Use the ‘ARMS’ technique to convince your boss to let you work from home

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The whole family hard at work, from home.

Scientists have known for a while now that working remotely about two days a week can increase job satisfaction.

In fact, a recent survey suggests that the most innovative employees split their time between remote and in-office work. Specifically, they spend only about 80% of their time in an office (which translates to four days a week).

But not every company — or every boss — is okay with letting employees telecommute.

Obviously, your ability to work remotely depends heavily on your specific role. But if you have reason to believe that your performance would meaningfully improve if only you could periodically escape the office walls, it might be worth making your case to your boss.

Ramit Sethi, bestselling author of “I Will Teach You to Be Rich,” recently published a guide to working from home, in which he outlines a strategy for convincing your boss to let you go remote.

Specifically, Sethi says you should wait until you’ve received a stellar performance review.

Then you’ll want to deploy what he calls the “ARMS” technique. Here’s how it works:

• Agree
• Reframe as opportunity
• Make your case
• Shut up after asking

In the guide, Sethi includes a script for readers to follow. Say you ask to work from home one or two days a week and your boss declines your request. You say:

I understand that [your company name] hasn’t done it in the past. (Agree)

But this could be a great opportunity for the company We have the technology to make everything possible. If it works out, we can find candidates in other states for [whatever] role that we’ve had a hard time filling. (Reframe as opportunity)

And given my track record here, testing it out with me on a small scale is low risk. If it doesn’t work out, we can always go back to the old way. (Make your case)

So what do you think?” (Shut up after asking)

According to Sethi, your boss will likely say something like, “Let me think about it and get back to you.”

If and when your boss approves you request, Sethi says you should remember that you’re still proving yourself at this point. If the remote experiment works out, they might agree to let you work from home regularly.

And if your boss denies your request? You can always check out one of these 15 US companies that let you work from home.

You can download the full guide to working from home here »

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