To help remote workers maintain work/life boundaries, encourage them to set expectations regarding their availability and schedule regular blocks of time away in their calendar. (Photo: Shutterstock)
After working all day remotely via email and the internet, it can be a challenge not to continue being online, so say 200 full-time remote workers responding to a Remote.co survey.
Indeed, unplugging after work hours is the biggest pain point remote workers encounter when working in their virtual environment, garnering the highest percentage–40 percent–for the respondents' top challenge.
Other challenges for remote workers include dealing with non-work distractions (32 percent), developing strong relationships with coworkers (25 percent), loneliness (23 percent), troubleshooting technology problems (21 percent) and working across different time zones (19 percent).
"One of the biggest misconceptions about remote workers is that they're not actually working, or that they're less productive than their in-office counterparts," says Sara Sutton, founder/CEO of Remote.co and FlexJobs.
"As multiple studies confirm, though, remote workers tend to not only be more productive, but also happier and more engaged at their jobs," Sutton says. "Disconnecting from work when you have a home office can be difficult, though. Managers of remote workers need to really encourage their teams to develop healthy boundaries between home and office — and model that behavior for them as well."
Remote.co recommends that remote workers adopt the following strategies: set expectations regarding their availability; schedule regular blocks of time away in their calendar; have an accountability partner; embrace their hobbies; tackle their biggest or most urgent to-dos sans tech; have a contingency plan in place; and "focus on being present for those around you."
"While unplugging from work when you work from home can be tricky, coming up with a few strategies to help you 'turn off' can go a long way in finding a better balance between your job and your life," Sutton says.
Other key survey findings include:
- 83 percent of the remote worker respondents say they couldn't imagine returning to an on-site office.
- 38 percent worked remotely more this year compared to last year, and 55 percent worked remotely the same amount this year as last year.
- Only 5 percent worry a lot that working remotely will negatively impact their career progression.
- 94 percent of remote workers work primarily from their home offices (vs. coworking spaces, libraries, or coffee shops).
- 46 percent never have to travel for work-related events, 32 percent travel one or two times a year, 13 percent travel three to four times a year, and 9% travel five times or more each year.
- 59 percent say working from home is very or somewhat conducive to developing meaningful relationships with coworkers.
- 13 percent of full-time remote workers plan to take more than four weeks of vacation this year.
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Katie Kuehner-Hebert
Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.
