With so many things happening in the world right now, nothing feels right. I often find myself juggling between COVID-19 updates, thoughts for my family and our world and at the same time trying to concentrate on my work.
Most of the time these loops do not increase my level of knowledge but definitely increase my anxiety. The good thing though, is that more than often I feel there is a community out there. We are apart but we are connected too.
This “connection” gives me the opportunity to read awesome stories from people that work remotely or had to do the change and I keep many of these in my swipe files for reference and reading.
Upd: I’ve worked remotely for several years and have direct knowledge of the problems and benefits of this sort of work arrangement. The opportunity to be flexible with your schedule and location is one of the most significant benefits of remote work, which may lead to higher productivity and a better work-life balance.
Yet, working from home might make it difficult to keep motivated and connected with coworkers. Based on my experience, I’ve discovered that developing a daily routine and establishing clear boundaries between work and personal time might help alleviate these difficulties. By sharing my personal remote work resources, I intend to provide you with some practical tips and ideas for navigating this way of working.
I decided to make this swipe file a public “leaving document” and have it as a post here. I hope you will find it useful.
If you find interesting and noteworthy resources please share it in the comments and I can add them in here.
Books and Playbooks
Here is a great list of books and free playbooks on remote work, which offer a wealth of information for anyone looking to transition to remote work.
For example, Basecamp’s ‘Remote: Office Not Required’ gives a thorough study of the pros and drawbacks of remote work, while Automattic’s ‘The Year Without Pants: WordPress.com and the Future of Work’ provides a unique viewpoint on how a totally remote organization functions. Check them out and you will have a better idea of the benefits and difficulties of remote work by relying on the thoughts and from the trenches experiences of these and other professionals in the area.
Articles from companies that are working remotely for some time now
Below I include resources from popular (or not) companies that run remotely so you can get a few insights om best practices and obstacles.
GitLab is a remote-first company that has been a pioneer in the field of remote work, and its remote work guide has a plethora of knowledge and ideas for anybody wishing to convert to a remote work environment. Here is Gitlab’s guide to remote work.
Another remote-first startup, Notion, provides a unique viewpoint on how to develop and sustain a great team culture in a completely remote situation. Slack on Slack: Adapting the way we work when offices need to close
About Remote teams from Notion
Based on Atlassian’s experience as a fully remote company, the following article will give you helpful ideas on how to develop and sustain a successful remote workforce. It covers topics such as building trust and communication within a remote team, as well as practical tips for remote team management. The secret to remote teams from Atlassian.
A similar article from Hotjar’s point of view for a helpful overview of remote work, covering topics such as the benefits and challenges of working remotely, as well as practical tips for setting up a successful remote work environment. An introduction to remote work from Hotjar.
From InVision: The 3 problems everyone has when first working remotely (and how to solve them with practical advice and tips for overcoming some of the most common challenges that people face when starting to work remotely.
The Remote Manifesto and How we stay connected as a remote company from Gitlab. These two resources provide valuable insights into how Gitlab, a fully remote company, operates and thrives. “The Remote Manifesto” describes Gitlab’s ideals and best practices for remote work, while “How we remain connected as a remote company” offers practical advice on how to develop and sustain good team culture and communication within a remote team.
Close your office. Now. How operate your startup under lock-down by Andreas Klinger. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, this article provides current and practical recommendations for startups and enterprises switching to remote work. It discusses remote team management, communication, and productivity, as well as effective techniques for adjusting to a remote work environment.
Blog posts from the trenches aka people that work remotely
Working from home tips from Stack Overflow‘s experienced remote employees
Thoughts on working remotely by a member of Agile Greece, and Agile Coach, Faye Tsampardouka
So You’ve Been Told to Work From Home. Now What? from Doist
Books on Remote Work
Books and free playbooks on remote work.
Remote: Office Not Required by Basecamp.
The Year Without Pants: WordPress.com and the Future of Work – an older but timely published (FREE) Kindle edition. From Automattic.
Threads and conversations on remote work
Thread in Linkedin about working remotely, ownership and trust from Niko Bonatsos, Managing Director at General Catalyst.
Advice for keeping your team’s morale and productivity up during these uncertain times, a Twitter thread by Lenny Rachitsky
Tools that enable remote teams
Culture and Tools of Remote Work at Automattic
Product Hunt list of tools and processes for remote teams
George Psistakis | Fractional Growth | Marketing 