Work From Home DOs and DON’Ts by Jeremiah Chow

Explore essential tips for maximizing productivity while working from home in ‘Work From Home DOs and DON’Ts by Jeremiah Chow.’ A seasoned sales expert, Jeremiah Chow shares actionable insights to help you navigate remote work effectively.

Who is Jeremiah Chow?

Jeremiah Chow is a seasoned sales expert and revenue leader with over a decade of experience in international sales and account management, specializing in IT, SaaS, and professional services. He has successfully driven sales growth for his company across APAC, North America, and UK/EMEA regions. Passionate about helping tech startups scale from $0 to $10 million in annual recurring revenue, Jeremiah became an accredited global Sales Consultant for USAID in 2021. Recognized as one of Marketing in Asia’s Top 100 Filipinos to Follow on LinkedIn for Inspiration and Learning in 2020 and 2021, he brings valuable insights to the tech sales community. In this article, Jeremiah shares his do’s and don’ts for making work from home more productive.

Productivity Tips for Work-From-Home

I worked from home for 11+ years doing international B2B sales covering North America, Europe, and APAC. Outside of not following a routine, I noticed my productivity decreased when I did a task for more than 90 minutes. To address this, I recommend doing “deep and focused work” for 60-90 minutes (e.g., remove all distractions, including notifications) and then insert a 10-minute break. Whether drinking water, doing light stretching exercises, or eating a snack, it helps recharge your (mental) energy for the next 60-90-minute time block.

I learned through trial and error not following a core routine and not taking breaks will get you burned out. It’s not so much physical exhaustion but more of mental fatigue. When this happens, it helps to “unplug” so you get your mojo back by doing something you enjoy or connecting with good friends in person.

Below are my personal best practices for being effective under that setup:

DON’T: Work when you only feel like working.

For example, I will work 8 am to 5 pm today, 12 noon to 9 pm tomorrow (because I want to hang out with my friends in the morning), and 10 am to 7 pm the day after tomorrow.

DO: Follow a routine by deciding on your “core” working hours and communicating it to your line manager and colleagues.

If you deviate from your core hours (e.g., if you have a personal emergency), give them a heads-up to avoid the awkward situation of giving your colleagues the impression you’re not working (when you’re supposed to). 

For example, at a role where I was doing international B2B sales covering North America and Europe. My core working hours were:

• 6 am to 10 am – to cover US PST
• 2 pm to 7 pm – to cover Europe
• 8 pm to 10 pm – to cover US EST 

What do I do in between?

• 10 am to 2 pm – Exercise. Meet with friends for lunch. Personal errands. If nothing else, prepare my prospect list
• 7 pm to 8 pm – have dinner and spend time with my family

Additional tips:

Manage expectations at home (and with friends)

Explain to your wife (or family members) that when you’re working, you ARE working. This means you can’t just go out and “buy eggs at the grocery” or “go somewhere to pay bills.” Inform them of your core hours so they know your flexibility. 

Sometimes, my friends invite me to play basketball after dinner (which conflicts with my core hours). In this situation, I give my line manager and peers a heads-up and offset the hours. For example, if the basketball game is from 8 pm to 10 pm, which is part of my core hours when I arrive home after the game, I work from 11 pm to 1 am (this means I get to prospect more US companies that evening!).

Exercise

Block time to exercise, even if just for 30 minutes! In addition to providing you with an energy boost, exercise will also make you feel better overall. 

DON’T: Work on your bed

I’ve tried sleeping in bed the whole day—waking up, working, and then sleeping. It seems cool at first, and you will likely work longer hours (since you are in a comfortable place and won’t notice the time), but I didn’t find it sustainable. 

DO: Define your work space at home

Whenever you enter this “space”, you are “at work” (even if it’s just a study table in your bedroom).

Additional tips

Invest in a 2nd monitor

My efficiency increased when I invested in a second (large) monitor to expand my desktop space. My monitor displays our sales CRM, and then I use my laptop screen for emails and web browsing. 

Invest in a good headset

Regarding headsets (for conference calls), you get what you pay for. The cheap ones tend not to last 3 months under heavy usage. When I invested in “premium” wireless headsets, it was night and day regarding sound quality, comfort, and flexibility (e.g., I can walk around on a call instead of just sitting down)!

Speaking of video conference calls, there are no excuses not to wear a professional shirt! What you wear below doesn’t matter (and yes, I’ve done video conference calls wearing a business shirt and pajamas at the bottom).

DON’T: Get distracted by social media

I’ve experienced the “let me take a 5-minute break to check social media” scenario, where I realize I’ve consumed 20 minutes (not to mention the momentum lost in doing your task).

DO: Disable social media notifications.

If you must check social media, schedule them in your calendar and stick to it.

Additional tip

If you receive many emails, disable (sound) notifications. When you focus on high-payoff sales activities, you will get (mentally) distracted if you keep on getting these (likely unimportant) notifications.

To recap:

DON’T:

1. Work when you only feel like working.
2. Work on your bed.
3. Get distracted by social media.

DO:

1. Follow a routine.
2. Define your workspace at home.
3. Disable social media notifications. 

If you’re a managing remote sales people or account managers

DO: Check in with your people every day

Working from home can get lonely, and your direct reports will appreciate casual conversations outside of work. This will also help your team feel connected.

DO: Ensure compliance in logging sales activities in your sales CRM

So you have data to share with your boss when asked: “How sure are we <this person> is working?” 

DO: Align expectations

During weekly one-on-ones (which you shouldn’t skip!), align with your direct report on “What does GOOD (performance) look like?”

It’s easy for salespeople to be “busy” but not necessarily effective. It’s our duty to guide our people to the right strategy and sales activities.

Related posts:

5 Practical Strategies to Beat Social Media Distractions for Busy Entrepreneurs Brain Training Exercises: 4 Ways to Improve Team’s Concentration The Psychology of Color: Optimizing Your Workspace for Focus Candace Gillhoolley: Balancing Remote & Office Post-Pandemic