Everyone and everything is going remote. This comes as no surprise as the Covid-19 pandemic demands that we have as little physical contact as possible with one other. The human race is known for creating innovative solutions to every challenge we encounter, and this situation has been no different. Thanks to the internet, we have been able to take our schools and many of our jobs and make them remote.
The beauty of remote schooling and work is the convenience. You no longer have to catch bus or train rides to get to work or school. You can collaborate and coordinate with your colleagues using apps such as Slack and Microsoft Teams. Students can receive lessons on Zoom and Google Meet. Going remote is the future of work and many firms are keying into the idea and taking full advantage of it. It is not only in line with health and safety protocols, but cost and time-saving. It affords employees and employers alike freedom and flexibility.
However, the remote terrain is one that many people are not familiar with, so here are six tips for families working and schooling from home.
Differentiate Between Work Time and Family Time
The easiest way to do this is by creating a schedule. This schedule would be known to not just you, but your family as well. This would help everyone understand what they should be doing at what time, helping differentiate between work and personal life. For families with younger kids interruptions during work hours are almost unavoidable, so you can notify the kids of the times they can call for you and times when they absolutely can’t (e.g during video calls) unless it’s an emergency.
Create the Right Environment
Your environment is key to getting the best out of work and schooling. You’d want to separate your workspace/school space from the home. Don’t forget to decorate and personalize your said space. This will help increase efficiency and productivity.
Stable and Reliable Internet Connection
This is extremely important. Working or schooling from home means constant internet connection, with relative stability and good speed. With Wi-Fi 6 being the new standard for high-speed Wi-Fi, it would be advisable to hop on its train. Having high-speed internet that can get up to 9.6 Gbps guarantees you a smooth-sailing internet experience.
Take Security Measures
Working or schooling from home means a lot of people on the same Wi-Fi network and a lot of internet consumption so security is important. You would need to protect your Wi-Fi passwords, and all the important data and passwords being used on your Wi-Fi network as well. You could purchase additional security devices that would secure your wireless connections. There’s nothing like being too careful. Your data is extremely important and should be confidential.
Get Some Air: Create Time for Walks and Breaks
Working and learning — even from home — can be mentally and physically exhausting. The entire concept of working, schooling, eating and sleeping in the same approximate space is one that will take a toll on you. So take breaks and short walks. Enjoy some family time together, preferably outside your workspace. Doing so will definitely help you get your mojo back!
Minimise Distractions
We’ve advised separating work/school time from personal/home time, but that’s easier said than done when everybody is cooped inside together all day. The best you can do is minimise distractions to a bare minimum. To keep kids from constantly asking you “What is the Wi-Fi password?” find a secure way to share it or, if they’re older, show them how to find the WiFi password on your phone or laptop. If you know your young scholars will be hungry and begging for a snack by 11, prepare easy-to-grab foods the night before. Do whatever it takes to minimise distractions and help the school and work day flow better.
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