Like it or not, you will be working from home for the immediate future.
SummaryFirst, choose your locationNow outfit your office for lessNow practice some basic tasksWorking from home can be productive and positiveTo say you are unprepared for this development is certainly an understatement. Although you have a laptop and basic office supplies, you don't know where you'll set up a functional workspace in your home, let alone how to make video calls and other common telecommuting tasks. .
No worries, work from home for beginners:Creating an efficient home office and mastering things like your schedule, how to make video calls and more is totally possible with the help of the following tips:/P>
Look around and assess where it would make the most sense to set up your home office. Do you have a spare bedroom that is only used by Aunt Vivian at Christmas? It would make a great workspace. The dining room table, a quiet corner of the living room or even your large dressing room are all contenders. If you decide on a space that the family will use part of the day, make sure your supplies and equipment can be stored safely out of the way. This way, you won't end up with spilled maple syrup or apple juice on your files during breakfast time with your busy kids.
Who says you have to go out and buy brand new office furniture? A used desk or office chair can be just as sturdy as a new one, and it will cost a lot less. Look for deals on furniture on eBay, local garage sales, and maybe an app like OfferUp. Just make sure that if you meet someone through this type of app, you arrange to meet in a public place and practice social distancing. If you work in a closet or other shared space, a small desk fan will help circulate the air and provide you with nice white noise during your workday.
Your boss told you she would schedule regular meetings via Zoom to check in, so making video calls is now on your to-do list. In case you're wondering "How do I make a video call when I share a house with a dog that likes to bark and kids that need my help with online school?" » caution:start by securing your pets in another room, preferably away from your home office, before starting the video call.
Next, turn off all desktop notifications and let your kids know when you won't be available to help them. To make this easier for young children to understand, you can create a kind of stop light with circles of green, yellow and red construction paper and hang the "red light" near your desk when you can't be disturbed. .
As for how to set up video calls at home, it takes some practice. To make sure the first call goes as smoothly as possible, practice in advance with your spouse or a close friend. You might even want to do some testing with your brake light system with your kids to be sure they get it.
Moving from working in person to working remotely is an adjustment, but it can certainly be a rewarding and positive experience. By following this advice, you might find that all of this working from home is much better than you ever thought.
