Working remotely has been a great experience for Emily. Today we take a look at the features of her workspace, her favorite benefit of working from home, and her tip for remaining productive. 

 

The Benefits of Working Remotely

In the spring of 2019, the ABLE team made the transition to working 100% virtually. In this blog series, we explore what our team has learned about the benefits of working remotely. We’ll examine each team members’ workspace, then look at their favorite benefit of working from home. Each installment will also offer a tip for staying productive in a virtual work environment. Today you’ll hear from Emily Galik, ABLE’s Administrative Assistant.

 

Emily’s Desk Essentials

Take a look at Emily’s home workspace, then scroll down for a description of her desktop essentials.

1. Sticky Notes – “These are how I stay on top of everything. I do a lot of disparate tasks. When something comes up that has to do with a task I’m not currently working on, it helps to write myself a quick note so I don’t forget to come back to it later.”
2. Headphones – “Listening to music helps me stay focused and present throughout the workday. I love Spotify because it gives me access to a ton of great music. My current favorites are Dan & Shay, Luke Combs, and Ed Sheeran.”
3. Yeti Cup – “I always keep water nearby. Gotta stay hydrated! Sometimes I like to put fruit in it to mix things up and add some flavor.”
4. Blue Light Glasses – “I spend a lot of time staring at screens. Blue light glasses are great because they reduce the strain on my eyes.”
5. Candle – “I love having a seasonally-flavored candle nearby. The one in this pictures is ‘sweet frosting,’ but I’ve switched it up since then. Right now I’m into fall scents like vanilla, pumpkin spice, etc.”
6. Pens – “I keep a wide variety of pens at my desk, but my favorites are Paper Mate Flair pens. As much as everything can be stored and noted digitally these days, I find it helpful to write things down and have them on paper in front of me.”

 

Tips for Working from Home

What’s your favorite benefit of working remotely?

“I love the flexible work schedule! Being able to set my own hours and adjust my work schedule as needed is amazing. ABLE’s flexible schedule means I don’t have to worry about the timing of things like doctor appointments or car maintenance. Plus, I’m in the process of planning my wedding next fall—it’s great to not have to worry about getting the time off I need during the day to attend meetings for that.

“As far as work goes, I love that I can allocated my work hours to the times of the day when I’m most productive. I’m not held to a typical nine-to-five schedule. If I feel like getting started early, I can do so. If I need to run an errand in the morning, I just work a bit later into the evening. The trust and flexibility that ABLE offers is amazing.”

 

What’s your favorite productivity tip for working from home?

“My tip kind of goes hand-in-hand with what I was talking about in the last question. For me, sticking to the designated work hours that I’ve decided on for myself is key. Once I’ve figured out what hours I plan to work, I stick to it. This helps me avoid getting overwhelmed or burnt out. Plus, when you work from home, sometimes the lines can get blurred between work life and home life—if you’re not careful it can feel like you’re always at work. Setting a schedule for myself guard against this.”

 

ABLE Fosters Accountability in Remote Teams

Is your firm considering allowing your team to work remotely? Or maybe you have already instituted a policy that lets your team to work from home—how’s that working out for you? Did you know that ABLE can help?

One of the pillars of ABLE is that it supports accountability within teams of accounting professionals. It does so both with teams working within an office space and with those working remotely. To find out more, schedule a free, no-obligations demo today!