A person's home office may vary but there are 3 essential items that every online worker has. With these 3 things you can start your online career. There are other items that will make your life easier and probably some items that your employer will request of you.
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| photo courtesy of Janis Christie (Gettyimages) |
3 Essential Home Office Needs
This is a primary home office need. You can use a desktop or a laptop but make sure to have enough memory and hard drive space for documents, programs and the like.
A desktop will give you better graphics, monitors and processors which is helpful if you are a freelance web designer or video editor. If you plan on having a full time online career with a possibility of more than one employer then you are better suited for a desktop. With a desktop you can easily replace parts and upgrade to better versions.
The advantages to having a laptop is it's mobility. You can virtually work anywhere that WiFi is available. Laptops run on a battery so if the power were out you would still be in business. The drawbacks to a laptop are the repairs are a bit more expensive and you have less memory and hard drive space available to you.
- router
- speakers
- headset
- UPS
I have 2 computers at home one of which is provided by my employer. This is stricty used for my work for him while the other computer is used for my other jobs and is also used by other family members. My router can accommodate up to 4 computers but keep in mind when purchasing yours that this will have an effect on your internet speed.
You should always have a pair of speakers and a headset on hand for interviews and catch ups with your employer.
A UPS is a great investment. Though most computers come with the standard AVR a UPS can still keep your computer running an extra 15 minutes (depending on the kind of UPS you have) which is imperative if you're working on important documents or you're on a secure server. If you think it'll be expensive electricity-wise surprisingly it's not.
2) Internet Connection
Some jobs may not requre you to be online while working and some jobs may call for you to be online specific hours during the day. Either way you'll need a reliabe internet connection to get in touch with your employer either through instant messaging or Skype. You may also be required to send weekly updates via email or even hourly reports depending on your boss' preference.
If you do alot of research then the internet is your best friend. You'll constantly need to surf and find relevant content.
If you have one computer a minumum speed of 384kbps may get you through a day's work. This depends on the software and programs you may use. Currently I have up to 1mbps using two computers and so far the connection has been satisfying.
3) Desk and Chair
These are important for your health! You can probably work lying down using a laptop but this won't give you the motivation you'll need to continue on with your online career. Given that you're working at home wearing your favorite pair of pajamas you still need a semblance of an office life. Setting up you own office corner will give you the quiet and time you need to get down to business.
Have enough desk top space for your computer and other accessories. If you need writing space keep that in mind when setting up your office space. Use a comfortable chair otherwise you could end up with back problems.
Other Useful Items
- Printer & Scanner
You might have a need to print documents for your job or scan some documents for your boss and this will definitely come in handy.
- Dreamboard/ Memoboard
The daily chit chat and social interaction you once looked forward to will sadly be some of the things that you won't have when working at home. If you need some inspiration try having a dreamboard or memoboard in front of you while working.
If you want to be among the online dreamboard users try the latest social media tool to hit the scene.
A memoboard can be very useful for reminders, dates, events, etc. A virtual assistant is usually asked to organize her boss' diary or remember flight details.
Being a WAHM there may be some difficulties in keeping your office space just an office space. Most likely you'll have some story books, toys and even a bottle of milk next to your computer. Don't fret though this doesn't make you any less professional. In fact, if you're anything like me it'll be a reminder of how blessed you are to be successfully working at home and seeing your children.
As you come along working from home your office will slowly start to form into a one-man go to space complete with everything you'll need to fully function as the professional outsourcer that you are.
I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what other home office item must haves you think every online worker should have.
1 comments:
I indeed agree that these are essential to a home office. It is also important to a home office to wear proper dress and too much comfortable dress like pajamas will make you unproductive. It will tend to lose your focus on tasks and get sleepy. Having a home office is also an effective way to run a business. I have read an article regarding “Do you really need an office to succeed in business?” and in my opinion it is not really necessary especially to start up after I read it. This article also discuses some tips on how to manage your business effectively without an office.
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