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You are here: Home / Archives for 1 - Productivity / d Productivity Systems (Architect) / Remote Working

This is a Time to Innovate the Way We Get Work Done

April 14, 2020 by Matt Perman

Jack Welch was right: we live in a time of dazzling innovation. Not just in terms of cool products and solutions to engineering problems, but also in terms of how we get work done.

Now this is even more true during the Corona economy, as so much of the workforce is having to adapt to remote working.

Remote working is a different paradigm from in-the-office working — which is often overlooked. If you simply try to adapt it to the rules of working well at the office, you will be unable to harness the unique advantages it offers.

Here are two books that can help you think through and make the most of the unique advantages of remote working. These ideas will remain useful even after people are able to go back to the office. Why? Because they articulate an improved way of thinking about work in the connected economy altogether.

Interestingly, both of these books are now several years old. But the concepts are still catching on and these are still two of the most helpful.

Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It. I wish this book was called something else. However, the concept of a “results only work environment” is huge. The principle is this: work where you want, when you want, as long as the work gets done. The full implementation of this might not be for every organization, but the underlying concepts of trust and freedom — with accountability for results, not methods (a core principle of good management) — are important for all contexts.

Remote: Office Not Required. By the founders of 37 Signals (now Basecamp; I actually liked the former name better). The authors can overstate things too much in some of their writings, but there is nonetheless a lot to learn from them and I enjoy their willingness to be unconventional and their lively style of writing.

Filed Under: Remote Working

How Can You Be Productive from Home During the Coronavirus?

March 24, 2020 by whatsbestnext

The second week can be the toughest.

The first week of working from home can be a challenge, to be sure, as you make the adjustments. But you still have a bit of the novelty and new freedom to temper that.

The second week tends to become the greatest challenge. That’s when you realize the need to refine your habits and find ways of working that are sustainable and effective.

We’ve been thinking hard about how to best serve you during this time of the Coronavirus. We have many resources on managing yourself and creating a good schedule, which are central practices.

But we thought that the most helpful thing might be a one-on-one Q&A session. There are lots of good articles out there on working from home during this time. What there isn’t much of is real-time interaction that can allow you to get your specific questions answered and challenges addressed.

So that’s what we’d like to do for you. We have a limited number of spots where you can schedule a live, 60 minute Q&A session with Matt. Sign up here and then bring your toughest productivity and work challenges. Our goal is to help create solutions that are based on the best productivity research, which will last, and which will serve you well during this time of unprecedented change.

Filed Under: Remote Working

The Successful Virtual Office

May 19, 2015 by Matt Perman

VirtualOffice_1e_3d_400x400

Melanie Pinola at Lifehacker has written a brief, helpful, new book entitled The Successful Virtual Office In 30 Minutes. As a part of series of 30-minute guides, this book seeks to “help telecommuters, consultants, freelancers, small business owners, independent professionals, and other types of remote workers set up and maintain a high-performance virtual office.”

And here’s a fun fact: In her book, she also quotes from my e-book How to Set Up Your Desk: A Guide to Fixing a (Surprisingly) Overlooked Productivity Problem. 

If you need help with your own virtual office, or if you are interested in learning about available tools that might help you in this area, check out Melanie’s book. She has been gracious enough to offer some complimentary PDF copies of her book to readers of What’s Best Next. Send an email to contact [at] whatsbestnext.com and explain why this book might help you. The first ten folks to email will win a copy. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Remote Working

Managing Virtual Teams Effectively

March 3, 2009 by Matt Perman

Patrick Lencioni has a helpful article this month on managing virtual teams.

He makes three main points:

  1. Do not underestimate the challenge of being remote
  2. Know how not to waste the time you do spend together in person
  3. Master the conference call.

Filed Under: 4 - Management, Remote Working

Separating Work From Home When Working at Home

February 12, 2009 by Matt Perman

Web Worker Daily has some strategies on how to work at home without letting work take over all of your time.

(HT: Vitamin Z)

Filed Under: Remote Working

About

What’s Best Next exists to help you achieve greater impact with your time and energy — and in a gospel-centered way.

We help you do work that changes the world. We believe this is possible when you reflect the gospel in your work. So here you’ll find resources and training to help you lead, create, and get things done. To do work that matters, and do it better — for the glory of God and flourishing of society.

We call it gospel-driven productivity, and it’s the path to finding the deepest possible meaning in your work and the path to greatest effectiveness.

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About Matt Perman

Matt Perman started What’s Best Next in 2008 as a blog on God-centered productivity. It has now become an organization dedicated to helping you do work that matters.

Matt is the author of What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done and a frequent speaker on leadership and productivity from a gospel-driven perspective. He has led the website teams at Desiring God and Made to Flourish, and is now director of career development at The King’s College NYC. He lives in Manhattan.

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3 Questions on Productivity
How to Get Your Email Inbox to Zero Every Day
Productivity is Really About Good Works
Management in Light of the Supremacy of God
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