Working from home or anywhere, saving time, having flexible work hours seem to be the most often mentioned advantages of the remote work. Many people dream of changing their regular office hours to a flexible schedule. Let’s try to figure out together whether it is a benefic or a challenge to work remotely? 

We are an international team, and we are really glad of that, but we had to create our own strategy that would allow us to work effectively and efficiently. Today we are going to discuss the hidden pitfalls of the remote working and possible solutions. 

WHY IT IS A CHALLENGE

If you decide to become a part of the remote team get ready to be self-organized and responsible. No matter whether the weather is good or you have an extremely strong desire to work less today and more tomorrow, every member of the team should be self-conscious and understand the importance of his work and its connection with the work of others. 

• You need to be focused and effective and feel as if you were in the office with your team, it is a virtual office, but still it is one. 
• You also need to be sure that everything is ready for the working day and you are responsible for the technical side of the process and the immediate problem fix. 
• Communication is another challenge. There is no face to face communication every morning and you have to get used to it – video conferences, chats, emails, tickets. They presuppose quick responses, short questions and clear explanations. 

WHY IT IS A BENEFIT

Remote teams are international, there are more visions, more ideas, brighter discussions, talents from around the globe and innovative solutions. Working from home, you save a lot of time and can use it the way you want  – go to the pool, gym and not get stuck in a traffic jam. Remote teams allows you to travel, explore new places and find inspiration. Also, even if you do not want to live in a big town, you can have a job of your dream and show your brilliance to the world. 

You are the one to decide whether it is a benefit or a challenge and we want to share our practical tips on how to run an remote team. 

HOW TO WORK REMOTE

1. Have regular working hours and scheduled breaks. It helps to be focused and makes communication easier. Check out one of the possible solutions – google sheet template with the shared access showing the availability of the team. 
2. Organize your working place. You need to have a comfortable working area and all necessary equipment.
3. Get ready for the working day and do not stay in your pyjamas for the whole day. There are no requirements on what you have to wear you just need to get ready to work.
4. Explain to your family and friends that you are working and not just staying home. You need to be focused and be a part of the working process, so you should be feel as if you were not at home.
5. Do not miss conferences and make up excuses. You should be present at all conferences that are connected wit you sphere of interest even if the time is not suitable for you, you will figure out how to reorganize it. Looking for a good assistant? Shared google calendar is a simple and effective choice.  
6. Socialize with colleagues. Team building, team building and team building. You do not work in the office, but you need to know your colleagues and understand them, so do not consider socializing events as a waste of time. 
7. Plan your week. Check out the updates of your to do list regularly  and plan everything in advance in order not to miss deadlines and be aware of the priority task. 
8. Do not be afraid to have fun. You need to like what you are doing and share this attitude with others. Next week try to post the photos from your last trips for the team or share the upcoming movies you are planning to watch and you will feel the difference. 

We all try to follow those simple rules and hope that they will also help you if you decide to work remotely. If you are a software engineer or a project manager we will be glad to see you are part of your team, please check out the open positions on our website.