Best Guide While Working Remotely: Work From Home Tools
7 min readRemote work has been proven to benefit both employers and employees, but it doesn’t mean it comes without challenges. Is managing a collaborative brainstorming session too difficult? Is it hard to focus without the office buzz around you? Browse our list of user-friendly tools that can make all the difference and help you make the most of your work-from-home career in 2023.
Working Remotely in 2023
Working remotely may not be practical in all industries, but there are many jobs these days that can easily be done from home. When it comes to finding remote jobs, Jooble is an excellent resource that offers a wide range of opportunities.
When these project management tools are cloud-based, it makes it easy for any remote worker to access it remotely. Also, reputable software like sharepoint services has excellent security and encryption, so there’s little chance of the valuable information getting lost.
Furthermore, remote work has become a universal solution to using time more efficiently and spending more time with family. There’s less driving to the office and being stuck in traffic. So, you get more done and can feel happy and satisfied at the end of the day that you made the most of each minute.
People even use remote work setups to create the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world. They can see new places and still check in with their bosses or clients, whether it’s from a hotel room or a restaurant in a city they’ve always wanted to visit.
While remote working clearly comes with benefits, there are also challenges. You can’t let low productivity or lack of communication affect your work. And you don’t have to! As long as you use the right tools. The list below covers tools that help many remote workers maintain success from day to day, no matter where they find themselves.
Tools to Instantly Improve Working from Home
What about working remotely is currently your biggest challenge? We cover various aspects that affect work quality, collaboration, and client satisfaction. Scroll down and identify the best solution for your current obstacles.
Hardware and Furniture Makes a Difference
There’s a lot of tech in the form of app and software solutions that will transform how you function as a remote worker. However, don’t underestimate the power of upgrading the physical aspects of your home office.
You need a quality desk with enough space for all your equipment and stationery. A cramped, cluttered space can actually impact productivity. Also, unless you make use of a standing desk, find the right office chair with proper back support that keeps you comfortable all day.
Empower yourself to deliver quality work and maintain a good workflow with high-end PC hardware. Most remote work will require a computer or laptop. Add to this a mouse and keyboard that you feel comfortable using, without causing tension in your hands.
Furthermore, some jobs may need a printer since you don’t have access to the one at your employer’s workplace anymore. And since you may be on many more virtual meetings and video calls than before, a quality webcam and speaker system may be a wise investment. Better audio and visual experiences can lead to better interaction and engagement for all parties concerned.
Tools for Better Project Management
Project management is challenging in any type of workplace. However, when team members don’t see each other in the office and in the hallways anymore, it becomes more difficult than ever to update each other on progress of certain tasks or plans. Project management software makes it easy for everyone to get updates, no matter where the role players are.
With these tools, task assignments and all necessary information regarding the projects are kept on one platform. This can include the sharing of relevant documents, reporting, and visual representations of projects’ progress, such as Gantt charts.
When these project management tools are cloud-based, it makes it easy for any remote worker to access it remotely. Also, reputable software has excellent security and encryption, so there’s little chance of the valuable information getting lost.
Improve Communication and Collaboration
Remote workers can very easily feel disconnected from their teams or battle to keep clients happy when they don’t see them in person. But tech can fix many of these issues.
It’s essential to invest in the right communication tools that will optimize collaboration with team members. This ranges from email to making sure a team chat can happen easily. For example, a messaging app you pick must be appropriate for both Android and Apple devices, so no team member has difficulties joining in the conversation.
However, sending text is rarely enough to ensure effective collaboration.
There are communication tools that allow you to send text but also documents or even videos. This is where a webcam comes in handy for some quality footage of you explaining a certain aspect of the work. But you can also use a screen recorder to help clarify your point while sharing what’s on your computer screen. Send the video via your communication platform or email, so others can view it multiple times. It may even lead to better outcomes than a once-off discussion in the office.
Can you see how harnessing the power of more tech solutions can optimize communication with others and prevent unnecessary misunderstandings?
These same elements can be utilized to engage better with clients, investors and any other role players.
Tools to Stay Accountable
If your boss is doubting whether you’re putting in the hours, tech comes to the rescue once again, bringing both workers and employers some peace of mind. Software can handle time tracking, giving managers proof of the hours remote workers spend in front of their computers.
Dynamic Calendar Management and Scheduling
You’ll also be wise to use an advanced scheduling tool. As a remote worker, you don’t want to seem unreliable by being late for meetings or missing one because you neglected to read a message or email.
Luckily, apps can assist with viewing other people’s calendars and scheduling appointments online, with no one needing to make a call or send a text message. These platforms can even host the virtual meetings and enable easy communication between multiple attendees, ensuring productive team work sessions.
Tools to Maintain Productivity
A common concern with remote working is the level of productivity while working from home. Whatever your personal challenge in this department, there’s bound to be an app to help you manage your focus more effectively.
From apps that play white noise for better concentration to ones that block other apps that tend to distract you, it’s all available. Software developers know how to cater to modern workplace needs, and your app store will have multiple solutions.
Final Thought
Any work environment has its challenges, and you may not have anticipated some of the remote working challenges you’ve come across. It can also be overwhelming trying to solve all your problems at once and implement the entire tech stack that will improve your workflow and productivity.
Our suggestion is to implement one tool at a time and become comfortable using it before moving onto another. Over time, you’ll see the impact, both in feedback from your manager and clients, or your revenue if you’re your own boss.
And please share your workplace tips with the rest of us, by leaving a comment below.