Set a time The first step in being productive at home is to establish a work routine with well-defined schedules. A good starting point is to try to repeat the same work done at the company, including lunch breaks and possible moments of relaxation. The free Focus Booster service – which is based on the Pomodoro technique – and the Hubstaff browser extension can control the time dedicated to each task so you don’t get lost in distractions. Apps like Alarmy, an alarm clock that requires solving a math account to silence, can be interesting when you wake up. The Drink Water Reminder reminds the user to drink water regularly, while the Stand Up! issues periodic alert notices so that he gets up and stretches his legs after sitting for a long time. Choose the right location With the schedule set, choose a comfortable, well-lit place to work. Don’t forget to sit in front of the window or other light source to have your face well lit during video calls. It is also important to work in the same environment as the router is installed and eliminate obstacles around the equipment to obtain the best performance from Wi-Fi. If you need to work in a distant room, Mesh repeaters or routers can help maintain signal strength. Generally clean your computer Perform general maintenance on your computer system to get it ready to work. Start by installing anti-malware, such as Malwarebytes, for example, and leave Windows Defender enabled. Use additional, free antivirus, such as AVG and BitDefender, to complement the protection. It is also important to download pending system updates to ensure the latest bug fixes. After strengthening security, download TreeSize or another similar app to find the files that most occupy your PC’s hard drive and remove unnecessary items. Remember that an almost full HD makes work difficult and has a direct impact on the computer’s performance. Then, install cleaners like Advanced SystemCare and Ashampoo WinOptimizer to remove junk and optimize performance. Be careful at the time of installation not to purchase extra programs and do a scan, eliminating the temporary and useless files identified by the software. In order not to receive uncomfortable notifications from these programs, it is worth altering the system settings or, if necessary, uninstalling them. It is also interesting to use headphones with a volume not so high so as not to damage your hearing. Noise-canceling models can also help to not only hear music with better quality, but also to isolate noise and distractions caused by others in the house. Turn off notifications Notifications can be a great source of distraction when doing home office. It is important to activate Do Not Disturb on your cell phone and computer during the hours set for work. On Android, just open the shortcut curtain and select the “Do not disturb” option. On the iPhone (iOS), the user must activate the shortcut screen and tap the button with a half moon icon. In Windows 10, the corresponding function is the Focus Assistant, whose shortcut is on the panel to the right of the system. In macOS, you need to open the menu on the right and click on “Do Not Disturb”. On all systems, it is possible to configure times when the feature will be activated automatically. On the computer, do not mix work and personal Mixing personal and professional matters can impair remote work performance. To avoid such problems, it is important to separate activities on the computer itself: during office hours at home, do not open programs that are not for work and avoid accessing social networks. Extensions like Work Mode and Block Site help to limit access to Facebook, Twitter and other sites at predefined times. If it is inevitable to start personal tasks during the day, it is important to at least separate them into different work areas. On Windows, type the command Windows + Tab to open the multitasking screen and click on “New desktop” to create a separate environment. In macOS, just swipe up with three fingers on the trackpad and click the plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen.
