Hard Drive Recovery Associates

Work From Home Essentials: A Review

Work From Home Essentials: A Review

If you started working from home since the start of the pandemic, that means that you’ve already been working from home for more than a year already. Happy anniversary! Has it really been that long? As they say, time flies when you’re having fun, so maybe you’ve really grown to like your work from home arrangement, which is why you haven’t noticed that more than 13 months have passed since initial lockdowns started. Or maybe not.

So how has it been? Have you adapted well to working from the comforts of your home? Are you already considering yourself a telecommuting pro? Or are you still struggling with the entire set-up, or perhaps are having laptop drive issues? Well, maybe not with the entire set-up, but you may still have some things that continue to hinder your full enjoyment of the arrangement or maybe stopping you from being 100% productive while working from home. So, here are four factors to consider (more like re-evaluate) if you’re still iffy about your current work from home arrangement:

Make sure you have everything you need.
Reality check: The COVID pandemic is not really ending very soon. Even with the most positive estimates, we might see the light at the end of this dark tunnel by fall at the earliest, with hopefully, the entire country reaching herd immunity. But then, even with the “new normal” kicking off as soon as the extent of the pandemic’s damage gets controlled, we still need to consider that most companies that do not really require client facing will most probably encourage telecommuting efforts for certain days in a week, if not permanent work from home arrangements. Thus, you need to have acquired all the things that will make your space conducive to work already. From your laptop to wireless mouse, keyboard, apps, a USB hub, headset for video conferencing, to an office table and chair – you need to have these already set up. If you’re still putting off buying a webcam or a spill-proof tumbler because you still have high hopes of going back to the office soon, you are just kidding yourself.

If you work around other people, headphones are a necessity. They prevent echo and feedback on office calls and help block out distractions so you can focus on the task at hand. They also let you establish a personal work “bubble,” giving a clear indication to anyone else in the house that you’re currently busy and can’t be disturbed.
(Via: https://toomanyadapters.com/essential-gear-working-from-home/)

Your workspace should be conducive to working.
Sine you’re already been working at home for at least a year, you may already realize that your laptop on your lap while sitting on the couch to work is not the most comfortable or conducive manner of getting work done. also, having your pets running around while doing a video conference isn’t exactly a professional move. Thus, you need to procure a space with the right furniture for you to sit upright a desk that can be adjusted when you want to stand for certain periods, and an area in your place that has less to zero foot traffic and noise.

If you can’t get a dedicated space you can separate from the rest of your life, try to find a niche space you can use that is out of the rest of the household’s way — and they out of yours — as much as possible.
(Via: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3545478/how-to-set-up-a-work-from-home-office-for-the-long-term.html)

Your Internet & Wi-Fi should be stable
I don’t think there is anyone of us who doesn’t use the internet for work these days. Thus, having a stable internet connection is important in a WFH set-up. Make sure that your Wi-Fi speed can handle such things as streaming and web conferencing, as well as file downloading and uploading. You can regularly test your Wi_fi or internet speed and get some assistance from your internet service provider in case the speed you’re experiencing is hindering you from properly working.

If it’s just you working from home and you’re not tackling projects that require you to upload large files, like streaming on YouTube, attending video conferences, or delivering graphic designs to clients, we think you’ll be okay with at least 50 Mbps.
(Via: https://www.reviews.org/internet-service/work-from-home-internet-guide/)

Finally, regularly set expectations
Just because everyone’s been doing this for a year doesn’t mean that we’ve grown so accustomed to it. There will still be times when we feel emotionally drained or not up to work because we are still in the middle of a pandemic. always keep the lines of communication open to team members, clients, and supervisors, informing them of possible delays in cases of unforeseen circumstances, or even if you’re just feeling low. They may not really understand your emotional lows, but at the very least they can have a reference in times when you’re not performing at 100%.

Create a work from home policy with your specific expectations of the program. The policy would include instructions for an employee’s daily work schedule, your company’s overtime policy, description of a dedicated workspace, instructions for reporting personal injury and damage to company equipment, and protection of proprietary company information.
(Via: https://amtrustfinancial.com/blog/small-business/coronavirus-best-practices-work-from-home-policy)

Alas, remember that we are still in these trying times together, and if you need help with some concerns with your laptop, you don’t have to deal with them alone. Get in touch with us right away.