What I learned after working remotely for 2 years

I have entered my terrible terrific twos of working remotely. Working from yoga pants. Working from couch. Working from over the sink as I eat leftovers. The glamour. The rolling out of bed. The “I’m going to wake up early and walk, lol jk.”

Last year, I talked about lessons learned and this year I’d like to focus on communication. Here’s how I’ve made working miles away from my team feel like inches:

1. Emote.
2. Avoid sarcasm. Sarcasm pros: I am funny. Sarcasm cons: I’m making a situation unproductive, draining a person’s emotional resources, and potentially adding bricks to a wall that rests between my team and me.
3. Always be updating. It’s like the most dangerous game except I’m hunting me. Can I keep my tickets and pull requests updated before someone asks me for an update or asks what the next actions are?
4. Know thine words. I started using Grammarly, the saver of butts, to gut and spell check my prose. Grammarly reminds me to avoid it and this aka clear writing foes.
5. Use these phrases more: How are you? What are you doing this weekend? Thank you! You are welcome. I’m sorry, I made a mistake. What can I take off your plate? I need help. Great job!