Are you planning to work from home? If the answer is yes, then you are one among the emerging trend of remote workers who are currently working from their home office. This guide with top work from home tips will help you maximize both your responsibility and freedom. These tips are not only applicable to individual contributors but also to team leaders and managers. Working from home office offers many benefits to improve performance, business continuity, and attain greater work-life balance.
Though there was a time when work from home was considered a luxury, now it is a mainstay among small businesses and large companies. What is the reason behind this? Work from home is helpful, but it can be a nuisance, if not well-managed.
Top Work from Home Tips
One of the significant work from tips is choosing the right work from home essentials. Before we jump into setting up your workstation, take some time to sit back and plan how your home office should look like. Think about what are the things that you require to be productive while working from home. What are the essential items you need to keep near you, like a cup of coffee, a water bottle, and what are the things that need to be bear but can be stored away?
We will first have a look at one of the most important work from tips, i.e., the place where you should set up your home office. Next, we will discuss how to set it efficiently and quickly.
Where should you set up your home office?
- To decide where to set up your home office, it is helpful to ask a few questions to yourself:
- What will you need for setting up a home office? Do you work most of the time on your computer or do you need additional space to keep your printed documents?
- Do you work online? Do you require a strong internet connection for your work?
- Is there a need for regular video conferences with your colleagues? What should be in your background while doing a video call?
- Do you have children at home? Do you need an isolated place without any distraction?
Once you have finalized a room where you can set up your home office, start listing everything that you need to convert that room into a productive home office. Create a checklist of your work from home essentials and remove everything that will not help you to become productive while working remotely.
Ways to set up your home office.
Once you have finalized where you are going to set up your home office, it is time to plan the setup. First, you must start with big items, like a workstation, desk, chair, computer, etc. Then progressively optimize your space with all the small extras that will not only make your life simpler but also delightful. Here is a list of some important work from home essentials for the ideal setup.
Laptop- A reliable and fast-speed laptop is the best option for competing with desktop computers. But it also offers you the freedom to move away from your desk and work from your balcony, terrace, or even sofa. One of the important work from tips is to buy a good laptop with good features.
A clean desk- When we think about how to work from home and what are the things required for that, the first thing that strikes our mind is a desk. For a home office setup, it is always better to go with something simple with sufficient room to keep your monitor or laptop. Nowadays, many prefer standing desks that can be adjusted easily using an electric system.
A comfortable chair- For a computer chair, it is worth investing in high quality to protect your back and avoid any kind of long-term injury. Experts suggest choosing a high-end office chair. High-end office chairs will keep you comfortable for several hours when you sit at your desk. There are varieties of office chairs available in the market made of different designs and colors.
Keep a separate phone number- Try to keep a separate phone number that you must use only for calling clients and our colleagues. It is not mandatory to have a landline, it can be your second mobile phone or even another sim card. It can also be a free VoIP service, like Google Voice or a Skype number. Like some of the other top work from home tips, having a different phone number will help you to manage your work-life balance.
Use a VPN- Another important thing in the list of work from home essentials is a VPN. Use a VPN when you connect to a network that you are not controlling. This includes Wi-Fi at cafes, co-working places, airports, and libraries. Some companies have their VPNs that off-site workers need to access specific websites or servers that store information meant just for internal purposes. In such cases, you will also need a VPN at your home. It is a good habit to leave your VPN connected as often as possible as it is always safer to have it or not.
Look for training opportunities- Another one in the list of various work from home tips is to look for training prospects. When you are not in an office with your colleagues, there are chances that you miss out on skill development courses that are taught in person. Your organization might even forget to add you to its online training courses. It can be exciting to regard this as a dodged bullet, but you might miss a chance to learn something new. So, speak up and ensure that you are included in the training sessions.
In addition to training, you can even request in-person or online courses, coaching, and training, if you need it. For those who work remotely most of the time, look for learning opportunities that are taught at the office. That way, you will get training and a chance to spend some time with your colleagues.
Wi-fi- Before you start working from home, make sure you have a high-speed internet connection. For optimal setup, it is worth investing in a high-quality WiFi connection. Before choosing a Wi-Fi connection, make sure it has a good speed, smart features, and is easy to use.
Noise-canceling headphones with microphone for doing video conference calls- If you need to do regular videos calls with your colleagues when working from home, you need a pair of headphones with a good quality microphone. This will help you hear everyone better. Also, it will ensure that everyone hears your sound clear and loud.
Bluetooth speakers to hear music while working- If you prefer working from home in the morning, in the afternoon from your kitchen table, then a high-performance Bluetooth speaker is the right option. Look for ones that are easy to carry and offer the best sound quality. Look for one that comes with an integrated microphone in case you want to host a conference call with many people around you.
By following the above-mentioned work from home tips, you can increase your productivity and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Follow them and let us know in the comment section what difference you felt while working from your home.