Since working from home has become such a big thing, and is definitely here to stay, we thought it would be a great idea to revisit ways that you can make working from home feel easier. Although for many, the novelty has worn off, there are certainly still some things you can do to boost productivity.
Home working setup
It’s important to create an environment where you are free from distractions and impulsively sorting out that pile of doom in the corner. If possible, create a space solely for your work day. This could be a good desk (there are many options that can accommodate all sizes of space), a disused area like under the stairs or landing or if you’re lucky enough, an entire office room.
Making a space quiet, comfortable and clean can really help you to get into the zone and focus on the work you have to do. It also means that come the end of the day, you’re work and life balance don’t have to collide, especially if you can shut a door (even if it’s a cupboard door).
Some great things to consider if you are in a permanent working from home position are, a standing desk, a comfy ergonomic office chair, moving your space to somewhere that has natural light.
Equipment
As IT people, it’s important to us that the equipment we use is going to perform at a level that our jobs require. It should also be something that non-techy people also consider. We always recommend getting the best equipment you can afford, so that you can make the most out of your day without running into mountains of problems that the 10 year old laptop can bring.
If you’re a business with lots of employees, you should consider your staff’s needs and make sure they have all they need to complete the tasks given at home.
A slow laptop doesn’t make for a happy employee, and can in fact reduce productivity!
Wifi
It’s vital for most, if not all, companies with employees working from home (or anyone working from home for that matter), to have good (if not great) wifi connection. The frustration at times, when that little wheel is spinning and yet nothing is happening, can be unbearable. Being the one who keeps dropping out of the meeting, or is slow when sharing your screen is not going to help with productivity or feeling professional.
Upgrade your wifi so that it can handle above and beyond what is being asked of it. This will save hours of slamming your head into the keyboard.
Second screen
This is very much a personal preference, however if you are transitioning from the office (where you have two screens) to home where you are trying to work from your single laptop screen, it can SUCK. From our own personal experience productivity can half when trying to do multiple things on that teeny tiny screen.
Get a second screen, trust us, you won’t regret it.
IT support
Great IT support, no matter where you are working, is always a must in our eyes. If your company has lots of employees working from home, the risk of cyber attack and vulnerabilities increases. This is why we think it’s important to provide training on things like phishing, internet security, and the importance of keeping everything updated.
Working with an IT company full of experts (ahem, like ourselves), can mean the difference between preventing a big ‘OH NO’ and disaster clean-up. Regardless of company size, having someone looking after your techy things, can stop you from having computer downtime and therefore staying productive.
Routine
Distractions come in abundance when working from home. Some of them could be considered perks, but for the majority of us the temptation of putting on a load of washing so we have a clear weekend can take up more time than we think it’s going to. Don’t even get us started on sofas and TVs! And no, this doesn’t mean we are boring, and we do appreciate the occasional duvet, movie, working from the sofa day, but it can lead to a very sloppy unproductive way of working.
Trying to stick to a routine similar to what you would have if you were working from an office and being disciplined (for the most part) can actually make you feel more accomplished at the end of your work day.
To summarise our 6 top tips for working from home, make sure you have a good set-up, including the best equipment you can afford and locate yourself somewhere that you can shut your work away after hours. Stick to a routine, and last but most definitely not least, make sure you have great IT support at the end of your fingertips.
To chat to us about how we can support your working from home lifestyle, book a call with Lee or one of the team here.
Knowing how to protect your work data and devices at home or when working from a remote location really is a big deal now more of us are not in the office. Download our Working From Home guide for all the info on keeping safe, secure and productive when working remotely.
Dowload the guide