Industry Insights

A silver lining of the past two years is that it’s easier to work from home than ever. Companies have embraced remote and hybrid working environments and technology makes it an almost seamless transition.  

There are so many benefits of being a remote digital marketer! You can work from anywhere, for any company that embraces remote work, and you ditch the commute time that can cramp your creativity or interrupt you if you’re in the groove on a project.  

If you’re currently working in an office and want to make the switch to remote, here’s how to get started.  

1. Recreate your working environment at home. You’ll need to make sure you have all the same technology and tools at home that you have access to in the office. It might be helpful to take a few photos of your desk before things start to move, just in case wires aren’t your best friend, and to remember how everything fits together and how things were arranged in a way that worked best for you. Talk with your manager about whether you’re allowed to bring everything from your desk home, whether the company will provide other tools or whether you need to buy things upfront and be reimbursed later. Make sure you have a good working space available at home and a comfortable, sturdy chair too.  

2. Re-envision your meetings. How many watercooler or coffee machine conversations have led to breakthroughs on projects? Casual chats, when the brain isn’t focused on a specific item or work-related problem, can often spark creativity and bolts of genius. If you’re shifting to full-time remote work, try to schedule regular chats with your team to not only stay connected personally but to keep those creative opportunities available. Schedule virtual coffee catch-ups from time to time, maybe once or twice a month at first, to maintain the personal and professional conversations and connections.  

3. Work through your goals and priorities with your manager on a regular basis. Especially in the beginning, your manager might want to keep closer tabs on you through chats, emails and phone calls than they do while you’re in the office. Or maybe you want the security of a safety net around you as you make the switch. Either way, establish a routine that works for both of you, to make sure you’re in the loop on projects and that your priorities are aligned with what’s needed from your team. Good communication can make any working situation strong and effective! Eventually you’ll get your footing and your manager will see that things are still getting done on time and things might relax a little, but it’s good to start out strong.  

4. Don’t forget to take breaks! Just because you don’t have to leave an office to get coffee doesn’t mean you don’t still need to get up every so often and walk around. We need to take breaks during the day to give our brains a rest, to give our legs and arms a stretch and to let our eyes adjust to seeing things at different distances. Every so often, stand up, stretch and get some water or coffee, either from your kitchen or a nearby shop. Just a few minutes away can make a big difference.  

5. Keep regular hours. The early days of working from home can be challenging. Your office is now in the same place where you sleep, relax, cook and do laundry; it can be hard to fully unplug when the workday is done. But make sure that you set boundaries with yourself, your work and your time. Whatever your hours are, start and end your day at the same time as you would in the office. Occasionally, while working on-site, you might have to work a little longer; the same might be true at home as well, but don’t fall into the guilt trap of always working until something is done. It’s tricky but work-life balance should be enhanced by remote work, not upended.  

Remote work can open up a whole new world of possibilities for you, including the freedom to listen to whatever music or podcast you want at whatever volume works best for you without having to worry about coworkers or deskmates.  

If your current manager doesn’t love the idea of working remotely, it might be time to find a new gig. Turn to Method Recruiting for help! We partner with digital marketing companies who understand that freedom and flexibility are essential to creative thinkers and will welcome your ideas to their team. Call Method Recruiting today and let’s get started!