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 that they can comply with the social distancing protocol to help in the battle of spreading the virus. The virus is spreading between people, so social distancing is a measure that governments put in place to try to curb 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 will make 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 most of it. It is better that we all 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 from an economic point of view but also keep 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 that will be extremely helpful to you when you don’t know it. how to set up an efficient home office during the coronavirus outbreak.

Essential hardware

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

The first thing you will need, although it is not a piece of hardware, it is extremely important to get started and it 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 will not have distractions or at least limit them as much as possible. If you have an entire room to dedicate to this, great, but if you don’t, be sure to find the spot that is farthest from the kitchen and as far away from the TV as possible so that you won’t be tempted to turn around. to him and see what happens from time to time. It will be a great distraction. Of course, playing background music may not be distracting, but setting it too loud may reduce your working capacity. Once this is done and done, you will need a software and hardware setup around it depending on your job.

Stable internet connection

To make your connection as stable as possible, you will need a good router that is fast and has a good Wi-Fi signal. If you don’t already have one, getting one is crucial because it is the most essential piece of hardware that will keep you online and ensure that you stay connected with all your colleagues and that you can do your work effectively from home. There are some pretty 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 is constantly failing or passing off unclear nonsense both ways. You will not be able to do your job properly and on top of that you will get very angry. In addition to a good headset, you will also need to get software that has your entire workplace where everyone is online and available so they can call or text each other all the time. An application like Skype will do the job perfectly.

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 the job done on its own, a coffee machine that makes great coffee will save you from going to the first coffee and working from there because you need a good cup of coffee to focus more and be 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 greatly appreciate when you feel the need for coffee.

Comfortable chair

Since you will spend a lot of time sitting, it is advantageous for your back to have a chair that is comfortable and keeps your body in the correct position so that you do not develop any back pain. Getting something to make sure your monitor is at correct eye level when you work will also help you 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 need to make sure you have a routine that you can stick to. Generally, it is better to maintain the same work habits that you had when you were in the office because you are already used to working at that point. Therefore, working from home does not mean that you have to work when you want and stretch everything you need to do during the day throughout the day and even into the night, but rather stick to the working hours that you kept in the office. Another thing you need to do is do all the morning preparations as if you were going to the office. Don’t just get up and sit in front of your PC or laptop and go to work 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 mentally preparing you for the work you need to do and will help you a lot to do good. 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 many people believe makes them faster at what they do, but most of the time it 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 just 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 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 be counterproductive.

Get fresh air

Although you work from home and we are all advised to stay indoors, getting some fresh air without exposing yourself to large social groups is a must do to maintain health and spirits. Just like when you are in the office and you go out for lunch for half an hour, you should do the same when you are at home. Take the proper rest and go eat in your garden or take a walk around your neighborhood just to stretch your legs and breathe some fresh air and even get some sunlight which is sure to refresh you and make you feel so much better than being trapped your apartment all day. You can even grab a cup of coffee from your coffee machine and drink it on the go while enjoying your break from work. Getting out and walking is good for your back and posture too 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 frequent breaks

Another thing you can do to be as efficient as possible when working from home is to take breaks whenever you feel like you need them. Maybe after every completed task or every hour. Short breaks will prevent you from feeling tied to your chair at work and will ensure that you are not sitting for many 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 are 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 does not extend into the personal part of your life and interrupt with your family or your free time. It is much easier to do when you work from home because your workplace is just a few steps away and you may be tempted to work a little before going to bed so you can finish some of the work you will have tomorrow. But it’s really a gray area that could get out of control and before you know it, it becomes you 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 should not take this lightly and make sure you follow the rules that you set out 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 do not 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 children because they will want to spend time with you and they won’t understand that you have to finish before you can give them your full attention. Going in with a plan will ensure that this situation does not make you angry or upset and will bother you much less when you are ready for it.

conclusion

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

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

Whenever you work, make sure you don’t focus on other things and try to multitask because it will not be productive or efficient.

In addition, it is advantageous to get fresh air from time to time and leave the house and take short breaks more often than longer breaks that are less frequent.

Mentally preparing for interruptions is also a must 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 it won’t bother you too much because it will be ready and waiting for you.

It is a real challenge to go through these difficult times and adapt your routine to work from home while preserving 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. the other ends up with as little “bruising” as possible. Following the tips we shared with you above is sure to help you a lot when setting up your home office and prepare you for the challenges you will face.