What the Tech? Setting Up a Better Home Office
Twitter has told its employees that they have permission to work from home. Forever.
When the stay-at-home orders began you may have cobbled together some necessities like a printer, a web camera and cordoned off some space for a home office. But as David after dentist once asked on YouTube, “is this forever?”
Here are some things that might help if it seems like it’s forever.
If you’re sometimes having trouble connecting to your home internet, make sure your work computer is close to your WiFi router. Better yet, connect the computer directly into the router or modem using an ethernet cable guaranteeing the fastest speed your provider allows.
It may be time to move from the kitchen table to a more permanent location for your home office.
If you need a desk, consider getting one that can easily convert to a standing desk. The Flexispot Electric desk adjusts so you can sit or stand. Rising to just over 47″ with a touch of a button. It’s better than sitting all day.
If you’re doing Zoom meetings all day, choose a backdrop with no bright lights, like a window behind you, but facing you.
If you want to add one of the virtual backgrounds, make sure there’s a plain wall behind you. Better yet, get a portable green screen. You can use the virtual backgrounds Zoom provides, or add your own.
Unless your company is providing one, there’s no need in buying a scanner for paper documents back and forth.
The app iScanner uses your smartphone to scan documents to save, sign and share receipts, reports and it allows you to fax anything you scan with the phone’s camera.
The free version has ads and you’re limited to how many scans you can take. The full version is $50 a year and the ability to send faxes is another $20 per year.
Or, for free, the notes app on an iPhone will scan and send documents you take with your camera. You can’t send and receive faxes, but it’s free.
If you’re sitting at a desk, don’t mess around with charging cables. Anker, Ventev and Belkin make good wireless chargers so rather than just putting your phone on your desk, place it on one of these chargers.
Working from home has its benefits, and its drawback, these gadgets and apps make it less challenging for what may be a longer run.
