When our founder Beck began building the AOL team she did so between countries, based in NZ while growing our team in Australia. With an international flight, time zones & travel restrictions limiting face to face to just twice in the past 18 months, the AOL team is no stranger to adapting, forward thinking and balancing working together (while apart) to achieve our goals, launch new products and work to team deadlines. 

We welcome you inside the inner workings of An Organised Life and how our founder Beck ensures we work effectively as a team remotely. 

Communicate & utilise technology.

Communicating in a clear & effective manner is hugely important when it comes to working remotely as a team. Cohesively, you will all be missing that face-to-face contact & communication you're used to in an office environment. Utilise technology to your advantage, from zoom calls & creative brainstorms, to shared documents & weekly WIPs, try not to over complicate it but make sure you prioritise those necessary face-to-face meetings. Create a strategy that works for you as a team & stick to it. 

When it comes to the nitty gritty of working remotely & communicating, remember your team aren’t mind readers! Take the time to ensure you dot all the i's & cross all the t’s with your correspondence so that everything is clear and easy to understand. 

Focus on your goals/projects together & celebrate the wins

When working remotely as a team it’s important to all be in unison with your core overarching goals & projects. Focus on them together, work on them together, achieve them together and, of course, celebrate together. No matter how big or small.

Trust your team, coach & support one another

Trusting your team is a must. Of course, trust must be earned, but the sooner you trust one another, the sooner you will grow and conquer together. Let each other flourish.

It’s also important to remember everyone is different. Everyone has different peak productive times, different home life situations, and different ways of working. Be respectful of that. At the end of the day, you’re all working towards the same goal & want to achieve it together. Give each other the space & respect to do this. 

From a management level, invest in your relationships with your team. Empathise with them, have fun with them, support them, coach them. Show you are supportive and by their side to help them tick off their goals even from afar. Continue to coach and educate them in areas they want to grow in. Building a strong relationship with your team will go a long way.

Set clear expectations

And finally, set clear expectations for your projects & goals as a team. Make sure you're all on the same page, and don’t be afraid to ask more questions than usual. 

Find Balance

During unsettling times it’s easy for life to feel a bit off balance, especially when it’s out of our control. And that’s ok. Identifying this & taking the time to reflect is the first step forward. When one area of life is unbalanced, it’s important to lean on those other areas for strength. Now more than ever, it’s important to take the time for self care, loved ones, health & wellbeing etc. 

I always try to look for the positives in a situation, & something that I enjoy about lockdown is being able to switch up my routine - it can have a variety of positive effects on my mind-set, day & lockdown experience in general.

I personally don’t believe that you should push yourself to work 9-5pm, especially in an unsettling environment like a lockdown. As long as you're getting your work done to a high standard, you shouldn’t be restricted to certain hours. Make the most of your own productive time blocks & also make the most of the time saved from not commuting. Spend time with your family making a beautiful breakfast in the morning, go for a walk at midday when the sun is out & soak up that Vitamin D, start work early & finish early so you can have some time to wind down, cook & call loved ones. Do what’s right for you & find those things that fill up your cup & bring your life balance & joy. You'll notice the benefits & more than often, naturally you’ll end up feeling motivated, creative & productive when you are in work mode.  

Be kind to yourself, find the positive distractions & embrace your loved ones, tasks & other things that fill your cup.