For this internship, I have been working from home and so far it has been an enjoyable experience. I like being able to work in my own space. I also appreciate that this position is flexible and I was allowed to make a schedule that accommodates my other responsibilities and daily commitments. I chose to work from 10:00AM until 4:00PM, and it helps me balance my days. By working remotely, I also get to save a little time and money on transportation costs, as well as money on outside lunches, so thats a plus too.
This is is my first working-from-home job, but i can compare it to when I took online classes at City Tech during the pandemic. Remote classes weren’t so bad, but it definitely stressed me out at the time. The first two semesters I took online went very well for me. But after that I couldn’t focus anymore. It was a tough time for me, and for many others, I’m sure. Taking multiple classes, having to stay on video calls and sit at the same desk for 3 hours, was not so easy. It started getting hard to avoid distractions and motivate myself to finish my work. On top of that, the pandemic itself was still ongoing. But i do know i learned a lot from that experience and today i am much better at managing my time and responsibilities. I’ve learned how important self-discipline is, and I’m able to implement that while I’m working remotely now in order to do better.
I believe that one of the most important skills to have in order to successfully work-from-home, is to learn how to manage your time. I try my best to plan out my tasks by priority level. I also loosely plan out my week, to keep track of my classwork, other responsibilities and chores. Something I try to avoid is spending too much time overworking on one aspect of a project. I’ve learned that if you’re stuck on something, it’s better to take a break and come back to it later with a fresher perspective (Something I’ve definitely suffered with before). And breaks – they are so important. I take little breaks every now and then, especially if there is some down time, so that I don’t burn myself out by sitting at my desk and staring at my screen for too long.
One last thing I learned that is essential to prioritize while working remotely, is communication with your team or supervisor – whomever you’re working closely with, to make sure everyone is on the same page. I always want to be sure that I am on the right path, so I appreciate receiving feedback as well.
