10 Great Tips for Working from Home
Working from home is becoming more mainstream. What was an anomaly is now a popular choice that many corporations are adopting long-term, thanks to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. If you are new to remote work, you may be a bit overwhelmed with how to manage it effectively. Here are 10 helpful tips for working from home.
Remote Work Success Tips
Popular freelancing platform Upwork conducted a survey of 1,500 hiring managers and found that due to COVID-19, 61.9% of the companies were planning more remote work now and in the future. It is also predicted by business experts that 36.2 million American workers (about 22%) will be working remotely by the year 2025. This is an 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
Use the following tips to streamline your work and achieve the highest productivity possible.
- Communicate work expectations with anyone who will be home with you – it is important to set guidelines for everyone else at home to prevent interruptions while you work. Outline your working hours and stress that others at home are to act as if you are “gone to work” and unavailable, unless in the most extreme emergencies.
- Take clear breaks – just as you would at the office or job site, plan and take periodic breaks to refresh yourself. Get away from the desk and computer screen and use the restroom, get a drink, take a walk or otherwise rest from working.
- Pretend like you are going into the office – dress for the office (at least change out of your pajamas), leave your bedroom and go to a specific place for work.
- Structure your day like you would in the office – plan for the best times to meet remotely with co-workers or clients, take phone calls, answer emails or other correspondence and otherwise plan your productivity. Be sure to include breaks.
- Choose a dedicated workspace – set aside a room for just working and create your own home office. If this is not possible, at least block off a section or area that is only used for work. Keep all your work equipment and materials there and do not use it for anything else.
- Make it harder to use social media – close off all social media platforms to eliminate distractions. Disable all notifications during your working hours. Only check social media on your own time, on your personal phone or tablet during breaks or your off time.
- Work when you’re at your most productive – working from home can allow some flexibility, so take advantage of this and work at your most productive times of day. This can be mornings, afternoons or even in the middle of the night, if the nature of your work allows.
- Plan your work schedule – Set how many and the specific hours when you will be “at work” and then plan which tasks you will complete during each time block. For example, you may want to answer calls and correspondence early, while completing writing tasks later in the day.
- Use technology to stay connected – staying connected with other people is important, especially your workmates. Use collaboration/communication software and video conferencing apps to share ideas, news, project details and more with others. Your employer may already have a platform available for this; if so, make full use of it.
- Take advantage of tax benefits – working from home can open up some interesting tax advantages. If you are able to use a room only for work, you may be able to deduct a percentage of your mortgage payment or rent and other utilities as work expenses. Contact an accountant for more information about this lucrative benefit.
Be Smart About Working From Home; Get the Insurance Protection You Need
Many Florida residents are now working primarily from home, and they likely have no idea that this can impact their homeowners or renters insurance coverage. If you are using company-supplied equipment at home, such as a laptop or tablet computer, your employer no doubt has it insured to protect against losses. But if you are using your own computers and other equipment for work, it may not be covered by your personal insurance policy.
This can also apply if you use your personal vehicle for work. And what about cyber security and data breaches from your personal computer while being used for work? Will your personal or employer’s insurance cover such events if you are working from home or another remote location?
If you are working remotely for an employer or are self-employed working from home, check with your Florida insurance company about:
- Homeowners or renters coverage – what does your policy cover and what is not covered?
- Do you receive clients in your home?
- Do you have a separate home office?
- Do you use your own personal equipment for work?
- Does your employer provide your equipment & insure it?
- Could you need additional liability coverage or a business policy?
- Car insurance
- Do you use your personal vehicle for work?
- Do you drive any at all?
- Could you save money with a different type of car insurance policy?
- Business coverage
- Operating your own business from home may require additional coverage for business-related uses and items
- Ask about business liability and what is/is not covered by your homeowners or renters policy
- A work from home insurance discount
Contact The Peeples Insurance Agency in Florida if you are working from home and let’s discover what you need to be adequately protected. We have locations in Margate, Bradenton and Sarasota for your convenience.