Working from home has become a new norm in today’s world. It is not only convenient, but it poses a lot of benefits, particularly for parents with newborn babies or children that need constant supervision. However, before you start your remote work at home, you need to set up some essential home office equipment to make things a lot smoother.
Setting up your home office is not that difficult as long as you know what you need. You can note down the items that are important to your work. To make it easier, use a checklist so that you can streamline the things that are considered a must-have and list of those that you might want to add sooner or later.
Computer: Laptop versus Desktop
If your home office has a smaller area, you might consider buying a laptop. It not only saves space in your desk, but it is advantageous for you if your work involves visiting clients once in a while. A laptop is easy to carry around and hassle-free because of its compact size. However, if your work involves a heavy workload that requires you to have higher processors, then a desktop is the right fit.
You can also install multiple internal drives to increase your internal storage. Also, if your remote work involves the gaming industry, a desktop is capable of using high-powered video cards that support higher power requirements.
High-Speed Internet Connection
A good and secure Internet connection is very crucial for productive online work. It is necessary to have a network provider that can provide a steady connection, especially when you’re doing some video conferences or webinars. A good internet connection is one of the essentials to have to keep your home office in perfect condition.
If you have more than one computer that needs internet access, you will need a good Wi-Fi router that can connect your laptop in various locations of your home.
A Multipurpose Machine
If you’re planning to have a paperless office, then having a multipurpose machine with printing functions is not necessary. However, if your work is related to sales and marketing wherein you are required to print samples of your portfolio, then having this multipurpose machine is a must.
Aside from printing options, you can also use it to make some copies, scan, and fax documents. It is advisable to get this type of machine as compared to getting one home office equipment per function to save space and expenses.
Backup Drive
Now and then, save your work on your backup drive. It is considered good practice in case of computer failure. Keeping a copy of your files in your backup drive can save you in more ways than one. In the event of a virus claiming your computer, you can still recover your work and not necessarily have to start from scratch.
Other Computer Accessories
The kind of computer accessories that you need to purchase will depend on the type of remote work that you’re doing. If you’re required to talk to clients most of the time, you might consider buying a noise cancellation headset. It blocks out the unnecessary sounds that can distract the person that you are talking to. Another common computer accessory that you might need is a keyboard and a mouse.
Setting up your home office equipment is not as tedious as it sounds. As long as you know the kind of work that you are going to do, you will know what office essentials are needed.
