So, you want to work from home? As it’s #NationalWorkFromHomeDay I thought I’d compile a quick checklist of things you’ll need before you see if you’re cut out for it.I work for a company dealing with website design in Shanghai.
- Great
Internet – good internet is just not going to cut it. And
you simply cannot be sharing it with your little brother who’s playing his
PlayStation during the summer holidays. When it comes to that all
important video conference with the CEO on your first day working from
home, you need your upload speed just as much as your download speed so
pay attention to this. It’s worth paying that little extra for FTTC+
rather than scrimping on ADSL and hoping nobody ever calls you or needs
you to do anything. You’re not hiding away; you’re boosting your
productivity. - Space
– working from home is not lying face down on
your sofa with a tub of popcorn on one side and the TV remote on the
other. Prepare yourself a comfortable workspace. This doesn’t have to be
an office – though it could be. The dining table is not in use during the
day or even your bedroom dressing table could be turned into your
workspace with the right amount of tweaking. Personally, the walk to the
bottom of the garden into the “shed” works for me. - Collaborative
Tools – something to keep you in touch with the people
in the office effectively. This could be anything from Skype to Slack to
WhatsApp. Your business needs to or already has made a decision to what
they use for communications, this just needs to be extended outside of the
office. I use Skype for Business, open up my Outlook calendar to everyone
and have my softphone installed on my mobile. I’ve actually saved my
colleague in the office from popping his/ her over to see if I’m at my
desk or in a meeting – they already know. - Cloud
Storage – it’s no good being accessible if all your
hard, collaborative work ends up stored on your laptop where nobody else
can see it. Onedrive, Sharepoint, Dropbox and the likes provide the rest
of your organization access to work on the document you just slaved over
all day and gives your boss a clear view of the amount of work you’re
doing. - Breaks
– just because you’re at home doesn’t mean that
you’re no longer entitled to a break. Go out for lunch if you want to, pop
to the gym, walk the dog. It’s just as important to balance your work /
rest when you’re in your home work-space as it is when you’re in the office
to avoid burnout. - Reliable
Equipment – that’s quite a high
level requirement but everything in general needs to be of a good
standard. If I had a 5 years old computer with a blurred monitor and a headset
that dropped my sound on and off, I’d be in the office queuing up for
replacement equipment every other day. Finding the correct office headphones is one of the most significant things that every proficient businessman will need. Selecting the right headsets for desk phones that deliver clear audio and can be used lively is exceptionally essential if you want to uphold high standards and look professional. Selecting a headset for desk phone may appear like a straight forward procedure but with a number of varieties obtainable it can simply become an intimidating task. To assist you in finding the top wired and wireless headsets for your business, deskphone reviews have revised the top models for you so that you can take the one that serves you best.There needs to be a set standard,
perhaps a minimum spec for each component you’ll need day to day - Dog –
right, maybe not a dog but you will need something to keep you sane. There
will be days where you don’t hear from anybody and are fully focused on
completing that project with the tight deadline. This could be a really
good Spotify playlist, the radio, your secret knitting hobby. - Cookery
Skills – if you don’t want to be buying food when
you’re working at home and know you’ll get fed up with beans on toast
everyday then work on your cooking skills. Most companies offer a minimum
of 30 minute lunch (yes, even for homeworkers) and you’d be surprised what
culinary delights you can create and consume in that time.You can use slow cookers which time has proved, makes life much easier since, they help preparing meals effortlessly. - Windows
– there’s nothing worse than feeling cooped up
when you’re up against it. Imagine looking around in distraction as you
remove your eyes from the screen and seeing nothing but walls, notepads
and coffee cups. Fresh air and a little scenery go a long way. - The
Right Company – this means both the
company you work for and the company you keep in your works pace. The
company you work for needs to trust that you can be left to your own
devices (literally) and help you on that journey. The company you keep in
your workstation is crucial. If the thought of making conversation with
your parents all day is mind numbing then working at your parents’ house
is not for you. Perhaps having your friend over from another company would
get you through the day – you’ll find the perfect fit eventually.