During lockdown, many of us had no choice but to work remotely. Unfortunately, it was stressful. Most were juggling educating kids, caring for family members, and learning how to use new technology. On top of not having the right equipment, a space to work in and a broadband connection that kept dropping in and out.
Now that the kids are back at school, and we are free to plan where we go, when and what we do, remote working has turned into an attractive proposition. According to the latest YouGov research, 57% of UK workers want to work from home. Currently, around 50% of them are doing that either part or full-time. From the looks of things home working is here to stay, so it is well worth reviewing your setup and improving things. Provided you do it in the right way, you can create the freedom to work from literally anywhere. Here are the things you need to sort out to be able to do so.
A decent broadband connection
Spending a little extra to secure the best broadband for working from home is worth doing. Having a truly reliable connection means that you never have to worry about letting your boss or colleagues down. You don’t want to be the one whose connection freezes in the middle of an important meeting with colleagues. Or the person everyone is waiting for because it is taking an age for you to send a file.
A stable internet connection with good upload speeds
Look for a supplier who offers high upload speeds as well as download speeds. This is important for when you need to upload files, stream a training session you are running like those that come with TEFL courses online, or take part in video calls.
Bear in mind the broadband needs of the whole family
There is a good chance that you and your partner will be working from home together. Plus, the kids are going to need to use the internet for schoolwork. Or they may want to watch streamed content or play a game. Combined that is going to add up to a lot of bandwidth. You and everyone in the family needs a reliable, fast connection for the whole of the day, so you want to be sure that your broadband contract will provide it. You can find out how to work out what you need, by reading this.
The right equipment
Next on the list is setting yourself up with the right tools and equipment. At the very least you will need:
- A decent workstation.
- You can either choose to work using a PC, tablet, or laptop. Which you choose depends on the type of work you do. But, in most cases, the best setup is going to be a fast laptop, combined with a docking station and an extra monitor.
- This provides you with the option to work anywhere. So, if you need to spend time staying with your mum to help her to recover from an operation you can do so without necessarily needing to take time off. Or you might want to spend part of your day working in your car or out of a café because there is too much going on at home for you to focus on.
- A proper desk and office chair.
- If you are going to work at home, it is wise to set up a desk and buy a proper ergonomic office chair. Using them will greatly reduce the risk of your developing back problems or a repetitive strain injury. Click here to find out more about the kind of setup you will need.
Build resilience into your home working setup
Working from home is a privilege that the boss can take away if they think it is being abused. If you want the flexibility that working from home offers, you have to produce good quality work and be reliable.
To be able to do so consistently you will need some sort of backup workstation. A spare laptop that is fully charged and updated will usually be sufficient.
Consider investing in a mobile broadband contract
You may also wish to sign up for a mobile broadband deal. Fortunately, this is cheaper than you may think. For example, Vodafone broadband often offers discounts to existing customers. With a proper mobile broadband deal working out of a café, a hotel room or other place becomes a truly viable proposition.
As you can see it is not hard to upgrade your home working setup. But it is going to cost a bit of money. However, it is best to view this as an investment in yourself and your family rather than as a financial burden. One that enables you to take full advantage of working remotely.