As a result of the Covid-19 crisis, millions of working Americans have transitioned from working in office and group settings to working from home. In fact, nearly 45% of employed americans are working from their houses and don’t plan on going back to the office anytime soon! Since the world of working from home is new and unfamiliar to most people, we want to provide some tips and knowledge to help make this transition easier and more comfortable. There are so many awesome ways to incorporate smart home technology into your work life to help your productivity and effectiveness. Maybe you’re new to smart home automation? Well, there is no better time to start!
The biggest mistake people make when working from home is failing to create a specific area in your home or apartment that is solely used for working. A lot of people just sit on the couch with their laptop and try to work, but this leaves the door open for tons of distractions such as roommates walking in or even the temptation of turning the TV on. By creating a dedicated work space, you will get much more accomplished in less amount of time. In your dedicated space, you should have a chair that is upright or only slightly declined because the last thing you want is to get too comfortable making you sleepy during work. You want to feel relaxed but still very supported. Another tip for making your workspace more comfortable is using a laptop stand so that your screen is eye-level and you are not straining your neck. Next, you want to ensure that you have a great wi-fi connection in your workspace. Some solutions to spotty wifi include getting a mesh wifi network or a wireless access point.
Control Entry With a Video Doorbell
Minimizing distraction wherever possible is key to having a successful work day regardless of where you are. Video doorbells are amazing for both safety purposes and helping you stay focused on the task at hand. The way video doorbells work is that when someone is at your front door, you will get notifications on either your smartphone or laptop. From there not only can you see who the person is, you can communicate with them through your device. So let’s say your doorbell rings and you are in the middle of typing an important message to a coworker, you can simply check your video doorbell app on your device real quick rather than having to get up and see who it is. It might just be a delivery person dropping off a package meaning you can wait a little while before having to physically get up. We suggest getting a video doorbell such as Ring or Google Nest because they are extremely user-friendly and can easily be synched up with any other smart devices you may have or may get in your future. Also, if you decide to get a Ring Video Doorbell and you are working a pretty far distance from your front door, we suggest investing in a Ring Chime Pro Wifi Extender. This will boost your wifi signal and ensure there is clear and consistent communication through your doorbell.
Create Do Not Disturb Zones
If you’re in the middle of focusing on a complex spreadsheet, in an important meeting with your bosses, or trying to explain something to a client, how can you ensure that nobody disturbs you? All you need is some smart lighting and Post-It notes. You can set your LED smart lights to a certain color (let’s say red). Red means do not disturb, and when your lights are green, that means you are available. You can put your post-its on the outside of the door to remind your family members the rules of this little game called DO NOT DISTURB! Smart lighting is really awesome today and our favorite forms of smart lighting include color-changing bulbs or LED light strips. You can also take advantage of your Google Home or Echo device smart speaker to activate your “do not disturb” lighting by only using your voice.
Establish Structure By Using Timers on Your Smart Display
While smart speakers can be super helpful for hand-free control and useful in organizing your day, smart displays are even better. If you have a Google Nest Hub, Echo Show, or our personal favorite the Control4 smart display, you should be using the on-screen timers to organize your day. Regardless of if you’re chatting with co-workers, talking to your family members, taking lunch or bathroom breaks, if you have timers set up on your display screen, you’ll never be anchored to one place for too long.
The more you become accustomed to working from home and the more familiar you become with home automation devices, the more efficient you will work and feel as you continue to work from home.
