Working from home has become even more common because of the pandemic. Some people find the new arrangements better because they do not have to worry about commuting as much.
Others, meanwhile, are finding it difficult because they can no longer interact with coworkers in person. Missing the atmosphere of the office is hard to deal with, but it is still too early to tell when the pandemic will be over. In addition, some businesses might decide to switch to remote work even when the status quo is restored.
As such, it is necessary to establish a proper remote work setup and put yourself in a place where you feel comfortable and undisturbed.
Reminders and Tracking Time
Since you are not surrounded by other people, it is easier to lose track of time. Your schedule might become scuffed without proper supervision. As such, you want to utilize available tools that help you establish a routine and follow it.
For instance, you could use a countdown timer app on your computer or smartphone that sends you a reminder about an important event you cannot miss.
Taking scheduled breaks is also crucial. Just because you are working from home, it does not mean that you are not entitled to a proper lunch break. Take the time you usually would and enjoy a proper meal without interruptions.
Finally, if you agree to work at an hourly rate, you will also need to have a proper tool that tracks your time so that there are no potential issues with supervisors who ask for a report about the time you spent doing the work.
Notifications and Distractions
One could argue that working in the office comes with more distractions than working from home. Coworkers passing through and chatting you up occur regularly, and it hinders one’s productivity by a lot.
Remote work is not that great when it comes to distractions. First of all, we associate our home with a place of leisure, so it is natural to be tempted to relax rather than focus on your job.
If there are other people living with you, they can also be quite disrupting, especially if you do not send boundaries. And what about the neighbors? It is all well and good if they are quiet, but what if you have to deal with noisy neighbors in addition to everything else in your life, including your job?
Eliminating these issues is not the end of it. Since you have to rely on a computer and smartphone, the temptation to browse the web and play games is also there.
Add the fact that you might get bombarded with notifications that disrupt you, and you have plenty of obstacles that get in the way of your work.
Finding ways to deal with these distractions is not that simple, but you will have to overcome them if you wish to create a positive remote work environment for yourself.
Optimized Devices
You have to rely on digital devices for work. More often than not, it is a computer that you have to use the most. Unless it is optimized properly, you will struggle to carry out your tasks.
Random crashes, freezes, stutter, and other issues get in the way. At the very least, you have to maintain the computer in good condition by:
- Cleaning the dust inside
- Freeing up drive space
- Decluttering the desktop
- Scanning and removing potential cybersecurity threats
In case you run into troubles you cannot solve yourself, do not hesitate and seek professional help. Since you need a computer to run optimally, you have to find a solution to fix it as soon as possible, even if it costs money.
Work Accessories
Remote work accessories are worth a shout. You can improve the overall experience by investing a bit of money yourself or asking for it from your boss.
A good example of an accessory is a cooling pad. If you use a laptop rather than a custom-built PC, a cooling pad is great for maintaining a laptop’s temperature lower.
A proper chair is also a must. Not having an ergonomic chair is a hazard to your health. Sitting in front of a computer all day is already bad for you, and doing so on a cheap chair further damages your health.
Dedicated Workspace
Ideally, you should want a dedicated home office where you can set your workspace and not worry about potential distractions, says TheVerge.
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to set aside an entire room in their home and use it for work.
If so, you can still have a computer desk and a chair. Even if it is simple, it is still a dedicated workspace.
The goal is to make one for yourself regardless of how big it is. Once you sit down, you will feel and know that you have to work and not do something else.