Remote working gives a perfect work environment for many employees. You don’t have to commute to work and deal with stressful traffic. Just enjoy your breakfast and start working from your home. All you need is an efficient remote workspace and you can bring out productive results.
It is especially beneficial for moms and dads who also have to look after small kids. Just imagine, your female or male staff don’t have to take extra leave or resign due to such family issues. For people like me, getting up and going to the office in extremely cold weather is the most challenging thing to do. Remote working solves various problems for various people. Companies offer remote working for employees because it helps them cut down overheads and utility expenses. No matter the reason; remote working is becoming a very popular choice for businesses.
Remote working also has its share of drawbacks. But, you can easily manage those issues through a properly equipped remote workspace. A proper remote workspace has some essential components that make your work progressive and removes any hindrance that you might face because of working away from the physical office. Let us dive in deeper and find those essential components.
Contents
Essential for a remote workspace:
A private nook:
Working from home sometimes becomes too comfortable. There are many distractions in your home. Household chores, kids, family members, etc., all distract you. Your office work demands you to focus and pay dedicated attention. This solution is having a separate space for work. You can make your home office in a spare room, attic, outhouse, or any small space in your house, where you can set up your home office. The ideal space is where you won’t be bothered by family members or kids or any other distractions.
Fast and secure internet connection:
Since all your work is online, it is a given that you will need an internet connection to do it. If the internet connection is slow, you will face difficulties while working. Similarly, you need a secure connection for the safety of your office data against theft. Make sure to get a secure and fast internet connection so you are not lagging during conference calls and data collaboration.
Remote work equipment and software:
The equipment you need depends on the work you do. But the basic home office equipment includes a laptop or desktop, and computer accessories like a keyboard, printer, monitor, etc. if you are a music producer or video editor, then you will need the required equipment for recording and editing. Since you don’t go to an office where the equipment is provided; you will need to get that yourself. Similarly, if you work in the legal or finance niche, you will need access to the software that your company uses. Other than that, you will need some all-purpose software for remote working like zoom, Trello, Slack, Microsoft Teams, etc. These are used for video conferences, data sharing, project collaboration, and organized teamwork.
The right furniture:
You have to sit for long hours while working remotely. To avoid backache and muscle fatigue you need a comfortable chair and a good desk. The right furniture can do wonders for you and keep you active and working for a longer time. Usually, people underestimate the importance of comfortable furniture. You might think that any chair and desk will work but when you look into it, you will find different types of office chairs offering different levels of comfort. So, don’t take this lightly and look after your health while you work.
Keep a professional attitude:
Even if you are working from home, don’t take it casually. Working in your PJs is appealing and why most of us want to work from home. But once you start doing it, you start taking your work casually and end up negatively affecting your productivity. If you have to do a video call urgently, changing and getting dressed will be a hassle. Dressing up for work helps you to be more alert and attentive. Try dressing in your office clothes or something casual and smart, and you will feel the difference in productivity yourself.
Be organized:
Keeping your desk clean and organized will help you focus. Clutter only makes you distracted and you might lose something important. Remove everything that is not required for your work. Clutter slows you down; decluttering is like cleansing your workspace from confusion and disturbance.
You can organize your work either by using digital planners or analog ones. If, like me, you are old school, then using a whiteboard and post-it notes will help you keep up with your deadlines and appointments. It also gives you a break from your screen time and helps you refocus.
Keep things you enjoy close to you:
To relax your eyes and nerves, you should keep things you like on your desk or near it. A small green plant can relax your eyes like nothing else. If you like art, keep miniature art pieces on your desk or near it so you can look at them in your break time. Don’t forget to take breaks regularly and do some exercise or walk around. Sitting for long hours can be harmful to your blood circulation, bones, and muscles. So keep your treadmill in your home office and walk for a bit when on break.
