Millions of people are now working from home due to COVID-19, and while many offices are now open, many continue to do so for at least part of the week.
I have always had a home office and for the last few decades this has been my only office. Long before the COVID outbreak, my non-profit organization ConnectSafely decided to move away from the central office and allow everyone to work from home. Among other things, this allowed us to create a team of people from different parts of the country.
The only downside to working from home for me is the lack of camaraderie. For 20 years I worked part-time at CBS News. When I visit their New York offices and studios, I feel busier than at home. I ended up using the CBS Slack digital conferencing system. It made me feel more connected, although I’m sure there were some office gossip that never made it to this digital communications platform.
Some people enjoy commuting to the office for other reasons, including being away from home and being distracted by family. For me, it’s the exact opposite. My office and the desire to work a little at night sometimes distract me from my family life.
I am writing this column in a house where the outside temperature is over 100 degrees. If I wasn’t worried about being around people who don’t wear masks for an extended period of time, I’d love to write this column in an air-conditioned coffee shop or library as there’s no air in my home office. conditioning. Instead, I made a do-it-yourself air conditioner by placing a basket of ice packs in front of the fan. It’s not as powerful as a good portable air conditioner, but it does the job, especially in a small room. If you don’t have an ice pack, you can freeze water from a bottle or milk carton, or place a bucket of ice water in front of a fan. You can find more ideas by searching for “build your own air conditioner”, including an article from Popular Mechanics with lots of tips.
Most of my office furniture is from IKEA. My main concern when furnishing an office a few years ago was getting my desk to be the right height. If you’re looking for the “ideal table height” you’ll get all sorts of suggestions, but chances are you’ll find that your dining table is too high for maximum comfort when hunched over in front of your computer. Another important piece of furniture is the office chair. Searching for “how to choose a good office chair” will return a lot of suggestions.
Good lighting is important. I love overhead lights, but there are plenty of other options, including floor lamps. There are windows on the left in my office. I didn’t want to look at it, and I didn’t want sunlight reflecting off my monitor. However, I usually draw the curtains. I love natural light, but not when I’m working.
In addition to the overhead lighting, I also installed some side lights for extra lighting during video conferences. If you use Zoom or any other video conferencing system, lighting can make a huge difference.
Having a good webcam and microphone also helps with video conferencing. In many cases, the device built into your PC or Mac may be sufficient. If not, you can add a webcam and USB microphone. There are many good quality USB microphones on the market, and in most cases, if you use an external microphone with your computer’s speakers, you won’t experience any interference. If you don’t mind being seen wearing headphones, I recommend the Sennheiser Consumer Audio Sennheiser PC 8 USB – Stereo USB Headset. It’s only $20 on Amazon and the sound quality is good enough that I use it to record my CBS newscasts when I’m away from my home studio.
I know some people who don’t have printers, but I think it’s necessary. For some reason, I’m better at proofreading my work on paper than on screen. Although the documents I create are sent via email, sometimes I need to print emails. There are many options, but be aware that cheaper printers usually cost more ink. They’re great if you don’t use them often, but if you print a lot, you’ll save a lot in the long run by focusing on supplies. I really like the HP PageWide printer because it prints very well, very fast, can print on both sides in one go, and costs less ink per page than most inkjet or laser printers. Also consider the Epson EcoTank line of printers, which are more expensive than most other inkjet printers but much cheaper to use.
I chose a multifunction printer/scanner and was amazed at how often I use it. With this, you can also scan documents using your smartphone.
If you live with other people, you need to consider how they affect you and how your work from home affects them. Again, it’s ideal to have a separate room, but if that’s not possible, you may need to arrange when you can work, when you can watch TV, sleep, or do other activities that interfere with your work.
When my children were young, I worked from home, but I quickly realized that I could not work and take care of the children at the same time. Fortunately, I have a spouse who can look after the children while I work. If you’re not so lucky, consider other options, but be aware that working from home isn’t always compatible with childcare.
Working from home can also be stressful for your adult relationship, so if you live with a partner, it’s important to have rules, or at least general rules, about when you work and when for your partner. It doesn’t have to be traditional business hours. Some people work better at night. Sometimes I do my best work when everyone else is asleep. But whatever you do, make sure you are in sync with those who may be affected by your presence or absence.
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Post time: Sep-09-2022