If you are a people person who finds it difficult to spend your days working independently, you can still have a fulfilling remote position. Find out how you can avoid loneliness as an extroverted virtual worker with these helpful tips from Virtual Vocations.
10 Success Tips for Extroverts Who Work Remotely
What does it mean to be an extrovert?
Extroverts get their energy and excitement from social situations. They thrive in groups, whether they lead or are part of a team, and they love to collaborate and connect.
If you are working remotely as an extrovert, isolation can become a major productivity killer. Research shows extroverts may process dopamine differently. One study published by Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that extroverts get a physical boost in dopamine from their physical environment. This means that extroverts experience both motivation and positive feelings from engaging with external stimuli.
In the workplace, this translates to extroverts often having specific needs for communication, interaction, and workplace dynamics that help them to be their best. In a remote work setting, extroverts must learn to create these conditions for themselves, which can be difficult without the right guidance; however, it is excellent for extroverts who are action-oriented.
Extroverted employees usually value working through tasks by talking them out or via trial and error. If you are an extrovert working remotely and feeling a bit out of place, experiment with what works for you.
Find out how you can maintain your momentum and enjoy the many perks of remote work as an extrovert with the helpful tips below.
1. Take Time to Adjust
When you start a work from home position, you may be filled with a sense of freedom that is quite overpowering. It is likely you will feel energized by your newly discovered autonomy and may even consider moving or traveling while you work. These are great possibilities. Telecommuters can work while they travel and still do excellent work.
Before you make the decision to hit the road with your laptop and a taste for adventure, pause for a moment. It is important to give yourself a sufficient amount of time to adjust to your new work arrangement. This means getting familiar with the job you are doing, learning key staff you will work with as well as the tools you must use. After a few months, you can revisit the idea of a move or working vacation.
2. Regularly Schedule Time with Friends
When you spend your working day at home, most of your family and friends are in their offices working and fluttering their social wings. This could cause feelings of envy and negative feelings about your work from home job. To help see the brighter side of your work, schedule time to meet with loved ones after work at least once or twice per week.
Spending time with friends and family will not only provide you with the boost of interaction you need to feel your best but also help you to realize that the coffee isn’t always better in the office. After a few minutes of hearing your friends complain about their desk neighbor who loudly eats chips or bemoan the traffic when leaving work, you will undoubtedly remember why you are so fortunate to be able to go straight from your room to your desk without the stressful morning rush hour.
3. Consider a Co-Working Space
Working from home doesn’t have to mean working in isolation. There has been a rise in the popularity of co-working spaces such as WeWork, that provides coffee, printing and working neighbors to telecommuters. Co-working spaces are excellent for helping you retain your independence while giving you that nice office chatter you may need to feel connected to your work. Along with being in physical proximity to other workers, co-working spaces can help you to network and meet people from a variety of industries. Having knowledge of trends in other industries can be great for your own work. You can even meet other professionals in your field.
4. Go for a Walk Every Day
Physical activity boosts dopamine in the brain and as an extrovert, you are in need of this boost to compensate for the dopamine you likely get from regular social interaction. Take time every day to go for a walk, visit a park or do some yoga. Get moving outside to boost your mood and break up your day.
Doing so will help you avoid the home office blues. Additionally, spending time outside can help your brain to process and get ready to tackle a new challenge. It may be a good idea to take a walk mid-day so that you do not get sluggish after lunch.
5. Unplug Often
It may feel counterintuitive to an extrovert to take a break from social media and the internet, but this is a good idea for extroverted workers and remote workers as a whole. Taking time away from your desk and from your phone can increase wellbeing and help your brain to slow down, which can boost productivity over the long term. A study from the national center for biotechnology information found that time to disconnect after work is vital to supporting balanced and healthy relationships.
6. Create a Morning Routine
Having a daily morning routine is crucial to your success as an extroverted remote worker. When you have an established process to transition from sleep and relaxation to work, you help your brain form pathways that support your best efforts. Routine is great as a ritual to help you remain creative, even without others around you to collaborate with. Your routine could be as simple as stretching and making a cup of tea, or as detailed as creating a playlist, making your lunch ahead of time and journaling. Whatever you decide, stick with it on your workdays to see the best results.
7. Learn to Adapt
As an extrovert, you crave regular, positive feedback from co-workers and managers. When working independently, you may not have as many opportunities to get this affirmation. You can still do a few things to feel good about your job. Track your accomplishments and be sure to find ways to celebrate the small wins you have throughout the week. For example, if you finish a project early you can tweet about your accomplishment or throw yourself a mini party with music you like, or treat yourself to a new book, or some ice cream whatever makes you feel good. You can also create a digital timeline for your successes and add to them when you accomplish something. This action can help you see the progress you are making and keep you motivated to improve.
8. Find an Online Community
If you do not have a team of co-workers with whom you regularly connect, you can fill this void by joining an online community that will give you the outlet to exchange ideas, share problems you are tackling and make connections. Online communities can be found everywhere in our current digital-focused workforce. There are even virtual reality spaces you can connect with others and attend virtual events using your avatar. If this isn’t quite your speed, you can find email newsletters, podcasts, and other chat groups to help you create a community all your own.
9. Find an Offline Community
You can also use your time out of work to form a network of professionals in your area. Platforms like MeetUp are designed to connect people based on interest. There are hundreds of professional groups that meet weekly or monthly to discuss their professional development goals, do fun activities or learn new skills. Just because you work from home, doesn’t mean you can’t network in person. Find the way that works best for you and start mingling.
10. Take on Leadership Responsibilities
Many extroverts thrive in leadership positions. If you have the ability to volunteer to lead a meeting or a project, take it. This will help you feel more connected to your team and your company. Additionally, it may give you a chance to meet new people in your company, increasing your social circle which is something that is a priority for many extroverts.
Lean into Your Strengths
There are a variety of things you can do to feel happier and work more effectively as an extroverted remote worker. The most important thing is to embrace your personality type instead of trying to fight it. Your sociability, high energy, and curiosity are excellent traits you can use to advance in your career and feel your best. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can learn a lot from talking to that person who you always see when working at your local coffee shop.
Telecommuting is a flexible and stress-reduced way to work and you do not have to be left out because you are socially driven. If you have considered a switch to remote work, take the first step and search for your perfect job when you join Virtual Vocations.
Are you an extrovert who works remotely; do you have additional advice on how to succeed? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to share your tips. We’d love to hear from you!
Photo Credit: 1. iStock.com/Eoneren
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