Working from Home

In the past year, over 46% of people have been working from home with 86% of them doing so due to coronavirus. By now, many of us have discovered that working from home can be a viable option for a range of professions

Let’s start at the beginning with 10 common-sense approaches to working-from-home.

1. Don’t ditch the morning routine
Wake up early, have a shower, get dressed as if you were to travel to work. This will give you a refreshed sense of purpose and bring back that routine.

2. Breakfast is key
Sit down and have breakfast. Remember you are not on the run, so this may be a chance to eat a well-balanced and more healthy breakfast.

3. Dedicated workspace
You need a desk, office chair and to be away from distraction as much as is possible. Close the door and begin your shift.

4. Start on time
Go to your dedicated workspace at the same time every morning. Don’t be late: tardiness is never acceptable!

5. Breaks
Take breaks at regular intervals and remove yourself from your work area for some fresh air. Grab a coffee, call a friend for some virtual banter.

6. Infrastructure
Consider your basic infrastructure. Mains power outlets and accessible Wi-Fi or data coverage.
Signal and bandwidth are imperative. Make sure it’s enough.

7. Clutter
Keep your space clutter-free and with only enough distractions to keep you focused.

8. Your desk space
A traditional office chair is far more comfortable for the duration of the workday from home. A suitable desk should be around 700mm high.

9. Extra screens
Don’t use your spare LCD television as a screen for your laptop. Chances are you will sit too close and cause damage to your eyes. Rather use a traditional PC screen if required as this for day to day use.

10. Working from home may not last forever.
We will all get the option to be back out there soon. Enjoy the time and home, relish this time with the kids and family. Make the very best of the situation.

Is your router positioned far from your dedicated workspace?

There a couple of recommended options for this.

Buy a Hi-End Router
This will enhance the coverage and processing power of your home network.

Expand your Wi-Fi coverage 
This system allows for Wi-Fi/broadband with a booster/hotspot. No configuration required via a UK mains socket.

Have you been using a POE desk phone to connect at home?

If so buy a simple POE switch 
Connect this via a patch lead
All lengths will be available here.

A Bluetooth headset is a great way to allow you to be free of your desk the entire day.
The device will allow you to connect via Bluetooth to your PC/Mobile phone. This will provide crystal clear audio through the noise-cancelling microphone.

Enhance call experience video communications.

If you have a lot of Zoom or Teams calls, requiring enhanced call experience, try using this.
This system will connect to your laptop via USB. and use all the attributes on the soundbar. (4K video camera, 2:1 speaker system and a microphone array with digital sound processing). If you place this below or above your screen, your call experience will be far superior to sitting at your laptop. Productivity will increase and video call fatigue will reduce.

Remember, that no investment made into your work at home system is a waste. We will get back to work but a far higher amount of home working is now possible and encouraged by employers.

Having a basic package waiting for you at home will relieve anxiety knowing that you can hit the ground running at the drop of a hat.