Working from isn’t as easy as it seems. We miss the routine chats with co-workers to think through problems, the structure of a scheduled workday, and a reliable work-station. For many of us, working from home also means childcare, pets, and all the other household tasks (and distractions) that require our attention.
Not to mention that proverbial elephant in the room: working in the midst of crisis. Even as work resumes for those who are able to work from home, nothing is normal. It’s important to take time for yourself and don’t expect to be productive all the time – or, any of the time! Some days are just going to be rough and it’s okay to roll with it and take a mental health day for yourself.
Configure your Workstation
Your best friend, or your worst enemy, in working from home will be your workstation. A comfortable chair that encourages good posture and a desk that is the correct height, or an adjustable monitor are going to be key. Try not to work in your bedroom (it won’t be conducive to rest when you need it). A standard dining room table can suffice if you have it.
Take Breaks
Schedule breaks for yourself that include going for a walk or other physical activity. Just like at the office, step away from your desk for lunch.
To get our home office tech tools up to speed, here are a few useful networking and collaboration tools we are using:
Ergonomic Peripherals
A vertical mouse that allows for a neutral “handshake” wrist position is going to be important (this is a note from your future).
Logitech makes some great ergonomic keyboards and mice for all operating systems. We recommend the MX Ergo products, there’s a trackball mouse with an incline and a vertical mouse.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/mx-ergo-wireless-trackball-mouse
Project Management
CLICKUP – $0-$5 PER USER
Provides: Information Storage/Sharing | Project Management | Tasks, docs, chat, goals, & more
TRELLO – $0-20.83/PER USER
Provides: Information Storage/Sharing | Project Management
ASANA PROJECT MANAGEMENT – $0-24.99/PER USER Provides: Information Storage/Sharing | Project Management
Conferencing Platforms
ZOOM – $0-19.99*
Offers: Video Conferencing | Web Conferencing/Webinar | Security/Encryption
SLACK – $0-12.50
Offers: Video Conferencing | Instant Messaging | Information Storage/Sharing | Security/Encryption
LOOM – $0-5/PER USER*
Offers: Video Conferencing | Web Conferencing/Webinar |Instant Messaging
GOTOMEETING – $12-16/PER USER*
Offers: Video Conferencing | Web Conferencing/Webinar | Audio/Phone | Instant Messaging
*In response to COVID-19: some organizations may be eligible for access to free emergency remote work toolkit. Can register here.
Information Services
DROPBOX BUSINESS – $12.50-20/PER USER*
Provides Information Storage/Sharing | Security/Encryption
GENIUS SCAN – $0
Provides Information Storage/Sharing
Phone app for scanning/sending documents
DISCLAIMER:
These are tools we like and use but are in no way an official endorsement. We have not accepted any payment or in-kind contributions from the goods and services listed above. These are just a few resources we thought might be useful.
