In today’s world, working within a home office is commonplace. Even though many Canadians worked from home long before the pandemic, the past year and a half has given us a whole new reason to work remotely. Safety will always be paramount. However, higher productivity remains a top benefit of working at home.
In our last blog, we listed a number of ways to make your home a better workplace. We noted the need for a quiet space, a comfortable chair and natural light. In today’s blog, we’ll take a deeper look into how to make the perfect home office.
Invest in a good set of headphones.
Even though it is recommended that you find a quiet place to work, it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to. If you live in a small space or have family members working and playing nearby, quiet and privacy will hard to come by. A good pair of headphones can work wonders in the world of noise cancellation. Not to mention, they will vastly improve your ability to hear participants in virtual work meetings.
“There’s no doubt about it: You’re going to face distractions while working from home,” alerts Kelsie Schrader on ApartmentTherapy.com, “You’ll hear people talking outside. You’ll hear your neighbour’s music. You’ll hear every door that opens and closes. A pair of noise-cancelling headphones will help block out distractions and get you in the zone.”
Insist upon having a strong internet connection.
For the most part, “working from home” is generally a euphemism for “working on the internet”. Because of the wonders of the worldwide web, we’re able to conduct a lot of business meetings through virtual conference platforms such as Zoom and Skype. We’re also able to compose and post content on social media and our websites. Without a strong Wi-Fi connection, however, working from home is made difficult.
“A strong internet connection is absolutely necessary for video conferencing, file sharing, and countless other office tasks,” confirms Mark Wolfe on BobVila.com, “Communication barriers can make you seem unprofessional to clients and colleagues, and lead to frustration and reduced productivity. Don’t settle for a weak or inconsistent internet connection. Contact your provider to see if you can get a service plan that more closely matches your needs, or boost your signal with a Wi-Fi extender.”
Make your work space a vibrant place.
Just because the selected room of your home is designated for work, it doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, the opposite is necessary. To be productive, you want your work space to be a location you enjoy. Place motivational quotes on the wall. Put up smile-inducting posters. Position family photos on and around your desk. If you like where you work, your work will end up being better!
“Your photos and plants might still be at the office, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t recreate that vibe in your new WFH space,” says Schrader, “Surround yourself with things that make you happy, such as photos of family and friends, plants, and candles for a soothing vibe if you’re into scent.”
Do you need to process sales while at home?
With Unity Payments’ Virtual Terminals, you can turn your mobile devices into credit card terminals. You can process payments in-person, online or on the road using your smartphone, tablet or laptop computer! To learn more, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca.
