Working from Home Series-Know What You Need

Working from home can bring with it a lot of conveniences that working from the office doesn’t offer. Typically speaking, when you are working in the office, everything you need to properly work is provided for you; a computer, a desk with a comfortable chair, people to talk to, etc. Some things you may not consider are things like your internet speeds or the quiet that comes with a typical office environment.

Internet speeds are crucial when it comes to working from home. Your internet connection at home may be fine when it comes to sustaining streaming or gaming services, but what happens when you’re adding your work computer to an already busy internet connection? You may want to consider limiting internet usage in the time you’re working. This could mean no streaming or making sure people aren’t playing games online in the time you’re working. There may also be potential for you to get a free service upgrade through your internet provider (this was the case for me). 

Make sure you keep your work environment clean. Unlike the office, house cleaning isn’t something typically available to you while working from home. It’s also crucial to create a quiet, peaceful environment for you to work in. In my home, I’ve set a rule that says I’m unavailable to members of my household unless it’s an emergency unless I’m on break or lunch. This frees up my time to do whatever work needs to be done without interference.

Above all things, your mental health is super important, and you may not have put much emphasis on the feeling of isolation that working from home can bring with it until you aren’t working in a more social environment like you were in the office. Video calls with friends, family, and co-workers can help mitigate the feeling of loneliness that working from home can bring with it.

Every work-from-home situation is going to be different between individual people. Just remember this is temporary and you will make it through!