WFH (Working From Home) How to build a career you love when you’re not in the office by Author Harriet Minter.
WFH is a revolutionary book that simplifies navigating a career when you’re not working from the office.
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It’s a book that is much needed to give direction for this new way of working. It also explains navigating careers, managing teams, mental health, and more. Excelling in our careers is a goal we all have, and this book helps one to optimize their working condition, style, and personality to ensure that we met career goals.
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This is a book that caters to those who want to work from home or want flexible working in the office and at home. It also caters to those who may be self-employed/freelancers or employed at a company. It speaks to all, which makes it a must-read for all employers, employees, HR, and managers.
Knowing how far we can push ourselves, and importantly how far others can push us, is a key component of looking after our mental health.
Harriet Minter
Working From Home Book Structure/Format
The book has 9 chapters. The introduction helps lay the ground for the book and where the idea came from. Covid-19 forced companies to find out alternative ways of working and this book explores all the various aspects of a work culture that will remain.
While the book may seem like it focuses only on those who are working from home, it actually explores the option of wanting to work from home and thrive.
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 breaks down various fears one has regarding choosing to work from home. It brings forth light on the reality of working from home looks like vs. what we may think people perceive it to be. It establishes various reasons working from home would be better for many of us.
Chapter 2
The discussion goes deeper in chapter 2, where the author discussed the basics of working from home. This chapter covers all the bases when you want to set up a working situation at your home, which enables you to be productive. It guides the reader to understand their environment better and accordingly modify, adjust to do their best during working hours.
Minter also brings up the discussion of how one can tell their boss that they prefer to work from home and how to build a strong argument for the same. It also extends to announcing to your team that you will work from home in a manner that you’re not looked down upon or misunderstood.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 is a hearty and useful chapter wherein Minter discusses how to build a career plan by being at home. This chapter covers how one can plan a career map that will enable them to achieve career goals for the future, be it the next year or the next five or ten years.
The crux of career planning is based on the values you hold, and Minter helps the reader in establishing their values via a practical activity. With the values, one needs to pair the skills needed, skills already possessed, and skills that need to be improved.
This formula of values and skills makes it super solid and breaks down career goals to become achievable. This chapter helps the reader to envision their future, keeping their focus on the values and skills, and creating a step-by-step plan to achieve them.
Chapter 4 and 5
In chapter 4 and 5, Minter goes into the depths of networking, what it means and how to do it in an online mode. These chapters also cover how to build a brand of your own, promote it, and be known for it.
There are several lessons one can learn from both of these chapters. There is much knowledge that Minter shares from her own mentors, experiences and that of others. These chapters are full of tips and break down simple concepts to make them practical.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6 may be the most important chapter for many readers as it covers the topic of managing one’s mental health while working from home. It explores how perfectionism can show up in subtle ways and build up frequent burnout. The chapter helps one be in tune with our emotional and mental wellbeing and how to communicate the same with their bosses.
It also helps to get a broader view on what is important and how to manage teams, keeping in mind everyone’s wellbeing so that the company can excel and the employees aren’t struggling at the same time. Creating strong boundaries is important and in this chapter 5, such boundaries are explained.
Chapter 7
Chapter 7 is for the managers amongst us. Managing a team requires a lot of hard-work and observation of team mates, let alone managing them virtually. Minter shares incredible tips and shares a perspective on how managers can best manage a team while working from home.
In this chapter, Minter explains what a successful team looks like, and covers management basics which are useful whether you work at the office or from home. Obviously, the core of this chapter is facing the fear of successfully managing a remote team.
Chapter 8 and 9
Chapter 8 and 9 are about moving on, finding a new job and how to find one that suits your working preferences. These two chapters cover the fact that not all of us are happy in the company we are working at, and or want to switch companies for growth.
For those who like to have a hybrid working style or want to work from home, it’s important to know how to ask the right questions to prospective employers during interviews.
The future of work culture can’t be predicted, but Minter sheds light on some fears associated with remote working and what the future may hold for us and how to deal with the same.
The chapter also touches on the adjustments of returning to office, whether permanently or for a few days a week, and how to navigate that smoothly.
The book builds on the knowledge and discussions in the preceding chapters to give a stronger sense of topics.
Notable Positive Features:
The book is easy to read and understand. Unlike complicated self-help books, this book can be used and applied across all levels of a company. It can serve as a manual for employees to navigate the work scenario, be it hybrid or fully remote.
Each chapter is crafted to explain various fears, perceptions, and shares tangible advice in applying the tips shared. Some chapters also include activities that can help one formulate their values, skills, and a solid plan that can help them achieve their career goals.
Just because they (employees) work faster than anyone else doesn’t mean that you should then decide to give them twice as much work unless they really want it.
Harriet Minter
Negatives of the book:
The only negative about the book is that it’s heavily UK or West based. Those who may work in countries that don’t share the similar ideologies or work culture this book may not serve them as much. Career navigation differs from country to country, and work culture also differs.
If you’re in a country that is not flexible or jobs are scarce, it may be very difficult to explain your values or find a job that fits your requirements. Those of us who need a job may not have the luxury of negotiating too much. Many aspects of the books can be applied, but a good chunk of them aren’t practical for people across the globe.
Conclusion
Harriet Minter has touched on a topic and subtopics that are the need of the hour to be discussed. As more people look towards becoming freelancers, having a sense of the world and being able to thrive in remote working can be challenging.
The world has seen this shift only recently and without guidance, it’s difficult to navigate it efficiently. Minter has delivered the topics in a simple and practical manner.
Rating: 4/5
About the author
Harriet Minter is a UK based journalist, speaker and consultant. Her focus is on revolutionizing the workplace. She provides guidance for companies looking to change their working practices. She also offers coaching on her website.
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