Inside the book

Highlighting the practical how-tos you’ll find in each chapter

INTRODUCTION

How to . . .

• Power up remote work with a new mindset
• Quickly review the key takeaways from this book
• Find specific guidance for your remote work challenges
• Read this book with your colleagues or team

PART I: THE BUSINESS OF ONE

CHAPTER 1: YOUR BUSINESS OF ONE

How to . . .

• Focus on outcomes, not hours
• Let go of the nine-to-five workday
• Wow your boss while working remotely
• Gain control over how and when you work

CHAPTER 2: MAKING THE NEW MODEL WORK

How to . . .

• Set expectations for your hours and availability
• Have fewer meetings with punctuated collaboration
• Make the case to your boss for remote work
• Build your own performance file

CHAPTER 3: MANAGING A REMOTE TEAM

How to . . .

• Negotiate success metrics for key objectives
• Set ground rules for communicating as a distributed team
• Use team meetings to strengthen company culture
• Hold effective remote performance reviews

PART II: THREE KEY STRATEGIES FOR REMOTE WORKERS

CHAPTER 4: PRIORITIZE YOUR GOALS

How to . . .

• Drive your remote work with clearly prioritized objectives
• Balance professional goals with personal priorities
• Tie your daily tasks to your big-picture objectives
• Match your time allocation to your top goal

CHAPTER 5: FOCUS ON THE FINAL PRODUCT

How to . . .

• Work efficiently by starting from desired outcomes
• Eliminate wasted effort by drafting tentative conclusions
• Use midflight reviews to stay in sync with your boss and team
• Use pilot tests to get customer and expert feedback

CHAPTER 6: DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

How to . . .

• Avoid procrastination pitfalls when working from home
• Reduce your efforts on low-priority tasks
• Use multitasking to make better use of time on calls
• Respond immediately to important requests

PART III: GETTING ORGANIZED AS A REMOTE WORKER

CHAPTER 7: ORGANIZING YOUR TIME

How to . . .

• Protect your schedule from back-to-back meetings
• Set goals for every call or meeting
• Create routines that save energy
• Structure your eating and exercise habits

CHAPTER 8: ORGANIZING YOUR TECH

How to . . .

• Set up your calendar, task list, and time tracking
• Get the right tech gear for your home office
• Choose the right software for any project
• Build your own remote work dashboard

CHAPTER 9: ORGANIZING YOUR SPACE

How to . . .

• Share workspace with family or roommates
• Find new spaces to get your work done
• Get the most out of coworking spaces
• Dress for home office success

PART IV: ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR REMOTE WORKERS

CHAPTER 10: MAKING THE MOST OF MEETINGS

How to . . .

• Have fewer and shorter meetings
• Make online meetings more effective
• Avoid low-value meetings diplomatically
• Leave a meeting with clear next steps

CHAPTER 11: READING ONLINE AND OFFLINE

How to . . .

• Keep up with industry news while you’re at home
• Beat the disadvantages of reading online
• Use audio tools to fit more reading into your day
• Build a read-it-later file and a clipping file

CHAPTER 12: WRITING SOLO AND WITH OTHERS

How to . . .

• Use outlines to overcome writer’s block
• Work with colleagues to draft documents online
• Give and get feedback through online collaboration
• Choose the right software for any writing project

PART V: EFFECTIVE ONLINE COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER 13: EMAIL AND MESSAGING: BEATING OVERLOAD.

How to . . .

• Know when to email, call, or message
• Conquer email overload by automating your attention
• Write emails that drive people to action
• Use team messaging to get answers quickly

CHAPTER 14: SOCIAL MEDIA: PROJECTING YOUR PRESENCE

How to . . .

• Build a network of trusted colleagues
• Resist distractions from social media
• Pick a niche to showcase your expertise online
• Maintain your presence in three hours a week

CHAPTER 15: PRESENTATIONS: MAKING AN IMPACT

How to . . .

• Adapt your speaking style for online presentations
• Ask the questions that help you plan your presentation
• Create slide decks that work well online
• Engage the participation of a virtual audience

PART VI: THRIVING IN A WORLD OF REMOTE WORK

CHAPTER 16: THE GOLDILOCKS PLAN

How to . . .

• Build a schedule that combines home and office work
• Recognize when you need more time at the office
• Recognize when you need more time at home
• Plan your career around remote work

CONCLUSION

How to . . .

• Demonstrate the benefits of remote work
• Get seven quick wins as a remote worker
• Deliver seven big wins for your organization
• Foster a healthy remote work culture

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS • APPENDIX: ABOUT THE DATA • NOTES