Tips for transitioning to a work from home position
The work-from-home labor force just got a major push from the current worldwide coronavirus "pandemic". In any case, even before COVID-19 turned into a "pandemic", a growing number of office workers have been bidding farewell to their burdensome commute to work. Because of companies now starting to embrace technologies like Skype, Slack, Zoom, Google Hangouts, among other online conferencing applications.
Truth be told, the majority of everything that can be done at an office can be done at home -- remotely. As liberating as remote work is to employees, it wouldn't be a growing trend if companies and managers didn't embrace the paradigm as well as the need and desire for flexibility in work schedules. Organizations with work-from-anywhere approaches can support worker efficiency, lessen turnover, and lower company expenses. Also, in case of a global workforce, a remote team spread across different timezones can keep activities running, regardless of whether a portion of the workforce goes offline.
Below are some of the most critical things to keep in mind once you start working from home.
Have a dedicated space
In a perfect world, you would be fine with having a little room with a table to fit your work area needs with a door that can be closed to shut out all the distractions of home life.
But not everyone has the luxury of having enough space, or the ability to quickly convert a guest room into a double purpose space, or the luxury of having a distraction-free space. Which is why it's essential to have a go-to place to work and a set routine in place that you can follow without having to overthink things.
On the off chance that you can't get a committed space you can go to isolate for most of the day, attempt to discover a specialty space you can utilize that is out of the family unit's way — and them out of yours — however much as could be expected.
Furthermore, if you have children at home and you're without childcare, check whether you and your spouse (or a neighbor in the same circumstance) can alternate with care—which may mean you need to arrange with your supervisor about working flexible hours.
Working from home is hardly a new concept, yet the COVID-19 pandemic has made it a necessity for some offices and laborers. Indeed, even as the coronavirus situation inevitably ends, numerous companies will have found that they don’t have to bother with enormous offices, and many workers will have found that they don't have to be in the workplace everyday or go through hours of driving.
Work in a quiet place
On the off chance that you have a noisy dog or a drilling neighbor outside your place, look into getting noise canceling earphones.
Noise cancelling headphones
1. Sony MDRZX110NC ($28.00)
It is an over ear noise isolating headphone. It also has a battery life of up to 80 hours.
2. Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WHXB900N ($178.00)
Feel the power of next-level digital noise cancelling technology. Enjoy the convenience of hands-free calling thanks to the integrated microphone and Bluetooth connectivity. Touch Sensor controls to pause play, skip tracks, control volume, activate your voice assistant, and answer phone calls.
3. Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM3 ($348.00)
Industry leading brand SONY lends a soundproof experience. It has a built-in mic that enables you to take hands-free calls. Alexa enabled for voice access to music, information and more. Activate with a simple touch.
Invest in an office chair
Since you'll be spending alot of time sitting down, it is a good idea to invest in an ergonomic seat. Having a seat that will support you for long hours will definitely pay off in the long term.
There are a many crappy chairs that can cause more harm than do you good over prolonged periods of working. Also backless stools or tall kitchen chairs definitely won't make the cut.
Many doctors suggest the use of an ergonomic chair. People using ergonomic chairs report more comfort for the duration of the day than the ones that don't.
Ergonomic Office Chair
1. Armless Leather Desk Chair Computer Chair with Lumbar Support ($64.99)
This entry-level computer chair has an adjustable height which can help to prevent neck, upper and lower back stiffness, pain and discomfort. With an ergonomic S-shape waterfall design, this high back chair provides optimal neck and lumbar support, helping the body to stand tall, preventing slouching and ensuring the best seated position for people who spend long hours working at their desk.
2. Livinia Office Chair with Height Adjustable Design ($99.99)
This mid-level fully adjustable office chair has ergonomics in mind especially for people who work long hours. You can adjust the headrest height and angle, the seat height, the backrest tilt, and the tilt tension, it also allows you to tilt the backrest back or sit straight. You have many options for adjustment in order to find a position that makes your back feel the most comfortable.
3. Smugdesk Office Chair Adjustable Armrest/Headrest High Back Rotating Chair with Footrest Lounge Chair ($169.98)
This premium ergonomic high back office chair is designed with an adjustable headrest to provide support for your head and neck. The footrest has an adjustable retractable length to adjust to your height, this chair is suitable for teenagers and adults. The armrest provides comfortable support for arms with various sitting postures.
Get a fast and reliable Internet connection and a wi-fi router with a strong signal
If you have kids or roommates, their Internet using habits may slow your connection and download speeds. Moving as close as possible to your Wi-Fi switch can help in the situation that you live in a big house and don't have a router with long range, or you can think about changing to Ethernet but usually not cheap and there's many cables lying around. Also you'll probably require a dongle since most newer laptops don't have ethernet ports nowadays.
But investing in a router with long range is definitely a good alternative.
Wifi Routers
1. TP-Link AC1200 Gigabit Smart WiFi Router ($49.99)
Dual band router upgrades to 1200 Mbps high speed internet (300mbps for 2.4GHz + 900Mbps for 5GHz), reducing buffering and ideal for 4K stream. Gigabit Router with 4 Gigabit LAN ports, ideal for any internet plan and allow you to directly connect your wired devices
2. TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router ($62.59)
Router for wireless internet, works with Alexa, compatible with all WiFi devices, 802.11ac and older. Dual band router upgrades to 1750 Mbps high speed internet(450 mbps for 2.4GHz + 1300Mbps for 5GHz), reducing buffering and ideal for 4K streaming.
3. TP-Link WiFi 6 AX3000 Smart WiFi Router ($149.47)
Wi-Fi 6(802. 11ax) technology achieves up to 3x faster speeds, 4x capacity and 75% lower latency compared to the previous generation of Wi-Fi 5 while the power of Intel's dual-core CPU ensures your experience is smooth and Buffer-Free
Be sure to have proper lighting
It's extremely easy to not think about the effects of your workplace on your capacity to work. Lighting is frequently a factor that people don't consider. Ideally, you need to have adequate light to illuminate your workspace, so you can easily read papers and work on the computer.
Indirect lighting implies lights that are not in your immediate field of view or reflecting off your screen. For instance, an external window behind or to the side of your work area can cause glare on your screen when the sun is beaming. A simple fix of diffusing the sunlight with shades or blinds so it doesn't cause glare will create a night-and-day difference.
Try not to put a light right close to a screen, where you end up with competing light sources and conceivable glare. You may require lights for extra lighting, but if possible, place them in such a way that they don't cause glare on the screen and are not in your immediate field of vision when you're dealing with the PC.
Moreover, ensure your screen's brightness isn't too low or high, the two of which can cause eye fatigue. A dependable guideline is that the screen's lighting force ought to be only somewhat brighter than your own lighting and that ambient lighting is enough to read paper without extra light.
Office Lighting
1. Harmonic LED Desk Lamp ($22.99)
A lamp that not only provides you with a light source that does not hurt the eyes, but also a USB charging port design provides power supply for your electronic equipment and brings light to your life. It has a 120°rotating head and a 90°adjustable lamp body, which can provide more flexible lighting. Also has a memory function, and the brightness before the lamp is turned off after the lamp is turned on again.
2. JOOFO LED Floor Lamp ($33.99)
It has 12W LED lights providing 1000 lumens brightness (equivalent to a 150W incandescent lamp), the gentle flicker-free light is not harmful to your eyes. This floor lamp has a lifespan of 50, 000+ hours and will save your electricity cost up to 80%, also the awe-inspiring light is environmentally friendly and without heat pollution.
3. Stella Lighting Stella Original LED Task Lamp ($189.00)
It has a 10-Watt Tri-Spectrum Technology with Philips Lumiled LEDs. A Tactile Touchpad and Flexible Neck. It also has a 5-Step Dimmable Brightness Setting
Stick to your work schedule
The weight lies upon you to set your working hours, stick to them, really work during those hours, and refuse to let anyone think that just because you work from home that you have free time for play.
Tragically, home life has its own interruptions that can put home workers behind on significant projects. In addition to the typical interruptions in the nine-to-five schedules such as phone calls, power blackouts, mishaps, pet or child needs, there are personal boundaries that will keep on being pushed.
Close relatives need to comprehend that you can't assist them with tasks during the workday, or even talk on the telephone for 60 minutes. Setting limits in the event that you have kids at home can require discipline.
On the positive side, letting kids see you take a stab at something you love—even at the parts you don't adore—can significantly impact their future profession decisions and whole demeanor toward work.
Moreover, having the correct gear, the physical arrangement — the ergonomics of the workspace — is important, particularly around keeping away from dreary strain injuries that a bad setup can cause. So remember the tips that are referenced to have a solid workspace for you.
Planners
1. Bliss Collections Daily Planner ($10.99)
50 high-quality sheets that are undated to help you organize your week. 8.5x11 inch sheets are printed on 60 lb uncoated white card stock. 100% unique designs. Manufactured in the USA.
2. The High Performance Planner ($22.49)
2-in-1 planner features day schedule + morning and evening journal prompts. 60 days, undated, so you can buy now and use any time of year. Daily Pages feature the Morning Mindset Process and Evening Review Scorecard. Weekly Pages include the High Performance Habits Assessment. Monthly Pages help you align to long-term goals and strategically think ahead.
3. Moleskine Limited Edition Alice in Wonderland ($30.16)
Moleskine daily planners come with calendar grids & pages for to do lists, bullet journaling or other scheduling & project tracking styles. Moleskine daily planners make it easy to reach your goals.
References:
https://www.investopedia.com/personal-finance/work-from-home-guide/