Since Paperless Pipeline was established in 2009, we\u2019ve been 100% remote. From California to New York, and every timezone in between, we support our customers. Over that time, we\u2019ve learned a lot about what it takes to build a remote team and how to best support them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a company culture, working remotely can be a tremendous benefit. However, during challenging times like what we face today with COVID-19<\/a>, it\u2019s a necessary way to support our 80k+ users as they find themselves working outside the office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are ten ways that we\u2019ve learned to build a remote team that\u2019s able to work from anywhere and support our customers through unprecedented challenges: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Place a Paperless Pipeline icon on your smartphone or tablet home screen to access Pipeline with one touch. Learn more about adding the icon here \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your agents and admins don\u2019t need to come into the office just to scan their documents. Instead, utilize your smartphone\u2019s built-in scanner feature for scanning documents. Most smartphones have doc scanning capabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many agents still hand-deliver executed documents to office admins, and many admins are still comfortable reviewing hard copy documents. With Paperless Pipeline, agents can use maildrop addresses to send documents directly into the office account or a specific transaction. Send your real estate documents by email \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Working remotely is not for everyone. Unfortunately, when your office is forced into a work-from-home policy, agents and admins are forced into new work schedules. Managing your time becomes more critical, and methods like The Pomodoro Technique<\/a> help make it easy to avoid burnout and give your brain a much-needed break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are things to appreciate about a morning and afternoon commute, the ability to gear up before the day, and the time to wind down after. Create your own workday routines for gearing up and winding down. You can take time for a walk, an extra cup of coffee, reading a book or listening to a podcast, whatever you want. Make that time just as necessary as your morning and afternoon commute would be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure to have a clear end-time to your workday as well. One of the greatest challenges for remote workers is turning off. As real estate professionals this is even harder, so a clear schedule is key. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Time blocking allows you to divide your day into blocks of time for accomplishing specific tasks. You can add time blocks to your calendar for each task and move to the next task when the reminder comes up, or set a timer on your phone each time you start a new task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blocking off time reduces the number of choices you have to make in any given moment and boosts your willpower for peak productivity. It allows you to better focus on a single task and turn off notifications from email, phone, and other messaging tools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the perks of working from home is getting to wear whatever you want. However, it\u2019s necessary to find a balance between dressing for comfort and dressing professionally. The way you dress has an impact on your attitude and your conversations\u2014draw a line between home and work life and continue dressing for the part, not the place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Find a place in your home where you can work without interruptions, preferably a room with a door that can be closed. Set expectations and boundaries with your family for working from home. For instance, if the office door is closed, you\u2019re not to be disturbed unless it\u2019s an emergency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With just a few steps to take to get to the office, you may find you\u2019re taking fewer steps than usual. Set aside a few 20-minute intervals for a short walk around your house, or outside on a beautiful day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t have a standing desk, you could consider modifying your existing desk<\/a> or adding adjustable bed risers<\/a> to the legs of your desk for a less-permanent solution to raising your workspace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Working remotely means that you\u2019re often isolated from others, discussions can take place over the course of hours, and communication is primarily text-based. Utilize online tools that can help keep you on track, updated, and informed. Here are the tools we use to support our team: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Working remotely is a tremendous benefit for any real estate company culture. Here are ten ways to build a remote real estate company. 1. Add a Paperless Pipeline icon to your mobile device\u2019s home screen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Scan documents from your phone instead of the office scanner<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Send your documents to transactions by email <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Break your to-do list down into more manageable sets of tasks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Create workday routines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Time Blocking<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. Dress for your workday<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. Create a private and comfortable workspace<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
9. Get up from the desk to stay active<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
10. Use digital tools that allow for access anywhere.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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