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How to create the perfect work from home setup for the long-term

Admin 21st October 2020

Creating the perfect work from home setup is on many of our minds. Since we first covered working from home successfully during COVID-19, even more businesses have made the switch to long-term or permanent remote working. From technology giants to local consultancy firms, working from home has become the new norm for many businesses across the UK.

Creating a healthy work from home environment is one of the most important factors to consider when making the switch to a home office. While your desk setup is important, what’s going on around you is equally as important. Follow these tips to create the perfect work from home environment.

1. Organise your work from home setup

As you’ll be spending lots more time at home, it’s important to separate your workspace from your home comforts. Consider creating a dedicated workspace solely for your hours of work. Working from your bed, or from the living room sofa, is one of the worst habits to get caught up in. Instead, set up a comfortable workspace in a quiet room to distance yourself from any distractions.

Creating the best work from home setup for productivity

The basics you’ll need:

A comfortable desk
A comfortable office chair (test a few out beforehand, if you can)
A computer or laptop
A mouse mat or keyboard
A desk plant (optional, but a great mood-booster)
Sufficient lighting (you don’t want to be falling asleep at your new desk)

2. Create a routine (and stick to it)

Your routine should start with a regular wake-up time, one that gives you at least 30-60 minutes before work to wake up properly. Some people find a morning jog or cycle helps them start the day on a positive note, while others swear by their morning cup of coffee. Creating a routine also includes sticking to your regular office hours. If you finish at 5 pm, don’t be tempted to stay online until 6 pm. Creating a work-life balance is just as important when working from home.

3. Take regular breaks away from your newly perfected work from home setup

Whether you take a short stroll to the kettle or a walk around the living room, taking regular breaks will help to give your mind a short rest when working from home. When you’re comfortable at home, it can be tempting to simply power through your day, but regular breaks really can make all the difference. You might even find you’re more productive after a short 5-minute break.

4. Enjoy some fresh air

Just like taking regular breaks, a spot of fresh air can really make all the difference to your productivity and your mental wellbeing when working from home. Try taking a brisk walk before work, or even on your lunch, and you’ll find you’re much more focused when you return to your desk.

5. Set boundaries

Working from home does come with a little more flexibility, but it’s important to keep any distractions away when you’re knuckling down at your desk. This is incredibly important if you live with others. Whether it be your partner, parents or even your children, setting some ground rules will help them to understand when you can and can’t be disturbed.

6. Stay connected with your colleagues

One of the best ways to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation when working from home is to keep in regular contact with fellow employees. That quick morning chat over a cup of coffee might not be possible right now, but utilising instant messaging apps like Slack could help to maintain a little communication.

However, text and messaging apps can only go so far and sometimes it’s beneficial to hear a voice down the other end of the phone. Our conference call services are designed to help remote businesses stay in touch. With Ffree, Pplus and Ppro plans available, there’s a WHYPAY? conference call package for every business.

Browse our conference call features for more information or take a look at our conference call reviews to see how we’ve helped other remote businesses keep in touch.

Photo by Mikey Harris on Unsplash

Remote Working

Should you hold conference calls or a video calls?

Admin 12th March 2021

A lot of us often wonder about whether to choose conference calls or video calls. There are big benefits on both sides, and some shared across the two. After all, there’s no doubt that advancements in call technology have paved the way for new communication methods at work. They allow us to host keynote presentations from across the world, offering inclusivity to those with accessibility needs. Any type of group phone call also provides a sense of connection when teammates are working apart – something particularly valuable through COVID-related lockdowns and social distancing.

But while jumping on a video call has become a knee-jerk reaction for many, it’s not without its drawbacks. Video brings some complications that traditional conference calls simply don’t have. If you’re wondering whether to organise a conference call or video call, don’t forget that sometimes just picking up the phone is the better option.

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How to encourage conference call participation

Admin 2nd March 2021

With telecommuting become part and parcel of daily life, the need to encourage conference call participation is on all our radars. Whether you are a developer, manager, director or client, you will probably understand the challenges that conference call participation can pose. Meeting dynamics often solidify rather quickly, as extraverted participants take centre stage and readily express their opinions. Bolder characters may be excellent for producing new ideas. Unfortunately, though, it can cause participants who are more reserved to fade into the background. If you want to enhance your team’s productivity and unity, implementing some of the following solutions can work wonders. After all, we all want to learn how to have more effective conference calls.

Both the call’s leader and its participants can make a huge difference in encouraging conference call participation. Read on to discover some tips and tactics to improve your team’s conference call participation.

Business Conference Calls, Business Tips and Advice, Conference Call Tips, Remote Working

How do you make a conference call more fun?

Admin 11th February 2021

It’s Tuesday afternoon and you’re already four conference calls into the week. Of course, conference calls are important for so many businesses. But making conference calls more fun should be a bigger priority. Otherwise, they can become tedious and repetitive, and morale and productivity will drop.

Whether you’re working from home and need to catch up with colleagues, or you’re calling clients, these tips will help to make your next conference call more fun.

Conference Call Tips, Remote Working