Working from home usually sounds like a LOTTT of work!!!.. The conditions under which we envisage ourselves working– the home environment and its numerous distractions.
To others, it seems too easy and unserious, to “claim” to work from home.
Whatever your school of thought is, working from/at home is REAL and can be EFFECTIVE.
Some years back, as a student, I found it really hard to study on a regular table and chair like most “normal” students would 😜. I would usually turn my study table into a book store and stationery display center, and study on my bed. Ohhh the kinds of “study postures” I’d take in bed, just to keep my eyelids parted, when sleep starts haunting me…one would think I was a passionate athlete for the Olympics, who was forced to study engineering.
A few years down the road;
I didn’t just stick to working from the comfort of my bed, but I deliberately left out a study table and chair from my furniture shopping list. I must say this had a significantly negative effect on my overall efficiency and productivity.
As regards work-at-home equipment, all I had was a laptop, a smartphone, notebooks, and stationery.
So I can confidently say it doesn’t take much to start working from your home.
WorkSpace Ethics
Some companies may evaluate your workspace via your webcam, thus requiring that you have a private and quiet workspace in your home. This isn’t only helpful to the company but to you as a home agent. You need to be free from background noises and other sorts of distractions, to focus on your work. Imagine a scenario where clients or customers hear background noise during online meetings or see you working while reclining in bed during video conferencing. This will appear very unprofessional!
Endeavor to make your workspace as ergonomically comfortable as possible. The workspace size really doesn’t matter. Treat it as if it were a segment out of a company’s physical office.
Below is a list of the basic work-at-home equipment for a start, as well as links to purchase them on Amazon!
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please read the disclosure policy.
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Computer (Desktop/Laptop)
It isn’t only convenient for communicating with a company you work for, but also for your day-to-day tasks. Computer specifications and/or requirements may vary. Make sure your computer is not obsolete, relative to the date of purchase. Endeavor to have an updated Operating System and software packages.
Some companies have their specifics so it’s advisable to check with the companies you’re working for, on what you will need to purchase if you do not already have it.
There are many new low-cost computers online. You may want to check out the following, on Amazon:
This post contains affiliate links. They are my humble suggestions for the interest of my readers.
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Internet Service
Of course, any job or task that has to be done online requires a reliable internet connection. Some companies require that you have high-speed internet and will have you test your internet speed to make sure it meets their requirement.
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Smartphones:
Almost everybody owns a smartphone nowadays. It’s advisable to have a dedicated phone for work purposes only, to avoid distractions with personal business on your regular phone. See below a few recommendations, from Amazon:
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Fax, Printer, and Scanner:
I recommend an all-in-one system, which comes with all the capabilities you need to run a hassle-free workspace. This will also save you some money and time, in the long run.
HP Office Jet Pro 8025 All-in-One Wireless Printer, Smart
Supplementary Equipment:
For those interested in transcription, proofreading, and typing jobs online, please see my transcription blog post for specific equipment requirements for transcription.
Given the flexibility associated with working from home, you need a lot of self-discipline to successfully and efficiently embark on this journey relentlessly.
Working from home is not for everyone but you can make it work by considering the following:
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Set goals and draw a schedule
Lack of focus, direction, and purpose is a sure way to give up and crash as soon as you begin this journey. Given that this will be different from a regular workday in an office, it’s quite easy to either forget about getting work done or to completely get so immersed in work that you’re glued to your PC screen and get nothing else done at home.
Create a schedule! Decide what you want to do, how, and when. Decide when to wake up.
Stick to these decisions! This will keep you self-motivated and less likely to procrastinate.
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Get you some days off
To stay sane, you need days off. It’s so easy to find yourself working EVERY single day and for lengthy hours, especially when you’re passionate about what you do.
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Eliminate distractions
That TV you could comfortably watch all day…I’m sorry you’ll have to turn it off more often.
Social media time…if your phone is the problem, please switch off the Wi-Fi and keep it far away from you. Some apps help turn off social media for you, this way you won’t be able to turn it back on yourself.
Unhealthy snacking… it’s easy to want to distract yourself with a bite here and there. Set out dedicated time to prep and/or eat your meals properly.
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Work out of home somedays
Getting out of your home and switching things up, somedays may help you not to feel stuck in a groove or secluded from the rest of the world. You could change your work environment…try working somewhere new…a park, the beach, coffee shop, etc.
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Hire help
Sometimes, to get more work done within a limited time frame, getting help is the way to go. At some stage of your home working life, you may need to hire virtual assistants, for example, to carry out different parts of several tasks that you need to get done. You could even hire someone to assist with your house chores, on some days.
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This is still a real job
Some people will not take you seriously when you say you work from home. They’ll think you have tons of free time and are doing almost nothing all day. People need to be informed that you are still actually working…this time, in a different environment. Would your job be viewed differently just because you’re working from home and not in a regular office structure while doing THE SAME tasks?
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Have a social life
Stay in touch with other humans like yourself😄. Do not get super absorbed and lonely. Depression is real!
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Mindset
At the end of the day, having the right mindset is really what’s going to keep you self-motivated. It’s easy to give up on working from home especially at the beginning. Nevertheless, the right mindset and attitude are usually what you need.
Can working from home, work for you?
Products in this post
- All-in-one Desktops
- Traditional Laptops
- Best Budget Phones
- HP Office Jet Pro 8025 All-in-One Wireless Printer, Smart
Check out companies hiring now, to kick-start your career.
