Working from home is slowly but surely becoming the norm for many professionals. According to a recent Gallup poll, the number of WFHR (work from home, remotely) employees has increased by almost 25 percent since 2016. As remote work continues to grow as an acceptable and productive work style, you may be considering making the switch from commuting to your office every day to working from home instead. Working from home requires you have a specific setup with reliable internet and other necessary equipment. The first step in working from home is figuring out what setup you need and how you can make that happen. Depending on where you live and what kind of housing situation you have, this process might be straightforward or require some serious planning. Regardless, here are four ways to get the WFH style you’re looking for:
Decide on a Location
First, you’ll want to decide on a location to base your remote work from home setup. This will be different for everyone depending on their situation, but there are a few questions you can ask yourself to start making decisions. First, you might consider how much time you spend travelling for work now and how that might change if you worked from home. Additionally, you might consider what your housing situation is like and whether you can make the necessary adjustments to your office setup. If you live in an apartment or have a small house, you’ll likely have less room for maneuvering than if you live in a house with a separate office or room. You may have to prioritise what equipment you can’t live without over what you’d like to have. If you live in an apartment and have a small space, you might want to skip the standing desk and invest in a laptop versus a desktop computer, for example.
Find the Right Equipment
Once you’ve decided on a location, your second step is to find the right equipment. While you can certainly create a WFH setup with minimal equipment, there are certain tools that allow you to work more efficiently and productively. Depending on what you do for a living, you may want to prioritize certain pieces of equipment over others. For example, if you work in a field where you need to travel for meetings on a regular basis, you might want a laptop with a great battery. If you find yourself working from home more often, you might also want to invest in some noise-cancelling headphones to cut down on distractions from the outside world. Laptops and computers – If you work in any kind of office-associated field, you’ll likely want a laptop computer. You may also want a desktop computer if you work in a field that requires a lot of computing power, like graphic or video design work. Internet – Many WFH employers require employees to have reliable internet. If you work for yourself and need high-speed internet for your business, like a remote web designer, you may have to get a business-grade internet from your provider. Headsets – If you do any type of work that requires you to talk with others, like customer support or remote teaching, a quality headset will help you sound clear and focused. Unlike a phone call, you can also easily mute yourself when you’re taking a break or need to step away from your work.
Set a Schedule
Once you’ve found the right equipment, the next step is to set a schedule. You’ll want to be flexible with your schedule at first so you can get used to working remotely and find better work-life balance when you’re home. Once you’re comfortable with your setup, you can set a more rigid schedule. If you’re a morning person, you might want to work in the mornings and afternoons, while a night owl might prefer to work at night. You may even want to work at different times every day to help avoid burnout and keep yourself energized.
Have a Dedicated Workspace
Once you’ve found the right equipment and set a schedule, you’ll want to make sure you have a dedicated workspace. Your workspace doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, but it does need to be functional for your needs. If you work from home, you may want to make your workspace as separate from the rest of your home as possible. While it’s a common misconception that you should use headphones to block out noise when working from home, you should actually make sure you have enough noise around you. According to a study published by the Journal of Health Psychology, you need a moderate level of noise around you to be more productive and creative.
Bottom Line
Finally, once you’ve decided on a location, found the right equipment, set a schedule, and have a dedicated workspace, you’re ready to start working from home. Working from home is a great way to cut down on your daily travel time and costs, while also reducing your carbon footprint. If you’re ready to make the switch, you’ll want to start by deciding on a location, finding the right equipment, setting a schedule, and making a dedicated workspace to help you get ready for working remotely.