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 opting for their employees to work from home so that they can comply with the 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 just 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 everyone is to stay motivated, connected and productive during this crisis so that we can get out of this situation in the best possible conditions and keeping our work schedule can help us a lot, not only from an economic point of view but also to maintain 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 put together a few things that you will 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 around your home in order to successfully work efficiently and have everything you need around you to get the job done right.

The first thing you’ll need, while not a piece of hardware, is extremely important to get started with, and that’s 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 as much as possible. If you have an entire room to dedicate to this, great, but if you don’t, make sure you find the spot that is furthest from the kitchen and as far away from the TV as possible so you won’t be tempted to turn to it and watch what’s happening. that happens from time to time. It will be very annoying. Of course, the music playing in the background may not be distracting, but if it is too loud, it can reduce your ability to work. Once you’re done and ready, you’ll need some software and hardware setup around you 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 effectively do your work from home. There are some pretty fast but not too expensive routers available in the market, so it shouldn’t be a problem to find a good one.

headphones

It’s also a good idea to have a good headset in case you have a job where you need to constantly communicate with colleagues. 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 you 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 job done per se, a coffee machine that makes great coffee will save you from heading to the first cafe and working from there because you need a good cup of coffee to focus and be ready to go. Your Work Day 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 urge for 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 correct 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 condition that develops 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 need to make sure you have a routine that you’ll be able to stick to. Usually, it’s best to keep up with the same work clothes you had on when you were at the office because you’re already used to working by then. So, working from home does not mean that you have to work when you want and stretch everything you need to do during the day for the whole day and even into the night, but rather that you have to stick to the working hours that you kept in the office. Another thing that you should also do 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, dress and do exactly the same as 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 pajamas 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 many people believe makes them faster at what they do, but most of the time that is not the case. Try to focus solely on your work, although you will have many distractions that you can do around the house that can 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 pack your lunch and snacks just like 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 further distractions and be counterproductive.

get fresh air

Even though you are working from home and we are all encouraged to stay indoors, getting some fresh air without exposing yourself to large social groups is a must do to maintain your health and spirits. Just like when you are at 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 get some sunlight which will surely refresh you and make you feel much better than being stuck in the sun. your apartment all day. You can even get a cup of coffee from your coffee machine and drink it on the go while enjoying your break at work. Going outside 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 frequently

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 them. Maybe after every task completed or every hour. Short breaks will keep you from feeling tied to your chair at work and ensure that you don’t sit for long hours. Sometimes even taking a 5 minute break every 25-30 minutes is also a great idea according to research that found that these short breaks are much more advantageous than longer breaks that are less frequent.

Set strict rules for yourself

By this we mean, make sure that your work stays at work and does not spill over into the personal part of your life and interrupt with your family or free time. It’s a lot easier to do when you’re working 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, you’ll find yourself working all the time and not having time for yourself or anyone else in your family. It can be very damaging, especially to your social life and you shouldn’t take it lightly and make sure you follow whatever rules you set for yourself so you don’t end up in a situation where you can’t balance your work with your life. .

Mentally prepare for interruptions

This is especially important if you do not live alone and have a family. Mentally preparing yourself to be interrupted will save you a lot of time in explanations and conversations trying to prevent it 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 in with a plan will ensure that this situation doesn’t make you angry or upset and 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 endangering your health.

Sticking to the same work habits that you had when you had an office is beneficial to you because you are already used to that routine and it will be an easier transition to doing everything else except commuting to work instead of changing the whole routine or skipping parts of it. she

Whenever you work, make sure that you are not concentrating 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 to get out of the house and take short breaks more frequently than longer breaks that are less frequent.

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

It is a real challenge to go 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 will surely help you a lot when setting up your home office and prepare you for the challenges you will face.