For many people, working from the comfort of their own homes is the perfect work arrangement. They get an extra hour of sleep because they don’t have to beat the rush hour traffic every morning. Pajamas become their go-to office attire (unless they have a video conference meeting!). And now, with the COVID-19 pandemic still far from being over, teleworking also helps them keep themselves safe from the virus.
Telecommuting is truly a wonderful work set-up, but what will it take for this kind of arrangement to actually work? First and foremost, you have to make sure you have all the stuff you need to set up a home office. Take a look at some of them.
Tech devices
Thanks to the advancements in technology in recent years, teleworking has never been easier. For your home office, the most important device to have is a computer. In fact, sometimes, a state-of-the-art laptop or customizable all-in-one desktop PC is all you’ll ever need to telecommute. A second monitor—a TV set with an HDMI or VGA port will already do—is also worth having if you use many computer applications all at once or do a lot of presentations at work. You should likewise consider getting a tablet as a backup in case your computer crashes. Of course, it goes without saying that you’ll need a strong internet connection at home to be able to telework without a hitch.
Office equipment
While it’s true that you can already work from home with just a good computer and a stable internet connection, it’d still be a great idea to invest in some handy office items, especially if you’d be telecommuting indefinitely. For one, get yourself a proper computer desk. Using your coffee table or kitchen counter might work for a while, but this can cause your posture problems in the long run. The same is true for using your sofa or kitchen stool, so buy a computer chair, preferably an ergonomic one. Then, you’ll probably need some supplies, such as paper, highlighter pens, and a stapler, to make working from home more efficient and convenient for you.
Dedicated space
Finally, you can have all the fancy gadgets and practical office items, but you won’t be able to maximize them if you don’t have a dedicated space for work. Good for you if you have a spare room that you can convert into your very own home office. However, if not, you’ll have to find an area in your house—no matter how small—where you can work. Perhaps you can set up your workstation in an empty corner of your living room or maybe next to your bedroom window. Wherever it might be, try to make your home office as conducive to working as it can be, so better make it clean, well-lit, well-ventilated, quiet, and free from distractions.
Make Working from Home Work
Telecommuting is a great work set-up, but just like with the regular office arrangement, you’ll need to put in a lot of effort to actually make it work. And you can start by getting all the stuff you need to set up a home office that is efficient, comfortable, convenient, and conducive to working.