There are now more people than ever working from home. The modern working world no longer consists of employees doing nine to five in an office environment. A recent study found that many people in America now work in alternative environments. That means that people are choosing to work from home or use temporary offices as the base of their work. Creating an environment at home where you can work means that you will be productive during the day. When you set-up a home office, you need to make sure that you have everything you need to work. If you are missing vital things from your office, you will struggle when it comes to working and that will slow you down. Here are some must-have technology pieces for people who work at home.
Laptops and PCs
Every person who works at home needs a laptop and the internet. There is no question about that. But, what laptop suits your needs? When you are buying your computer, you should make sure you look for specifications that will help you complete your job role. For example, if you are a designer, you need to have a laptop with a fast operating system and a lot of memory. You will be moving large files all the time. That means that you can’t afford things to be slow. If you are a writer, though, you can afford to get a laptop with less memory. The files you save will be smaller than design files so you don’t need too much memory.
Backup Systems
When you work in an office environment, your boss will take care of all your backup needs. When you work at home, though, you need to make sure that you have a secure backup system for your work. If your computer or laptop crashes, you need to make sure that all your work is safe and secure. External hard drives from Insight allow you to save large amounts of work. That means you are not storing all your work on your laptop. If your laptop crashes or something goes wrong, you will have a copy of all your files on an external hard drive.
Skype
Just because you’re working at home, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to communicate with others. If you are working remotely, you will need to be in constant contact with your base office. If you are working for yourself, you will need to contact your clients and your business contacts. You can use Skype on your computer to talk to people no matter where they are in the world. Skype is free of charge, and you can make both voice calls and video calls using the software. If you have Skype open on your laptop during your working hours, people can contact you when they need to.
Wireless Mouse
When you use a mouse, rather than a trackpad, you increase your productivity. That means that getting a wireless mouse for your laptop will help you to increase the amount of work you do each day. Many people who work from home, only use their laptop, and so use the trackpad. That means that people are working at a slower rate than they need to. When people work using a mouse, they can navigate the computer much faster than they can with the trackpad. If you are copying and pasting work, you will find that using a mouse makes everything super fast. You can buy a wireless mouse online for just a few dollars. Those few dollars will buy you the freedom of time.
Printer and Scanner
When you are working with clients abroad or in different cities, they might ask you to print and scan work to them. People often make the mistake of thinking that everything works via email these days. While many people do use email and messenger services to work, some people need physical copies of your work. For example, if you need to sign a contract for your client, you will need to print the document off, sign it and scan it. Try and get a good quality printer that includes a scanner. Doing so will mean that you’re well-equipped for work.
Dictaphone
If, in your line of work, you have to interview people or take many notes, you should consider getting a dictaphone. You can record any ideas or notes as you think of them using the device. If you are always on the go, you can carry the device in your pocket. When you think of something you need to do or a great idea, you can make a note of it by talking into the device. It is that easy. If you have to carry out interviews as part of your work, you can use the device to record the process. That means that you won’t need to take notes during the interview, and so can focus on your interviewee.
Dual Screens
If you, usually, use a laptop to do the majority of your work, you might want to consider getting an extra screen. You can get an external screen for your laptop and use an HDMI cable to connect the two screens. That means that you will have more space on your computer screen so that you can multitask. It also means that when you are at home, you can have all the benefits of having a static PC, but you can also take your laptop out when you need to.
Coffee Machine
When you work at home, you need to find ways to motivate yourself. People often need a cup of coffee to get them through the working day. Invest in a coffee machine for your home office. That way you can have a hot cup of java whenever you need one. Having regular bursts of caffeine will help to keep you awake and alert. Often people who work from home, work through the night. Having a coffee machine will mean you can stay awake when you need to.
