. It took me about 6 months to even get a schedule that felt somewhat comfortable. After months of frustrations and stress, I reached out to a friend of mine that had been working remotely for 5 years. He gave me some tips and by being consistent I finally found a schedule that allowed me to leverage my talents and experiences.
Working remotely is not a One-Size-Fits-All. Depending on if your current working arrangement is temporary or permanent, your schedule might need to be set up differently. Regardless, preparing properly will make that future transitions smooth and easy when it comes.
If you are single the adjustment may not be as bad. But that loneliness can take you to a dark place if not set upright. If you are living with someone or married, make sure you develop a plan that is critical to your relationship. Now if you have kids in the house, that’s a whole different animal! Having a family schedule can be difficult depending on age, gender, academic level, and so many other factors. But staying committed to the mental and physical wellbeing of your family is non-negotiable. So a schedule is a must.
Trying to figure it out on your own or follow a plan a friend or colleague gave you can backfire if they don’t have experience and know your needs. You can read all the articles you want, you can take ideas from people that don’t understand your situation, or you can try to figure it out yourself. One thing is for sure, a solid plan and consistency will get you on track. Find that help and start planning.
Talking to someone with remote experience is the quickest way to find your path. I thought I would share my experience and my team’s 50+ years of remote working experience as a guide. Our team ranges from the mid ’20s to 50+ years of age. We have kids as young as 2 years old to college students living with us. We all are living a remote life and my daily conversations with them have given me insight on remote living from all different angles. Along with my team’s experience at Real Impact Solution and friends of mine, that have been working remotely for decades, I wrote an article about “Working Remotely From Different Angles”. Click here to read it.
You can’t fight the change we are all now living. If you try to fight it or put it off because you’re expecting everything to go back to what it was, one thing is for sure. You will lose. Accepting it and finding a way that will allow you to continue making an impact, and even allow you to do more, will give you a head start on 95% of the world.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you are trying to adjust to our current circumstances or need assistance getting a daily game plan in place. I’m blessed to be in a network of some great remote business leaders and all I am doing is paying it forward. The faster we can help our economy, the faster we can get back to business. Below are 15-minute blocks that I have put aside for those who would like to chat.
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay blessed,
Wilton Rogers III
My availability to assist you (Click Here)