Millions of us, suddenly working from home, are trying to carve out productive workspaces while managing upside-down schedules and unfamiliar technology.
Here are a few home office tips to make the transition easier. By now, you may have discovered many of these on your own, but check out the list and see if there’s something you may have missed.
- Set a daily routine. Wake up at a normal time. Take some time to have your coffee and breakfast before you start work. Wear comfortable clothes, but not your pajamas.
- Maintain regular work hours. This will help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.
- Set ground rules with the people in your space. If you have children or other family members who are at home while you’re working, give them clear rules about what they can and cannot do during your work time. Talk to your family about your expectations; this is new for them, too. Consider noise-canceling headphones, if necessary.
- Schedule breaks. Take scheduled breaks, especially lunchtime. Also, make sure you take the time to get up and stretch periodically. Since we are encouraged to stay out of public spaces, take a walk or otherwise get outside while maintaining social distancing.
- Ask for what you need. Make sure you have the necessary resources to work remotely. Don’t forget little things, like using a mouse. If, after a few days, you realize you’re missing something, put in a help desk ticket, talk to your manager or contact your human resources representative.
- Keep a dedicated office space. If possible, have a dedicated workspace. Make sure the space is well-lit, with as much natural light as possible. Have a good chair. When you have completed your work for the day, leave your workspace.
- Keep in touch with coworkers. Loneliness, disconnectedness and isolation can be common concerns with working remotely. Stay in contact with your colleagues via email, phone calls and web-based conferencing.
- Be present in meetings. Take part in conference calls. Set up video calls when appropriate.
- Communicate. Keep your manager and team aware of your availability. Communicate where you are on projects.
Conference Call Tips
A conference call can feel like running slightly uphill. You can still get where you’re going, you just have to put in a little more effort to get there. The interest we show with eye contact, the sympathy we display with head nods and smiles, the emphasis we add with our hands—we don’t have them on conference calls. Good etiquette is how we compensate. Below are some guidelines you can follow to help:
Be Sure Your Connection Is Strong
A poor connection can cause two problems—it can create feedback that disrupts other people on the call, and it can make you more difficult to hear. If you are using a screen sharing service, make sure it works before the call starts.
Find a Quiet Spot
This may prove challenging with children or pets running around, but it will help you better focus on the conversations you’re having. Make sure you’re in a spot that maintains the privacy of others.
Set Up Your Computer on a Level Space
Put it on a desk or table and in a spot where the light is overhead or in front of you, so people can see your face. If the light is behind you, your face will appear dark or lit up only by the screen. Look to see what’s on the walls or in the room behind you because that’s also what others will see.
Identify Yourself Whenever You Speak
This is especially the case if it’s a large group on the phone that isn’t used to talking daily. Nothing’s more frustrating on a conference call than when you don’t know who’s speaking. You don’t need to make a big entrance. Keep it simple: “This is Joanne speaking, and in my opinion…”
If You’re Late, Don’t Announce Yourself
When you join a call late, you’re a disruption. The “ding” signifying your presence interrupts whoever is talking. Often, someone else will stop the call to ask who just joined.
Use Your Mute Button
Nothing ruins a conference call faster than the barking dog, fussy baby or blaring television of the person who forgot to mute themselves. One person’s bad connection or background noise can ruin the call for everyone. You don’t always know exactly what the folks on the other end of the call are hearing. If you aren’t talking, keep yourself on mute.
Write Down All the Decisions Made During the Conference Call
Not only will this help you understand what you’ve achieved during the conference call but also will help you remember what you have to do. Designate a person to take notes and send to the team.
Don’t Let the Silence Invade Your Conference Call
Participants have no opportunity to see you, so if they also don’t hear you, then communication will drop to zero. Let other people know if you’re busy checking something or typing notes so they don’t think of technical issues.
Save Specialized Conversations For Offline
If you’re in a meeting with 15 people, and you and another participant are dominating the discussion with a lengthy topic that holds significance only for the two of you, ask that person to have a follow-up call with you after the conference call is over.
Sources: Vast Conference and Krisp
Preventing Eyestrain:
Eyestrain is a common condition. It’s becoming even more frequent in this digital age. Eyestrain caused by the use of digital devices like computers, smartphones, and tablets is better known as computer vision syndrome or digital eyestrain.
Since we are all spending more time with our devices lately, below are some simple things you can start doing today, to help prevent eyestrain:
- Look away frequently (20-20-20 rule): Eye strain often occurs when you engage in a single activity for too long a period of time without a break. You should shift your focus to something other than the activity every 20 minutes. What you focus on should be 20 feet away, and you should look at it for at least 20 seconds. This is known as the 20-20-20 rule.
You should not only look away every 20 minutes but also make sure to turn away from an intense activity for several hours during the day. If you have to work at a screen or drive a long distance for multiple hours, make sure to balance that activity with others that demand different uses of your eyes. For example, take a walk outside in the natural light during your lunch break if you’ve spent the whole morning working on a computer.
- Position your screen: Make sure you’re looking at your digital device at the correct distance and in the proper position. The screen should be a few feet away from your eyes, or about arm’s length. You should view the screen at the level of your eyes or slightly below them. This goes for handheld digital devices, too; they should be read at below eye level.
Another handy tip for digital devices is to enlarge the text on the screen to best suit your comfort level. You can likely adjust text size in the settings of your device.
- Find the right light: Lighting can cause eyestrain. It can either be too dim or too bright, depending on the activity. Light should come from behind you if you’re focusing intensely on something like reading. Dimming the lights may help reduce eyestrain when watching TV.
Make sure the screens that you’re viewing are adequately lit, as well. Adjust the brightness as needed. Glare can contribute to eyestrain, so try shading windows or using filters to reduce glare on your digital device.
- Multitask correctly: It’s common to need to use printed matter or other materials when working on a computer. For example, you may need to transcribe a form or notes. If you have to refer to documents and such while using your computer, you should position them to avoid having to move your eyes, neck, and head too frequently. A document stand can help you place materials between your keyboard and your monitor, resulting in less eyestrain.
- Use eye drops: Intense focus, particularly when viewing a screen, can result in a dramatic reduction in how many times you blink per minute. When you blink less, your eyes can get dry and irritated. You can resolve this with the use of eye drops like artificial tears. You can also try to blink more often when using a screen, which can prevent the symptom from occurring.
- Check the air: You may find that you spend time in a place that has poor air quality. Dry or polluted environments and places with fans and heating and cooling units may cause eyestrain. You may want to:
- improve the air with a humidifier
- turn down the heating and cooling system
- relocate to a spot that doesn’t have the same air issues
- Wear proper eyewear: Work with your doctor to determine if you need special eyewear to reduce eyestrain. You may even need specialized lenses, devices, or eye therapy for the activity that causes strain. Certain coatings and tints for lenses may help your eyes. Or you may find that you need to cut the time you wear contact lenses to help rest your eyes.
- Reduce time spent on a single activity: A simple way to avoid eyestrain is to limit the time you’re exposed to a single activity that requires intense focus. Try to spend less time on digital devices.
Source: healthline.com
