More people are working from home, and many will remain full-time work from home employees as the pandemic lifts. However, this has presented new challenges, and one of them is technology. Some companies provide their employees with everything they need to get their office set up, but that is not always the case. For example, freelancers need to provide their own equipment. No matter your work situation, the important thing is to make tech work for you.
Paying for Your Tech
While technology for working from home does not have to be that expensive, it can add up, especially if you are looking at getting several items. If you find it difficult to invest in everything at once, consider taking out a personal loan from a private lender. That way, you can have what you need to purchase technology for working from home, using earnest.com.
Quality Chairs and Desk
Do not try skimping when it comes to the desk and chairs you use. Even if you have used your kitchen table for occasional work from home, it won’t be a good long-term solution. And you can’t just sit in front of the TV all day and expect to be as productive as your company expects. If you don’t use the right chair your shoulders and back will begin to hurt, cutting into your day.
Of course, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a good setup. It is best to try out the desk and chair before you splurge. Some people like to get a setup that can easily be converted into a standing desk. That way, they do not have to spend the entire workday sitting. If you wince at the thought of endless shopping for the perfect desk, consider using an online desk builder to simplify the selection process.
A Suitable Internet Connection
If you have a limited internet plan, now might be the time to upgrade, especially if you are using video conferencing often. That will quickly burn through your bandwidth. Even if you do not have regular video meetings, you will still likely use a lot of data. You could look for a good deal on unlimited internet, so you don’t get extra changes or limits set in place. You will likely be using your Wi-Fi while working from home, so now is the time to ensure you have great coverage.
If the connection goes out, you will not be as productive, so it is a good idea to have a backup in place. You can use your phone as a mobile hotspot for the short term, but it will not work if you have an extended outage. Consider using a dedicated, backup device to get a Wi-Fi signal when you need it.
Accessories to Make Your Life Easier
If you have phone meetings, you might want to invest in tools to make them easier. It is often hard to be on the phone for more than a couple of minutes, so a longer phone meeting can be difficult. If you are using a smartphone, it likely has a speaker built in, but many of them are not very good. Instead, consider investing in a separate Bluetooth speaker to make things easier.
You can get dedicated conference speakers that go in the middle of the desk and has built-in microphones. Some of them also have batteries and can power your other gadgets, which is perfect if you can’t reach a power source for your other items. It leaves your hands free for other tasks, and you can even get up if necessary.
For your laptop, you might want to invest in a separate webcam. If you have a desktop computer, you will likely want to get a separate webcam since they don’t usually come with one. Even if you have a laptop already, it likely does not have a high-quality one. You don’t have to spend a lot on a quality camera either.
Power and Lighting
If possible, consider getting a charger that can work with all your devices. That way, you can keep the various cords organized. You can plug your laptop charger into the wall, but if you have too many items going in the wall socket, you will need to switch them out or end up with an unorganized mess. Instead, consider dedicating a few cables to your work area so you do not need to swap them out all the time. Look for shorter ones that plug into a single charger nearby. That way, there will not be as many wires and cables to get tangled up.
It is a good idea to invest in good lighting as well. It is a good thing to have if you are having video conferencing meetings, but it is also important to your productivity. If your home office does not have enough light, it will be much harder to see what you are doing. Instead, consider looking for smart lighting solutions that are easy to control from your desk. That way, you will not need to get up to adjust the lighting as the ambient lighting changes during the day.
Items to Be Used with Your Laptop
When you are using a laptop for an extended period, you might find a few accessories make it easier for you. For example, consider getting a separate mouse, monitor, and keyboard to use. It will often be easier to use, and it might reduce the strain on your eyes and neck. Using a laptop for a long time can often cause you to be hunched over it for hours at a time.
Consider getting earbuds or headphones as well. Some people prefer to have one of each since they find it is more comfortable to switch them out every now and then. You can use them during video meetings or just for listening to music to make you more productive. It is also a great idea to use a firewall to make your network stronger. There are devices that will help you do so and will do everything from filter ads to preventing cyberattacks.
