Remote work can feel like freedom and a test of your habits. The good news: you can set yourself up for long-term success by being intentional during your first 30 days—especially around communication, visibility, and routines.

Week 1: Set your foundation (and reduce friction)

• Clarify expectations early: Ask your manager how success is measured in the first 30/60/90 days. Request examples of “great” work.
• Lock in your working hours: If you’re in different time zones, agree on overlap times and response expectations (e.g., “I respond within 2 hours during overlap”).
• Upgrade your home setup: Focus on the basics that make you reliable:
  • Stable internet (backup hotspot if possible)
  • Comfortable chair + desk height
  • Good audio (a decent mic/headset beats a fancy camera)

Week 2: Build trust through communication

In remote teams, people can’t “see” effort—only outcomes and signals.

• Over-communicate progress, not effort: Share what’s done, what’s next, and what’s blocked.
• Use a simple status template in Slack/Teams:
  • Today: …
  • Next: …
  • Blocked by: …
• Ask for feedback fast: Don’t wait for a monthly check-in. A quick “Is this heading the right direction?” saves days.

Week 3: Make yourself visible without being noisy

Visibility isn’t about posting constantly—it’s about making your work easy to track.

• Document decisions: After meetings, summarize outcomes and owners in a shared doc or channel.
• Share early drafts: Remote collaboration improves when people can react sooner.
• Create a “wins” log: Keep a running note of deliverables, metrics, and positive feedback. This helps during performance reviews and future interviews.

Week 4: Protect focus and prevent burnout

Remote work can blur boundaries—especially when your office is your home.

• Time-block deep work: Put “Focus time” on your calendar like a meeting.
• Use a shutdown ritual: End the day with 5 minutes to plan tomorrow and close tabs.
• Be intentional about connection: Schedule 1–2 casual chats per week (quick coffee chat, pairing session, or teammate intro). Remote culture thrives on lightweight human moments.

Quick self-check: Are you set up to thrive?

• Do I know what “good” looks like in my role?
• Can my team predict when I’m available?
• Does my manager hear about progress before they have to ask?
• Do I have routines to start/stop work consistently?

Remote work success is less about perfection and more about building repeatable systems.

What’s one remote-work habit or system that made the biggest difference for you (or that you’re trying to build right now)?