Working from home is no excuse to slacking from your professional responsibilities. Regardless whether you are working for a few hours or the entire day, maintaining proper professional etiquette goes a long way in establishing credibility and promoting trust.
Technology during such challenging times has paved the way for the future. Even in a world post pandemic, remote working practices may continue to exist.
This makes it decisive to have a dedicated work station with all integral gadgets and smart wearables within arm’s reach.
Constant lag on your video calls, unstable networks, breaking voices and an untidy background, are all recipes for an eventual lay off.
No longer is such technology a prototype for the future; its professional implications are already being felt across multiple industries.
In the face of termination, smart technology and wearable gadgets have come to your rescue.
The Setup
Before you turn on your microphone or your camera, make sure that you have set up your work station for optimal efficiency with the following tips.
Space out your set up. You don’t want to accidental knock over your coffee mug or your speakers. A cramped environment isn’t conducive to productive work.
Pick a well-lit area to work from. How you desired to work in that corner office, overlooking the city. Well, now is your chance to create your personal scenic work station with ample light and sprawling views.
Find your best ergonomics. Working from the comfort of your bed or couch may seem appealing during work from home; however it isn’t conducive to your posture or efficiency. Avoid hunching over your laptop or PC. Maintain your screen at eye level and allow your keyboard to rest on your lap.
Be diligent with following a routine. No supervision during work from home may give you the flexibility to work as per your discretion; however having a chalked out daily itinerary is a must. Mandate your own work from home policy to maintain professionalism.
Once you have ensured a functional set up, add the following gadgets and wearables to your work from home station for a more professional aesthetic.
Earbuds
Having a pair of good quality truly wireless earbuds is integral during all professional communications.
No matter whether you are on a Zoom call or on your cellular network, nobody wants to listen to the commotion behind you.
Furthermore most laptops and desktops do not have the best quality microphones to begin with resulting in low, distorted communication.
Look for earbuds with touch integration allowing you a hands free experience for seamless communication.
If you are on the go during work hours and must attend to an important business call, do not let the blaring of the traffic stop you. Opting for wireless earbuds in 2020 with a reliable microphone and superior noise cancellation is a need.
Smart watch
Professionalism cannot come at the cost of your overall physical health. Sitting in a rigid posture for hours straight is never conducive to anybody in the long term.
Monitoring things such as your posture and heart rate via a smartwatch is essential to maintain optimum work output and keep chronic muscle pain at bay.
Beyond health reports, it offers seamlessly connection to your smartphone, enabling you to receive and end calls, set quick gestures, read and respond to texts, and get real time notifications from your colleagues - ensuring that you are always in the loop.
Smart wearables come with a host of additional features that aid you in tracking your daily fitness. You can even set hand wash and sedentary reminders periodically so that you remain germ free and active during work hours.
Speakers
While opting for earbuds should be your first choice, the purpose is defeated if you are using older, sub-par alternatives. Rather than settling for distorted sound and minimal clarity, opting for a compact, wireless speaker is a better idea.
Not having to constantly adjust the mike, a speaker with clear, loud sound ensures that you do not miss a single sentence.
Along with additional portability, if multiple people have to attend a meeting or give a presentation/conference on a common device, then having a decent set of speakers is a must.
More the number of people on a business call, the more background disturbance there may be. Speakers have the ability to restrict background noise and focus the sound on the people speaking, making them ideal for large conferences.
If you need to attend multiple video calls or conferences in a day, a speaker beats the trouble of constantly having to sit with your earphones on.
Additionally an external mouse, a multi device keyboard, a printer, extra battery support and a surge protector will also be of use if you so require.
Wearable gadgets and smart technology can give you the professional edge you need through all work from home endeavors
and beyond.
