The Best Smart Tech Tools of 2021:
Work From Home Like a Boss
Things have changed over the past year. Now, more than ever, people are working from home with offices temporarily – or permanently – closed. Initially, working from home was a fun novelty, and it was quite pleasant, even joyful, to be able to sit down on your couch or favorite chair with a cup of coffee and a laptop and dive into your emails and get to work. However, over time, many individuals have found that, while comfortable, these working conditions are less than ideal. There’s a reason why we have desks, dedicated chairs, and monitor risers at the office – there’s a real risk of injury from something as simple as typing on a laptop while sitting on the couch or lying in bed. We have some recommendations to help make your work-from-home experience safer and more productive.
First Step
First, set up a dedicated workspace. When you work from home, it’s easy to lose the distinction between “work time” and “leisure time”. This creates a number of problems: you feel like you’re “always on”, and fail to turn off the email and computer to relax, clear your mind, and be present with your family; your attention is divided, you don’t do your best work; and your anxiety levels increase, as you spend time thinking about everything you “should” be doing instead of leaving work at the office. By having a dedicated space where you do work, you create a boundary – when you’re not there, you’re not working, and you can focus on other things. In this workspace, there are some essentials. If you’re working on just a laptop, get an adjustable laptop stand to elevate the screen to the proper viewing height. The top of the screen should be at eye level, which helps reduce neck strain. Additionally, we recommend a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, so that your arms and hands are at the proper angle for typing, reducing the risk of a repetitive stress injury like carpal tunnel syndrome. If you really want to make the investment, consider an ergonomic keyboard. If you’re using an additional monitor, use a riser stand to make sure your screen is at the correct height.
Second Step
Secondly, minimize distractions. There’s a lot going on around your home, such as pets, kids doing distance learning, and all the household chores that are always present, waiting for your attention. Ideally, you will be able to work in a dedicated home office with a door you can close for privacy and some quiet, but that’s not an option for everyone. A good way to reduce distractions and increase focus is a good set of headphones or, for those Zoom meetings, a headset with a microphone to make your work time more productive. Music services have great playlists curated to help increase focus, and some headphones have a noise-cancelling feature that blocks out background distractions with white noise or blissful silence.
conclusion
Finally, use home automation features to keep tabs on your home from your command center, rather than having to get up and walk around to take care of minor tasks. With Vivint Home Automation, you can turn lights on and off, adjust your thermostat, even set blinds to open and close on a schedule or with a simple click on your smartphone. With Vivint Security Cameras and a doorbell security camera, you can see who is at the door without leaving your desk to know if you need to be interrupted or if you can disregard the visitor at the door. Integrating home automation into your routine means that your work-from-home experience is safer and more productive.
For many people, work from home is a temporary situation; for others, it’s the new normal. Whether you are working from home for now, or as a permanent change in your routine, using these tips and integrating home automation tools from Vivint Security will help you succeed and have a happy, healthier work-life balance.
