How Product and Engineering work at KITE — Remote Distributed Teams
With the pandemic causing many more employees to work from home, we want to share some aspects of how we work as a remote team with a few tips and resources.
With the pandemic causing many more employees to work from home, we want to share some aspects of how we work as a remote team with a few tips and resources. This is the first in a series of posts (inspired by Basecamp) discussing our culture and workflows. Please reach out if you’re interested in learning more.
Dakota Pfeifer— System Administrator & Software Engineer
Preferred mode of communication — Meet, Slack, Linear, Notion, Phone (emergencies)
Set up a space you’re comfy to work in. Do your best to emulate what you are used to in your home.
Put yourself on a work schedule. If you work from 9–5, try to work on the same routine. Anything to bring in a sense of normal work hours will help keep you productive.
Take breaks. Working from home can give you the freedom to be flexible on how and when you work. Easing your way into a schedule by giving yourself breaks will help get you on a productive cycle.
Exercise. Even a simple stretch can go a long way. Whether you make it part of your break, before you get started or when you are done for the day, getting your body active from sitting long periods of time is important for your physical and mental health.
Extra Credit (things that keep me entertained and inspired):
Sync — Meet, Zoom, Slack — for immediate issues, meetings
Async — Slack, Linear, Notion, Email — for everything else
Favorite
OS/Box — Linux running on a gaming machine.
Apps — VScode, Spotify.
Websites — Youtube (For those fire Electro-Swing mixes and Joe Rogan podcasts!)
Tips
Commit to a schedule. Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you don’t need a regular work schedule. You will be more productive if you create and commit to a regular work schedule.
Commit to focus times and stop times. Time in your work is just as important as time out of your work.
Make a workspace separate from other spaces. Make an office if you can, but a dedicated work desk works just fine as well!
Marathon, not a race — working remote allows us to reach deep focus and higher levels of productivity. Establish healthy routines in your schedule (start and stop times, breaks) to recharge throughout the day.
Limit the noise — distractions bombard us from every direction, protect your sanity. Notifications will control you if you don’t control them.
Invest in your space — make it as comfortable as possible with luxuries such as an ergonomic chair. It’s well worth it.
Switch it up — occasionally change where you work. I’ve found that working outside can boost creativity.