“The Long-Distance Teammate” by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel is a book about how to stay engaged and connected while working anywhere. It offers practical strategies and advice for remote workers, team leaders, and organizations on how to build and maintain effective and cohesive teams that can communicate and collaborate across distances.
The book emphasizes the importance of communication, accountability, trust, and engagement in remote work and provides tips for managing time, setting goals, building relationships, and staying productive.
The 3P Model for Remote-Work Success: #1 Productivity
Not surprisingly, “Productivity” is the top of the model. That seems simple enough. After all, getting the job done is typically the prime factor in whether you keep a job, regardless of where you work.
This is the question most organizations ask themselves when considering remote work: Will we get at least as much quality work from someone if they don’t work alongside everyone else?
If you started working from home so you could get work done without constant interruptions and the day-to-day craziness of the office, this might seem like a no-brainer. But getting tasks accomplished is not the same as being productive.
Where is your focus right now?
In a perfect world, we would choose a task, work on it until it’s done, and then move on to the next job. In the real world, it doesn’t often happen that way. We get distracted by emails, instant messages, and other “shiny objects.”
To stay focused, identify and remove distractions. If you’re constantly reaching for your cell phone, place it out of sight and out of reach. Structure your time to allow for full concentration. If possible, turn off your email and other notifications. If that’s not possible, try to set aside specific times to check your email and messages.
Before jumping on a new task, ask yourself, “Is this where I should be focused right now?”
How can you influence others to maximize your productivity?
If you’re working on a team, it’s important to communicate your priorities to your teammates. Let them know what you’re working on and when you need their help.
You can also set up systems and processes to help you stay on track. For example, you can use a task management system to track your to-dos.
What habits impact your productivity and results?
Take some time to reflect on your work habits. What helps you stay productive? What hinders your productivity? Once you know what your habits are, you can start to change them.
For example, if you find that you’re most productive in the morning, try to schedule your most important tasks for that time of day. If you find that you’re easily distracted, try to work in a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
By asking yourself these four questions, you can start to make real progress on your work.
Getting and staying motivated when you work alone
Set boundaries
- Agree on start and stop times with your manager.
- Turn off email notifications outside of work hours.
- Manage your screen time.
Take breaks
- Every 40-60 minutes, take a 10-minute break to move around and look away from your screen.
Eat healthy
- Avoid sugary and starchy foods, and limit caffeine.
Get physical
- Go for walks, play with your kids, or do household chores. Anything that gets you moving will help.
#2 Proactivity
Perhaps the most surprising thing we uncovered in our research was the one word that both managers and workers agreed best described a great remote teammate. That word was “proactivity.”
Both managers and team members say that the thing they look for most in a teammate is that kind of initiative. It requires bravery, trust, and engagement but may be the single most important component in your long-term success as a remote worker.
The four pivot questions
Ask yourself these four questions when you are snowed under with work, or staring at your task list, convinced that you’ll never make a dent. We call them “pivot questions,” because when you get the answers, they can help you change direction and make real progress.
The four pivot questions are:
- Where is your focus right now?
- What is the best use of your time?
- How can you influence others to maximize your productivity?
- What habits impact your productivity and results?
What is the best use of your time?
Once you know where your focus is, you can start to prioritize your tasks. Ask yourself, “What is the most important thing I can do right now?” Once you know what that is, focus on it until it’s done.
It might seem like a blessing to be left alone to decide what you should be working on and when.
But sometimes your brain begins to second-guess yourself:
- Are you balancing all the work (including stuff beyond what is on your immediate task list)?
- Which of the four things your manager asked you to do is the top priority now?
- Is this important to you but will it negatively impact someone else’s job?
#3 Potential
Finally, do you consider the long-term implications of your work and the choices you make? This is perhaps the most difficult thing about working remotely, and often contributes to our feelings of isolation and disengagement over time.
By putting your head down and focusing on your own work, have you taken yourself off your manager’s radar for future assignments?
When you are in the middle of something, and just trying to get the job done and move on, it’s easy to forget that short-term decisions can have long-term impacts.
Getting your mindset right
- Your current job is part of your career, so it’s important to consider your long-term goals and how your current work can help you achieve them. The way you approach your work now will impact your future success.
- Examine your beliefs about your work and how they impact your motivation, relationships, and overall success. A team-oriented mindset will help you be more successful in your current role and in your career.
- When you think about your work, consider how it impacts your teammates and the organization as a whole. Strive to strike a balance between your own tasks and the team’s work.
