You can practically measure the expressions of people who drive by as I walk to get my coffee every morning. Baggy sweatpants with holes. Big gaudy headphones. Band sweatshirt.
The fact is, it doesn’t matter what I dress like for my remote job.
Most of the time, I work alone in my apartment office, camera off. Who cares what I decide to wear?
I do. . . sometimes
The core advantage of remote work is that you have your own space and time to get your work done.
But, you still need to be present.
What that looks like for everyone is different, but I wear nice clothes when I need a boost in my confidence for the day. I take walks to break up my morning, afternoon, and evening when I need to clear my head.
Making your own schedule
Another benefit is in making my own schedule, since I don’t need to commute anymore. Some days I work longer hours than others when I want to knock something out.
The point?
You can make your own schedule, but make it work within the context of what you do. If people tend to message me at 2pm, I’m going to make sure I am around in the middle of the afternoon. If I have meetings, I am going to be there for them.
Finding a communication channel and sticking with it
Back in the days of dreadful open concept offices, people could walk up to your desk and talk at you.
The benefit of remote work is that people cannot do that anymore.
That being said, you still need to be present. Not responding to a Slack or email for a day is the equivalent of sitting there, staring directly in front of you, while somebody tries to ask a question.
Try to answer emails within a business day of receipt. Overcommunicate if you need to.