5 E-Books for Building Discipline as a Remote Worker
Posted by You Fei ChanThinking of transitioning into a full-time remote work arrangement? The work-from-home lifestyle might seem like a fantastic (even luxurious) switch. Who wouldn’t want to settle into a spacious, comfortable at-home desk where you’re free from rush hour traffic or annoying officemates? Working remotely can, however, come with a whole host of unexpected challenges.
Logistics, communication changes and a switch in mindset are all things that remote workers may sometimes struggle with (at least initially).
Developing self-discipline might be one of the most common struggles that remote workers experience.
Whether you’re selling digital products or creating content, when you aren’t in an office environment, work can feel like the last thing you want to do (especially if you aren’t used to managing your workday).
Here are a few ebooks that you can find online. These might help you overcome the issue of developing discipline as a remote worker.
E-Books for Building Discipline as a Remote Worker
1. The Long-Distance Leader: Rules for Remarkable Remote Leadership
Apparently, as many as a third of leaders lead at a distance. The number may be growing. Kevin Eikenberry, an internationally recognised guru of leadership has teamed up with The Remote Leadership Institute co-founder Wayne Turmel to create a book that's based around the authors' 3O model: Ourselves, Others and Outcomes.
They explain how cultivating a mindset and attitude can cause you to become a more effective leader. It's a guide for leaders who want to get a handle on remote working teams.
Learning Points: This book could help you via lessons for remote leadership (including what the authors have learned about long-distance leaders and an effective remote leadership model). Look forward to chapters that cover aspects like The "Golden Suggestion" for Working with Others, Coaching and Feedback at a Distance, the benefits and outcomes of Remote Leadership, Choosing the Right Communications Tools and dealing with Politics without "Playing Politics".
How to Apply: Leaders might often have trouble managing their teams from a distance. This is probably why so many may opt for conventional on-ground management methods (having an office filled with workers without flexible working capabilities).
However, remote leadership can yield many benefits, including efficient people management (without being physically present), as well as the opportunity to exponentially grow your business at a rapid rate. This book could offer the right mindset, communication tools, and remote leadership model that you can implement in your remote leadership activities.
2. The Remote Worker’s Guide to Excellence
This book offers advice that could be very valuable if you’re looking for practical guidance for the remote worker who aims to become excellent at working remotely. If remote work is a new paradigm, you might be better off if you take some time to prep yourself for success. There are some unexpected traps to avoid if you're hoping to enjoy the benefits of working from home.
A large piece of the world's workforce can be more efficient and productive in the remote working environment. There are plenty of guides out there that can help companies deal with remote employees. However, there might not be as many resources that have been developed for remote employees to manage themselves. This book could help you build upon the foundations for success within yourself before you manage others.
Learning Points: Other resources might focus on helping companies and leaders manage remote employees, however, there probably aren't too many resources that can help remote employees manage themselves. Via this book, you can expect to be guided by experienced veterans and professionals that cover many key aspects of working remotely.
How to Apply: The author of The Remote Worker's Guide to Excellence, Eryck Dzotsi, is purported to be an Innovative Search Marketing Professional that has developed and implemented strategies for various clients ranging from businesses and non-profit organisations to politicians from around the world. As a remote worker, you can expect to get applicable lessons from the book. These could make a difference in how you manage your heavy workload, your daily schedules and your self-discipline.
3. Remote Work & Productivity 101: Articles About Remote Work & Reviews of 20 Useful Productivity Apps for All Devices
This could be a great read for those who are new to the idea of remote working. It covers aspects like increased productivity, more flexibility, and the opportunity to develop strong organisation skills and take full advantage of your free time.
It’s a compilation of information (as well as helpful apps) that can help the remote worker gain better control of his or her processes. Whether it’s a goal tracker, a desktop decluttering tool or an autocomplete app, these tips and tools could help make your remote working experience smoother.
Learning Points: You can expect to learn how to take full advantage of your time (including free time as a remote worker) for added productivity. In addition, you can also learn about the importance of strong organisational skills and how to begin cultivating these skills to build value as an effective worker. If you're on the fence about remote working, this could give you a comprehensive break down so you can decide for yourself.
How to Apply: As a remote worker, it can be quite a frustrating experience trying to find the right apps and systems to use for workload management and delivery. Sending large files, managing your time and organising your workload appropriately could help you enhance efficiency. You can apply what you learn in this book in order to find the right online tools, handy apps and systems to aid in your productivity.
4. Managing Time (HBR 20-Minutes Manager Series)
As a remote worker, time is an important part of achieving efficiency and making full use of your flexible arrangement. Managing Time quickly walks you through the basics of time management, covering topics like how to assess the things you spend time on, how to prioritize tasks and how to avoid procrastination and interruptions. Whether you need a crash course or a quick refresher, each book in the series is a clear, practical primer that can help you brush up on key management subjects.
The decision to leap into the remote working world can be exciting and make you feel optimistic about your prospects. However, it could also lead to some unexpectedly difficult situations, especially if you aren’t prepared. These ebooks can help you develop the right mindset and attitude in order to build better discipline and manage your workday.
Learning Points: Managing your time to the point that efficiency is achieved at every level could be a decisive factor in your success as a remote worker. This books can help you with the basics, including how to prioritise your tasks, how to plan the right time to work on each task and how to avoid procrastination and interruptions.
How to Apply: Ambitious professionals and aspiring executives can apply these time management rules in their daily lives, whether dealing with balancing personal and work duties or trying to manage issues with severe procrastination.
5. Influencing Virtual Teams: 17 Tactics That Get Things Done with Your Remote Employees
It can be hard enough to manage accountability when your team members are all under the same roof. What about holding employees accountable when you don't see them face-to-face?
Fortunately, digital leaders can take simple action in order to try and make sure things are done. Did you know, for example, that using a single word can apparently increase the likelihood of employee compliance?
Hassan Osman's book, Influencing Virtual Teams: 17 Tactics That Get Things Done With Your Remote Employees, may be a valuable resource if you’re looking at learning about how to manage various aspects of work in virtual teams.
Learning Points: Expect step-by-step tactics that you can implement with your team. These strategies can help improve team engagement and commitment with regards to aspects of work and communication.
How to Apply: Does your business marketing plan include cold outreach? These tactics apparently cover aspects like voice messages, composing compelling emails and things to do in preparation for client meetings.
Consider optimising your team's work process, effectively setting deadlines, and assigning responsibilities to teammates for enhanced efficiency. Companies and entrepreneurs can benefit from proven methods and, whether you're a freelance designer, developer, digital marketer or business consultant, the tactics found in this ebook might fit well with the ways in which you and your colleagues work.
- Read More About: Top 5 Platforms That Offers E-Books