Working remotely is often portrayed as the dream—no more commuting, working from your cozy home, and yes, the possibility of wearing your pajamas all day. But as I’ve learned in my first remote role at Automattic, while it can offer amazing flexibility, it also requires a whole new mindset and set of skills to be successful and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
1. Creating Boundaries Between Work and Life One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is separating my work time from my personal time. Initially, I was guilty of working from bed, taking my laptop with me wherever I went, and answering Slack notifications outside of work hours. While the freedom to work anywhere sounds great, I quickly realized that I needed boundaries to avoid burnout.
Now, I have a designated workspace at home. Having this physical separation makes it easier to switch off at the end of the day and helps me mentally prepare for work when I sit down at my desk each morning.
2. Time Management Is Key Remote work has gifted me more hours in the day by cutting out commuting, which is a dream come true. However, with that flexibility comes the responsibility of managing my time effectively. I had to build a routine that worked for me. I’m still figuring out what hours I’m most productive, but so far, I’ve learned to schedule my most demanding tasks for the late morning when I’m fully awake and energized.
Taking breaks has also become a vital part of my day. It’s easy to get caught up in work when you don’t have office noise or colleagues around to remind you to step away. I make a point to stand up, stretch, or take a quick walk in between tasks—it makes a big difference in my focus and energy levels.
3. Building a Healthy Routine When working remotely, the boundaries between home and work can blur, and you might find yourself sitting at your desk for hours without moving. That’s where having a health-focused routine comes in. Yoga, quick exercise breaks, and keeping healthy snacks around have been lifesavers. I’ve also started using meditation apps like Calm to reset my mind during stressful days. These small habits help me stay productive without feeling overwhelmed.
4. Communication is Everything In a remote job, communication becomes your lifeline. At Automattic, we say that “communication is oxygen.” Since you can’t just walk over to a colleague’s desk, it’s essential to be intentional with your messages. Whether it’s giving updates, asking for help, or sharing ideas, staying connected with your team is crucial. I’ve learned that using emojis, gifs, and asking questions helps to create a more open and friendly digital workplace, especially when text can sometimes come off a bit flat or cold.
5. Learning to Disconnect Perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learned is the art of disconnecting when I’m away from my computer. It’s tempting to keep checking Slack notifications or answering emails after work hours, but it’s important to set those boundaries. I now have a “shutdown” routine where I turn off work-related notifications, close my computer, and switch gears to my personal life—whether that’s going for a walk, playing with my new puppy, or simply relaxing.
Working remotely is a learning curve, and it’s easy to feel like you need to always be “on” because your work is just a few feet away. However, taking care of your well-being is just as important as getting through your to-do list.
