A Definitive Guide for Extroverts Working From Home

Updated June 24, 2022

Working from home or a remote location can be an effective way to operate on a flexible schedule and complete tasks independently. This can be challenging for extroverts who typically gain energy by interacting with others and feel more motivated when around employees in a physical environment. As technology evolves, there are many ways extroverts can use various tools and platforms to collaborate with others throughout their workdays from remote locations. In this article, we explain what an extrovert is, the benefits of working from home and tips for completing tasks remotely.

What is an extrovert?

An extrovert is an individual who excels in environments where they can collaborate, communicate and engage with others regularly. Since remote work involves spending a majority of their time at home, most extroverts might find it challenging to complete tasks in this type of atmosphere each day. Many extroverts feel an increase in energy levels when they socialize with others, while most introverts thrive when they spend time alone.

There may be times when employers ask employees to conduct their tasks from home, either permanently or temporarily. This might be a challenging experience that allows extroverts to use their creativity and positivity to overcome it and remain productive when working from home.

Benefits of working from home as an extrovert

While you may gain less social interaction throughout the day, working in a remote atmosphere allows you to more easily focus and remain productive as you complete tasks in an environment free of distractions. Here are other common benefits of working from home as an extrovert:

Maintain a strong work-life balance: Completing tasks from home means you can typically build your professional schedule around your personal one. Once you finish your work items, you can quickly log off and leave straight from your home to visit friends or family members.
Commute less: Since your office is in your home, you can spend less time in the mornings and evenings going to work. You can use this time to socialize or see others outside of your home by calling friends, exercising or running errands right before or after your shift.
Minimize distractions: Being an extrovert can often mean you enjoy socializing with others in the workplace, causing more employees to visit your desk and mingle with you throughout the day. Since you're at home, you can limit any distractions from others by turning off notifications and putting your phone inside your desk to better focus on tasks and complete a larger number of work items within their deadlines.

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Tips for extroverts working from home

Use these 12 tips to effectively work from home as an extrovert:

1. Socialize with friends and family

Communicating with others in person can feel more challenging when you're working independently from your home. If you get more energy from interacting with others, try to schedule time throughout your day to socialize with friends or family. You can do this by taking coffee breaks with friends, calling your family members before or after your shifts or video chatting with friends or colleagues during lunch. This grants you enough time to engage with others while still remaining productive and completing tasks, creating a proper balance between your work and social life.

2. Complete tasks outdoors or in shared spaces

There may be moments where you prefer to change your scenery or work in a more stimulating atmosphere. Consider taking your laptop outdoors and conducting tasks from places like the park, a balcony or outside seating at a coffee shop. This allows you to gain fresh air and direct sunlight, which can increase your mood and energy levels. You can also research coworking spaces, which are shared offices you can rent out that allow you to around other individuals who are also actively completing their job duties.

3. Use online communities

Joining an online community for remote employees can allow you to gain support, guidance and advice from other extroverts working from home. These online communities might be professional associations, online message boards or digital networks of people hoping to connect with other remote employees. You can exchange ideas with one another or ask each other questions about your industry or about staying productive while at home. This helps you build a community to rely on when you're finding it challenging or isolating to engage in your job duties.

4. Volunteer for leadership opportunities

Continue to feel motivated by your role by regularly volunteering for new responsibilities and leadership opportunities. This allows you to still feel like your role has purpose and meaning, even when away from the office. Many extroverts enjoy engaging with and encouraging others, which means they usually excel in leadership roles. Ask your supervisor if you can challenge yourself by managing a project or leading a team. This challenges yourself and increases your collaboration, connection and engagement with other employees throughout the workday.

5. Build a routine

Working from home typically allows you to follow a more lenient and flexible schedule that you can create yourself. You can build a routine that differs each day to keep your work-life exciting and new to ensure it holds your attention. Consider going on a jog on some mornings and journaling during other mornings. This provides you with various ways to wake up and get yourself excited for new days. You might follow a more strict routine or make it more spontaneous by completing a wide variety of different tasks each day.

6. Ask to conduct video calls and meetings

If you and other employees have questions about certain projects, assignments and tasks, ask if you can hold these discussions over video conferences. These allow you to interact virtually with others while still providing an in-person atmosphere by seeing, hearing and engaging with others. This makes it easier for extroverts to gain the social interaction they crave and makes it easier to talk through any solutions or strategies in the role.

7. Take regular breaks

Give your brain a break from work-related tasks by taking regular breaks. You can spend 10-15 minutes focusing on chores or other personal items before returning to work or go for a walk. This gives you fresh air to refresh your mind and boost your mood. After taking breaks, you can return to your work with a more refreshed and re-energized mindset, which might make it easier to complete your more complicated tasks.

8. Stay in contact with team members

Try to ensure you and other team members remain informed of progress to remain productive and on-task at all times. Consider scheduling virtual collaboration sessions where all employees share updates on current projects to ensure accountability. This also provides all team members with a stronger sense of community and grants everyone the social interaction they may prefer while working remotely.

9. Listen to music

If it feels easier and more natural to complete tasks in a louder environment, consider playing music. This can help your surroundings feel more stimulating and might improve your mood levels. You can feature upbeat music with fun lyrics or play more motivating songs that increase your creativity. Consider researching different instrumental pieces that might boost your focus to move through tasks more quickly.

10. Offer support to other team members

Use your business communication platforms to check in with other employees to offer support when needed. You can also send regular messages to engage in casual conversation with employees to provide a more comfortable and familiar workplace atmosphere. Some extrovert employees might find it challenging to stay engaged when completing items independently.

On days where you feel isolated, ask if other team members would like to participate in a video call where everyone is quietly working on screen. You can keep your microphones and cameras on to ask questions or make comments when needed. This creates a workplace feeling from the comfort of your home.

11. Host in-person or virtual gatherings

If you're in the same location as other team members, ask to host in-person gatherings. You can meet each other for lunch, coffee breaks or drinks after work. Put together virtual meet-ups as well if you're unable to see other employees in person. You can host virtual trivia or happy hours to engage in conversations and bring you closer as a team. This allows you to better bond with your team, which can increase your collaboration skills to submit more high-quality projects with one another.

12. Organize your workspace

To make your home office feel more comfortable and familiar, try to organize your space accordingly. Consider hanging personal photos or motivational posters to make you feel happier in your workspace. Try to place your desk by a window to give yourself access to the outside world. You can also put a plant on your desk to boost your mood and energy levels. Personalizing your workspace can make you feel more excited to complete tasks each day and can create a more relaxing work atmosphere for yourself.