How to set up an efficient home office during the coronavirus outbreak

As the current situation with COVID-19 develops and spreads rapidly, more and more companies are choosing to have their employees work from home so they can adhere to social distancing protocol to help in the battle against the spread of the virus. . The virus is spreading between people, so social distancing is a measure that governments put in place to try to slow down the virus and make sure it is under control.

Many people are struggling and don’t really know how to set up an efficient home office during the coronavirus outbreak that makes them as creative, productive, and efficient as they were in their offices. It is a real challenge because most people who commute to work have already developed routines that they are used to and working from home is not ideal for them, but we all have to adapt to the situation and try to make the best of it. The best thing for all of us is to stay motivated, connected and productive during this crisis so that we can get out of this whole situation in the best possible conditions and keeping our work hours can help us a lot, not only financially but also keeping our spirits.

While every job is different from one another and working from home will be different depending on your profession, there are a few things that would apply to everyone, so we’ve put together a few things you’ll find extremely helpful when you don’t know how to set up an efficient home office during the outbreak. of coronavirus.

essential hardware

Just like in your office, you may need some hardware in your home in order to successfully work efficiently and have everything you need around you so you can get the job done right.

The first thing you’ll need, while not a piece of hardware, is extremely important to get started and is a workspace. Basically, it is an area of ​​the house where you will do your work and only your work. A place where you will relate to work and you will not have distractions or at least you will limit them to the maximum. If you have an entire room to dedicate to this, great, but if you don’t, make sure you find the spot that’s furthest from the kitchen and as far away from the TV as possible so you’re not tempted to turn to it and watch what’s on. which is happening from time to time. It will be very annoying. Of course, background music may not be distracting, but if it’s too loud, it can reduce your ability to work. Once it’s done and ready, you’ll need some software and hardware setup around it depending on your job.

Stable internet connection

To make your connection as stable as possible, you’ll need to get a good router that’s fast and has a good Wi-Fi signal. If you don’t already have one, it’s crucial to get one because it’s the most essential piece of hardware that will keep you online and make sure you stay connected with all your colleagues and can do your work effectively from home. There are some fairly fast but not too expensive routers available on the market, so finding a good one shouldn’t be a problem.

headphones

It’s also a good idea to have a good headset in case you have a job where you need to communicate with your colleagues constantly. Imagine having one that constantly fails or broadcasts unclear nonsense both ways. You will not be able to do your job well and on top of that you will get very angry. In addition to a good headset, you’ll also need software that has your entire workplace where everyone is online and available so they can call or text each other all the time. An app like Skype will do the job just fine.

Printing machine

Depending on your job, a printer may also be required. If you have a lot of documents to print, sign and scan or fax somewhere, getting a printer that has all of these options is crucial and there are plenty of affordable options both online and in local stores.

coffee machine

While this may not help you get your work done per se, a coffee machine that makes great coffee will save you from heading to the first coffee shop and working from there because you need a good cup of coffee to get you focused and ready to go. your workday While it may not seem like an essential part of the home office at first, it’s something you’ll really appreciate when you feel the need to grab a coffee.

Comfortable chair

Since you’ll be spending a lot of time sitting, it’s to your back’s advantage to get a chair that’s comfortable and keeps your body in the right position so you don’t develop back pain. Getting something to make sure your monitor is at the correct eye level when you work will also help maintain correct posture. Staying healthy and preventing any conditions that develop from sitting too long should be a priority.

Stick to your work habits

Once you’ve learned how to set up an efficient home office during the coronavirus outbreak with the right hardware and your workspace is ready to go, you want to make sure you have a routine you’ll be able to stick to. It’s usually best to keep up with the same work clothes you were in when you were in the office because you’re already used to working by that time. Therefore, working from home does not mean that you should work when you want and stretch everything you need to do during the day throughout the day and even into the night, but rather that you should stick to the working hours that you kept in the office. Another thing you need to do as well is to do all the preparations in the morning as if you were going to the office. Don’t wake up and sit in front of your PC or laptop and start working in your pajamas. Wash, get dressed and do exactly the same thing you are doing when everything is normal because the routine you were doing before is preparing you mentally for the work you have to do and will help you a lot to be well. mentality to work. Changing your pajama clothes is essential here even if you are at home. It doesn’t have to be a suit, but putting on different pants and a shirt will help you feel like you’re at work.

Avoid doing more things when you work

Multitasking is something that a lot of people think makes them faster at what they do, but most of the time that’s not the case. Try to focus solely on your work, although you will have many distractions that you can do around the house that may involve all kinds of tasks that you have been doing for a long time. Since you’re at home, it’s easy to get distracted by something like this and leave your workspace for a long time. Sometimes even a small distraction can stop your train of thought and make you forget what you were working on. You should also prepare your lunch and snacks just as you would when you go to the office so you don’t waste time preparing your meals in the middle of your work, which can cause more distractions and backfire.

get some fresh air

Even though you’re working from home and we’re all encouraged to stay indoors, getting some fresh air without exposing yourself to large social groups is something you need to do to maintain your health and spirits. Just like when you are in the office and go out for lunch for half an hour, you should do the same when you are at home. Take proper rest and go eat in your garden or take a walk around your neighborhood just to stretch your legs and get some fresh air and even catch some sunlight which is sure to cool you down and make you feel so much better than being stuck. your apartment all day. You can even get a cup of coffee from your coffee machine and drink it on the go enjoying your break at work. Going out and walking is also good for your back and posture because, as we said before, sitting too long can cause really uncomfortable back pain and, even if you have the best ergonomic chair, it may not be enough.

Take breaks often

Another thing you can do to be as efficient as possible when working from home is to take breaks when you feel like you need to. Maybe after every completed task or every hour. Short breaks will keep you from feeling tied to your chair at work and ensure you don’t sit for long hours. Sometimes even taking a 5-minute break every 25-30 minutes is also a great idea based on research that found these short breaks to be much more advantageous than longer breaks that are less frequent.

Set strict rules for yourself

By this we mean, make sure your work stays at work and doesn’t spill over into the personal part of your life and disrupt your family or leisure time. It’s much easier to do when you work from home because your workplace is just a few steps away and you might be tempted to do some work before bed so you can finish some of the work you’ll have tomorrow, but it’s really a gray area that could spiral out of control and, before you know it, become like you work all the time and have no time for yourself or anyone else in your family. It can be very damaging, especially for your social life and you should not take it lightly and make sure you follow the rules that you set for yourself so that you do not get into a situation where you cannot balance your work with your life. .

Mentally prepare for interruptions

This is especially important if you don’t live alone and have a family. Mentally preparing to be interrupted will save you a lot of time in explanations and conversations trying to prevent them from happening. They won’t, especially if you have kids because they’ll want to spend time with you and won’t understand that you have to break up before you can give them your full attention. Going into it with a plan will ensure that this situation doesn’t make you angry or upset, and it will bother you a lot less when you’re ready for it.

conclusion

Having the correct hardware and setup will ensure that you can do your job as efficiently as possible while maintaining proper posture and not putting your health at risk.

Sticking to the same work habits you had when you had an office is beneficial to you because you’re already used to that routine and it will be an easier transition to do everything else except commute instead of changing the entire routine or skipping parts of it. she

Whenever you work, make sure you are not focused on other things as well and trying to multitask because you will not be productive or efficient.

Also, it is advantageous to get some fresh air from time to time and get out of the house and take short breaks more often than longer breaks which are less frequent.

Mentally preparing for interruptions is also something you should do because they will happen if you have a family living with you in the house. Having a plan for this will save you a lot of time and won’t bother you too much because you’ll be ready and waiting for it.

It is a real challenge to get through these difficult times and adapt your routine to work from home while maintaining the productivity, efficiency and creativity that you had in your office, but it is very important that we adapt properly to this so that we can move forward. other end with as few “bruises” as possible. Following the tips we shared with you above is sure to go a long way when setting up your home office and prepare you for the challenges ahead.