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5 essential coronavirus work from home tips
The rise and spread of COVID-19 has led many businesses to either close or send their employees home to work remotely. If you’ve never worked from home before, the experience can be more than a little overwhelming.
Working from home does have its perks, but it also has a few downfalls. How can you prepare yourself? Tap or click here to see how the Komando.com editorial team managed with video conferencing.
Not everything will run smoothly from the start, but that doesn’t mean you can’t figure things out. Start with the basics, like a strong internet connection.
1. Check your internet
Communication is essential for any business, and being away from the office can make that complicated. But a strong internet connection can help make things like teleconferencing a lot simpler.
So, how do you get a strong internet connection? Well, internet connection requirements vary depending on your service provider, whether you’re making voice or video calls, and how many people are in those calls.
For example, Skype recommends for HD video calls, a user must have a minimum download/upload speed of 1.2Mbps. If you notice excessive buffering or dropped calls, your internet connection might not be strong enough.
To check your internet connection speed, tap or click here. If you need faster speeds, call up your service provider and upgrade your plan.
2. A reliable computer
If your employer isn’t equipped to provide you with a dedicated computer to use at home, you’ll want to choose a machine you’re comfortable with. Just make sure your device has reliable internet connectivity and doesn’t have any slowdown issues.
If you’re left with no choice but your laggy Windows PC, tap or click here for ways to speed it up.
And to keep things moving along, remember to practice the internet safety rules. Not sure what those are? Tap or click here to find out.
If you’re dealing with sensitive information, or you’re concerned about privacy, get a VPN, or virtual private network. Kim’s choice is ExpressVPN. It works on everything from your iOS phone to your kids’ Android devices and can be used on tablets, laptops and computers.
VPNs provide protection and anonymity, so when you’re online, no one can trace your location to hack into your device. Want to learn more about ExpressVPN? Tap or click here.
3. Get comfortable
Just like at the office, if you’re going to be sitting for extended periods of time, a comfortable chair with lumbar support is essential. If you don’t have a home office set up already, make sure to invest in a good chair.
You’ll also work well in a space with natural light and enough room to get up and stretch every hour or so. Once your desk and chair are set up, move on to eliminating distractions.
It can be hard to stay focused when your entire household is around, but you’ve got to stay on task. If you need a little help with being productive, tap or click here for the best productivity tools.
4. Connect with coworkers
Depending on your position and company, there may already be established ways of sharing files and communicating online. But if that isn’t the case, you’ll need to find services to stay connected.
Google’s G Suite, which includes Gmail, Hangouts, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and more, is accessible by anybody with a Google account. It not only enables users to schedule, communicate and share files, but they can also write documents, create presentations, track expenses and more.
But what if you want to use Office 365 ? Tap or click here to see which program is right for you.
5. Take time to take care of yourself
Staying home is a precautionary measure to stay safe and healthy. Take advantage by prioritizing your mental and physical health.
Start by taking hourly breaks to stand up, stretch and even go for a short walk. Call a friend or family member, or reach out to a coworker who lives alone. That tiny bit of social interaction can really make someone’s day, including your own.
Make time to eat your meals and don’t work beyond expected work hours. It may sound like a good idea to get ahead, but why? You shouldn’t push yourself mentally. If you’re having trouble disengaging, tap or click here for some helpful apps.
Once you’ve managed to get a grip on a healthy work-life balance, all that’s left is taking each day as it comes. Staying home might be difficult after a while, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, tap or click here for 5 ways tech can help keep you sane while you stay at home.
Tags: computer, coronavirus, internet connection, Productivity, work from home
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