Moving to home office (mostly)
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Quiet is good, a comfortable chair and a good desk. A designated work area is a good idea, rather than lying on the sofa with the lappie on your chest. If you act like it's an office, then you work like it's an office. Dress smart casual - like you would in an office. It may sound weird, but what you wear affects how you think. Slobbing out in tracky bottoms and a T is comfortable, but it's also "slobby" - and your brain knows that so the inclination is to act like a slob as well. A time lock on the fridge helps keep the weight down ... there is a lot of potential for snacking which is a problem. If you go to the kitchen for a coffee, ket a coffee and leave. Don't grab a sandwich, or biscuits - if you normally eat bickies at work, keep them in the office area. Time management is also important: have "work hours" and "off hours" - and try to stick to them. Don't goof off in work hours, don't work in off hours. And enjoy the commute! I didn't realize how much stress and wasted time was involved until I stopped doing it and started walkign ten paces to get to my desk. :D
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
OriginalGriff wrote:
And enjoy the commute! I didn't realize how much stress and wasted time was involved until I stopped doing it and started walkign ten paces to get to my desk. :-D
I would change that to... enjoy a walk in the time you usually would commute. Staying the whole day at home and not going out and get natural sun light might be a negative effect of working at home. To Peter... If you used to conmute 2 hours per day, then walking 30 minutes before working and 30 minutes after working will still be a 1 hour spare time and 1 hour "fitness" gain per day. Additionally will help your brain to switch between work and home modi.
M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
Security, perhaps you are already doing this: Get a separate Internet service for the work LAN and keep isolated from family LAN. I would not allow wireless on that service. I would also suggest a "business" router/firewall with options like intrusion protection and application blocking. I would block all social media locations to reduce the risk of clicking on links in email. I would not do personal email on the same system as work email. Get a separate printer for business if you do much printing. We use static public IP addresses (5), on fiber service, to isolate stuff (1: wireless for customers, 2: surveillance cameras, 3: IP phones, 4: Domain/business LAN). Never the twain shall meet :
>64 Some days the dragon wins. Suck it up.
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
One thing not mentioned - make sure the background for those video calls is decent or use one of those plugins or whatever they are that fakes your background. Also - when working at an office, people tend to have the courtesy to notice you're talking with someone else or if not, ask if it's an ok time to talk about something. Working from home, besides the emails, there is often a constant barrage of Team chats, because of course nobody knows if you're busy talking to someone else -- a feature that any chat program really should have, like a "get in line" feature. Some days there are times where I'll be having 3 chats on 3 different topics going on simultaneously. Personally, that can be mentally exhausting because of the context switching, not to mention being distracted from the task I'm actually trying to work on. Consider whether management/the team is ok with designated chat times so you can focus on work during some parts of the day and be available for chats at other designated times.
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
A locked door to keep the wife, kids, and pets out. :-D
ed
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
Tell everyone (who's not a co-worker) to think carefully about getting in touch with you. If they wouldn't normally contact you at the office during work hours, then they shouldn't contact you during those same hours just because you happen to be home. This may seem like a simple thing, but I couldn't get that point across some people's minds until I reminded them I'm not working for myself and I'm on the clock. Don't know why that distinction made to clearer for them, but that's what worked. The same goes for whoever lives with you. No, you're not available during work hours to go get a pint of milk at the corner store, or to help with the laundry. And you're certainly no babysitter. Don't make any exception - that's called setting a precedent. If you give in once, "they" will know they can do it again.
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
When you're in the "office", you're "unavailable" unless it's business.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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When you're in the "office", you're "unavailable" unless it's business.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
I've been working from home for 3 years - the only one who doesn't abide by the 'unavailable' rule is the dog. He goes bonkers when he sees a furry creature outside and I have to mute my microphone :)
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I've been working from home for 3 years - the only one who doesn't abide by the 'unavailable' rule is the dog. He goes bonkers when he sees a furry creature outside and I have to mute my microphone :)
Craig Robbins wrote:
the only one who doesn't abide by the 'unavailable' rule is the dog. He goes bonkers when he sees a furry creature outside and I have to mute my microphone
Yep, I know this one all too well. :laugh: :sigh:
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A good point, but not because of herself (she is out working)... but the kids... I talked to them about it and explained, but probably will be problems until they totally understand and get used to it...
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
Yes what DerekTP said, do NOT allowed the kids to interrupt you, if the door is closed it must stay closed till you open it! Get a BIG do not disturb sign. I wish I had had a forest to walk in when I worked from home and decent internet connection (I was on dial up back then)
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity - RAH I'm old. I know stuff - JSOP
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One thing not mentioned - make sure the background for those video calls is decent or use one of those plugins or whatever they are that fakes your background. Also - when working at an office, people tend to have the courtesy to notice you're talking with someone else or if not, ask if it's an ok time to talk about something. Working from home, besides the emails, there is often a constant barrage of Team chats, because of course nobody knows if you're busy talking to someone else -- a feature that any chat program really should have, like a "get in line" feature. Some days there are times where I'll be having 3 chats on 3 different topics going on simultaneously. Personally, that can be mentally exhausting because of the context switching, not to mention being distracted from the task I'm actually trying to work on. Consider whether management/the team is ok with designated chat times so you can focus on work during some parts of the day and be available for chats at other designated times.
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SVG Grids: Squares, Triangles, Hexagons with scrolling, sprites and simple animation examplesTeams might be integrated with outlook (yeah, I know... but it is employer decission), so your status is seen by other people in the same domain / active directory. If I am phoning it shows "speaking" or "meeting" if I am attending one If I am in a scheduled task it shows "busy" If I am idling more than 5 min it shows "AFK" And you can always set the "do not disturb" manually. Not that everyone will pay attention or respect that status, but there is some people that do comply.
M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Quiet is good, a comfortable chair and a good desk. A designated work area is a good idea, rather than lying on the sofa with the lappie on your chest. If you act like it's an office, then you work like it's an office. Dress smart casual - like you would in an office. It may sound weird, but what you wear affects how you think. Slobbing out in tracky bottoms and a T is comfortable, but it's also "slobby" - and your brain knows that so the inclination is to act like a slob as well. A time lock on the fridge helps keep the weight down ... there is a lot of potential for snacking which is a problem. If you go to the kitchen for a coffee, ket a coffee and leave. Don't grab a sandwich, or biscuits - if you normally eat bickies at work, keep them in the office area. Time management is also important: have "work hours" and "off hours" - and try to stick to them. Don't goof off in work hours, don't work in off hours. And enjoy the commute! I didn't realize how much stress and wasted time was involved until I stopped doing it and started walkign ten paces to get to my desk. :D
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
Griff says most of it quite well. Dressing decently also means one is ready to do an unscheduled zoom/skype session without shame. I would add: take good long walks everyday "without fail". I walk 2-4 miles a day. It doesn't take much time (a comfortable 2 mile walk takes about 45-60 min). One's brain and body will be much better for it.
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day" Badfinger
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
My two cents: 1) Excellent chair. Go for office chairs with lumbar support, neck support and possibly extensible leg support. 2) Good monitor, keyboard and mouse. Do not, I repeat, do not work on your laptop. 3) Check the lighting and window positions, adjust with obscurants if needed. 4) Clean and ordered desk and cable management. This is incredibly important for home office productivity.
GCS/GE d--(d) s-/+ a C+++ U+++ P-- L+@ E-- W+++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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A locked door to keep the wife, kids, and pets out. :-D
ed
Honestly my wife in the room would be the only thing that keeps me sane. I would bring her to work if I could, too bad she works elsewhere.
GCS/GE d--(d) s-/+ a C+++ U+++ P-- L+@ E-- W+++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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Standing and typing a lot is not a good combination indeed, but I try to avoid sitting too long as it's not a healthy thing. Mostly when I have finished something I crank the desk up and do some "monitoring" just some mouse clicking here and there, checking email, builder progress, Microsoft Teams etc.
Where I live I have to take a 15 minutes pause every 2 consecutive hours of work at a videoterminal by law.
GCS/GE d--(d) s-/+ a C+++ U+++ P-- L+@ E-- W+++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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I do not know about trackball... never had one I - to be honest - do not feel like trying it... It look huge...I'm using small-size mouse... very simple... I will have a KVM (not sure what type) from the office, to enable to use both my own desktop computer and the one they will provide (I'm still not sure if I want a laptop or a small NUC)...
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
I use a KVM - it means that you only need one mouse, one keyboard, one screen, one headphone set; everything is familiar and desk space is minimised. Some folks may suggest VPN or Remote Connection as an alternative but it is best to have a clean separation; it saves risks of company secrets leaking out or home viruses leaking to your company's network. A KVM provides that separation - one click and you are at work, one click and you are at home.
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Our office is moving to a location, way to far to me to commute every day (an additional hour and half to the existing two hours)... So I will start to work from home most of the days, and the question is - for those doing it already - what are the important things for a productive home office?
"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg
It depends. @OriginalGriff covered most of the high points, but the "depends" is what are your employers expectations of you working at home. I moved from full-time office to full-time at home during Covid. My hours were 7:30 to 4:30 and it was expected that I be available during that time. I basically got up the same time as I had, not taking credit for the 15min commute difference. I got dressed for the most part as if I were going to the office, though I went more for jeans and sneakers with a casual dress shirt. During that time, my productivity increased; I had less interruptions at home, and my family understood that work was work, and left me alone. The dog, not so much, but really wasn't a bother. I actually lost weight since there were no sugary office snacks and I could make better lunches. It wasn't unusual to stretch the day a bit at the end, as there was no incentive to follow the herd out the door at 4:30. Early last year, I semi-retired and began working as a consultant for my employer and another organization. I trade off hours as I want. I was able to escape this winter and work remotely with an endless summer. There are still things I need to do during working hours some days, but if I want to work at 6am or 6pm, I generally can. That really goes to the 'depends' as well. If the company just wants productivity and isn't concerned about availability, logging the 40 hours a week can be super-productive. It takes a mindset to do that. Even after retiring, it took a while to not feel guilty about mowing the lawn on Tuesday morning or using a nice day to have some fun. But that's a different world. Two quick tips I'd add. Get the best internet connection you can. If fiber is available at a higher cost, it's a tradeoff for your commuting cost. And have a data plan on your cell phone just in case. Didn't happen often, but my primary connection with Comcast had issues at times and I had to tether the phone. The second one is desk location if you need to do zoom meetings. Don't worry about the background, you can use a background image and the latest versions of those work well. But lighting can be a factor. Having a window behind you can be a challenge to get the light right and it varies depending on the time of day. Enjoy it and if you miss the office, you can always venture in a day a week or whatever.
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My two cents: 1) Excellent chair. Go for office chairs with lumbar support, neck support and possibly extensible leg support. 2) Good monitor, keyboard and mouse. Do not, I repeat, do not work on your laptop. 3) Check the lighting and window positions, adjust with obscurants if needed. 4) Clean and ordered desk and cable management. This is incredibly important for home office productivity.
GCS/GE d--(d) s-/+ a C+++ U+++ P-- L+@ E-- W+++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
Yes, what he said. I would only add Time management as a major component. Hardware is the easy part. Starting at a specific time, taking an actual lunch break, and quitting at a designated time, is the hardest part for me. Act just like you are used to time wise. Start working when you normally do, stop working when you usually do. It is very easy to think of 5:00 as just a number on the clock but putting in 14 hour days can sneak up on you and will burn you out. I know this as a fact. I also know you can recover from burn out (most folks do) but it's not fun. Other than that and the suggestions above you really should enjoy the extra time you have and you will find you can have a productive day and 5 meetings without missing a beat! It only takes a couple of min. to set up a teams meeting and if you have an agenda for them they are usually very productive.
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Standing and typing a lot is not a good combination indeed, but I try to avoid sitting too long as it's not a healthy thing. Mostly when I have finished something I crank the desk up and do some "monitoring" just some mouse clicking here and there, checking email, builder progress, Microsoft Teams etc.
I have a motorized standing desk - smooth to raise/lower. I stand for all calls. I'm much more focused and don't rock in my chair when on video. I tested several before purchasing one - don't let price drive the decision. This is one area where you get what you pay for - sturdy is better. My screen sits on the desk and I type "aggressively" (or so I'm told). My screen doesn't shake. This was the second-best upgrade to my home office (after working remotely for 10+ years) after a 43" 4K TV to use as a monitor. Much cheaper than a large monitor, better than 4 24" screens, and since I'm not using it for video games, no worries about the lower specs. A full-screen file compare between current and history in Visual Studio with solution explorer open is still very doable - very little (if any) horizontal scrolling. Showering/getting dressed/shaving is important, especially early on, to keep your mind in the game. Having a reasonable schedule so you're starting about the same time every day is good as well. Use Teams/Slack-type chat to stay in touch with your team - we have channels for various projects, general team discussions (is VPN down for you?), and individual chats to still be part of the team.
