The world is now facing a new normal. Due to the recent health crisis, millions of people are now working remotely from home, rather than going into the office. In addition, many businesses have realized the benefits of operating remotely and plan to continue doing so even after the health crisis has passed.
What this means is that if you’re working from home, you may be doing so for a while. Working from home can have its challenges though so to help you out, here are some tools that can make it easier.
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Video conferencing software
The first thing you’ll want to look into is video conferencing software. Video conferencing software became increasingly popular during the pandemic, even among people who were not working from home. In a world where we couldn’t see our loved ones and friends, video conferencing helped to bridge the gap.
With video conferencing software at work, you’ll be able to communicate with your team members despite not being in the same location. Sometimes it’s easier to have a “face-to-face” conversation rather than over email. To get your video conferencing tool to work, don’t forget you’ll need a reliable camera, microphone, and internet connection.
Team chat
While video conferencing is very beneficial, it’s not right in every situation. Sometimes you just have a quick question or just want to let a team member know something. In this scenario, you don’t want to have to spend time cleaning up your home office, making yourself look presentable, and waiting for a time when your team member is able to video chat.
Using a team chat tool will help improve communication among all involved. You can quickly type messages to one another, share files, and keep a record of the conversation. Team chat apps work for one-on-one conversations or you can have an entire group. Here are some great team chat apps to get you started.
Screen recorder
One of the challenges when working from home is giving presentations. If you want to show new employees how to use a piece of software, it’s time-consuming to keep setting aside time to video chat. A great tool to get is a screen recorder tool. With a screen recorder, you can record whatever is happening on your screen.
You can then add your own audio to the file, allowing you to make a virtual presentation. You can also use a screen recorder if you want to keep a record of a presentation you are viewing yourself. There are plenty of free screen recorder options out there, so be sure to grab yourself one.
Cloud storage
Another important tool you’ll want to set up is cloud storage. With cloud storage, you store your important files online rather than on a physical drive. This comes with several benefits. The first is that you don’t have to worry about losing your information. If your hard drive breaks down, your files are still safe stored on the cloud.
The other benefit is the ability to work from multiple devices. If you have different computers or laptops, transferring the files you need back and forth is time-consuming. With cloud storage, you can easily access what you need from any device. Finally, cloud storage makes sharing easier. You can grant access to other team members so that they can also open the files from whatever device they might be on.
Relaxation
The last thing you might need is some things to help you relax. Even though you can now work in your pajamas, working from home can be stressful. You might have tech problems, your kids at home with you, or some other issue.
When stress gets too high, you’ll want some tools to help you out. One simple one is a music player so that you can listen to your favorite music while you work. An app like Spotify has thousands of songs available and you can even subscribe to podcasts through it.
Tired of being stuck inside all day? Try using a tool like WindowSwap. With it, you can see the view from someone else’s window from around the world. It’s a nice way to take a mental break for a few minutes and check out another location.
The right tools make working from home easier
A lot of people think that working from home would be perfect, only to find there are some serious challenges with it. If you’re struggling to work from home, this could be due to the fact that you don’t have the right tools. Think about which parts of your day are the most challenging, then find a tool that can assist you. With the right tools, you can make working from home enjoyable and productive.
