Preparing for a remote job: How to set up your home office and schedule

Starting remote work for the first time can feel a little daunting, even if it’s something you’ve wanted to do for a long time. If you’ve never had a home office setup, or at least not one you’d want to use anymore, it can be hard to know what you need to get started.

Hybrid and remote work expert, Trina Hoefling first started talking about working from home and its possibilities and challenges back in the 1990s when the highest tech connection was an ISDN line! As the author of Working Virtually: Transforming the Mobile Workplace (2017) and someone who has worked from home for over thirty years, she shares her home office tips to get you off to a flying start.

10 tips to nail your office setup

Every employer is different and there’s no US-wide legislation covering what should be provided for remote work. However, your employer may provide some or all the equipment for your home office. In addition to a computer and cell phone, here are Hoefling’s home office setup essentials:

1. A decent internet connection and a backup

This may not be a big deal if you live in the city, but if you’re up in the mountains (as Hoefling often is) you need to check your internet coverage is good enough to do your job. Do you need to video conference frequently? Are you mostly working with online tools? Some companies check this out as part of the interview process.

Hoefling recommends you also have a backup in case of problems. A secondary login vehicle or the option of a coworking space a short drive away that you can access quickly. She also suggests storing people’s phone numbers, so if you’re having issues, you can send a text.

Hoefling’s top tip: “Be directly connected to the Ethernet (rather than using Wi-Fi) if you’re in a lot of meetings as it’s faster, cleaner, and just a more pleasant experience for everyone.”

2. A really good chair

Your home office setup should include a good ergonomic chair that’s set at the right height with lumbar support. You need to be aware of your posture. “Bad posture and lack of movement can cause arthritis and other health problems. You’ve got to be in it for the long game,” says Hoefling.

3. A big screen

When you’re working from home, there’s a tendency to take fewer breaks and all of your time is spent behind a screen (even some of your social life at times!). Make sure your screen is as big as possible to help with eye fatigue.

4. A sit-stand desk

Since the pandemic when everyone had to work from home, the benefits of sit-stand desks have been widely publicized. Research shows that the use of sit-stand desks has been scientifically proven to improve productivity and concentration. They’re also better for your body as they keep you moving.

5. Noise cancelling headphones

This will depend on your WFH set-up and whether there are other people/children and/or animals at home. If you need to focus, background noises can be distracting. “It’s pretty hard to say no to a crying baby,” explains Hoefling. It can also be useful for calls and video chats where you don’t want the person on the other end of the call to hear anything other than you.

6. A decent microphone and webcam

This is your career; you want to look and sound professional in your home office. Proper appropriate technology is an investment in your future and will help you get your work done to the best of your ability.

7. Several workspaces that are ergonomically viable

Like many WFH fans, Hoefling describes herself as a wanderer, meaning she likes to work at different spots around the house, rather than be stuck at a single desk. In addition to her home office, she works from her love seat, deck, and even the kitchen counter—which incidentally is a great height for working while standing. If you want to be a wanderer as you work from home, try to pick spots around that ensure good posture so you’re taking care of your body.

8. A coworking space if required

If you need to see people and still get your work done, in addition to a great home office setup, a local coworking space can be a good option. Hoefling explains, “If I were in my 20s, I’d probably be inclined to join a coworking space and go more often unless you have a particularly active social life because that’s where I’m going to meet people.” Don’t isolate yourself too much as it can lead to depression and burnout. It’s all about figuring out what works for you.

9. The right tools

When you’re starting a new WFH role, Hoefling says, “It’s important to be really clear on what the tools are, how to use them, and how to meet the team norms.” In advance of starting your new remote job take care to:

• Understand the company’s data and privacy rules and ensure all your equipment is secure. Hoefling adds, “Usually you’ll be guided through this stuff as part of your onboarding process, but it’s really important you comply with this every time.” This can be especially important if you’re using a computer that’s shared between work and home.
• Learn how to manage collaboration tools effectively. You can take time to get up to speed once you are working but if you’ve never used the tools why not spend some time to understand them in advance and give yourself a head start? Then you can focus on the shared document protocols, different naming protocols used by different teams, etc.
• Set up an online calendar (if this isn’t done for you). Hoefling explains, that when you’re working from home alone, it’s easy to miss one-off meetings, so “Keep your calendar impeccable and set audible alarms.”

10. Decent yoga pants, great coffee, and a water bottle.

Ok, these aren’t exactly essentials, but Hoefling lists them as going a long way to helping you get your remote work done comfortably, healthily, and happily!

6 tips to take care of your mental and physical health

If you’re new to working from home, it can be difficult to set your routines. Hoefling says that people tend to want to recreate everything at home the same way as it is in the office, especially in leadership roles, but that doesn’t work well in practice. She adds, “While management fears are of quiet quitting and people not doing their jobs, the more prevalent concern and risk is overwork. The vast majority of data shows this as the bigger risk, leading to burnout, depression, and loneliness.”

Here are Hoefling’s remote work tips:

1. Structure your working day:

You’re now your own structural expert. You create your workday and that includes the social connection component of work. There’s no natural structure of breaks and casual chat on the way to the restroom.

• Take mental breaks by throwing on a load of laundry or stepping away from your desk to check in on your pets.
• Turn off notifications at a specific time in the evening no matter what.
• Create rituals. This is particularly useful for small spaces where you’re always in your office. Hoefling shares the example of a client who would go out of their door in the morning, turn right, and walk around the block and when he got back home, he was ‘at the office.’ At the end of the day, he turned left and did the reverse. This gave him the separation he needed and got in some exercise.
• Create chunks of time where there are no interruptions and meetings, turn off your chat function, and silence your phone so you have time for ‘deep work.’

2. Move your body

Hoefling explains that it’s important to think about the long game with remote work. If you’re young you won’t be as aware of the effects of not taking care of your body but it’s crucial for long-term health when working from home.

• Eye exercises to protect your sight
• Finger exercises to prevent carpel tunnel
• Changing position to prevent arthritis and other health problems
• Exercising regularly (to your own ability).

3. Eat mindfully

According to Hoefling, “A lot of people tell me they eat mindlessly [when working from home for the first time]. For me, it was the opposite.” Try not to munch constantly or forget to eat entirely because you’re so caught up in work.

4. Get out of the house

This will vary from person to person, some people will be climbing the walls if they don’t get out every day, and others will be content with twice a week. But whatever you do, says Hoefling, “Get out, even if it’s just to go to the market to buy a croissant.”

5. Connect proactively

Socially and for work purposes. Hoefling explains it’s important to maintain and cultivate relationships when you’re starting a remote job, not just with your new and current colleagues but also with those you were friendly with before. The tight relationships with colleagues who will tell you the truth, the loose relationships on LinkedIn (don’t wait until you need something!), and the relationship with your professional associations and the people within them. They all matter and you need to make the effort to stay in touch.

Setting yourself up for success when working from home isn’t complicated, but it does involve more than simply finding space for your computer. Hoefling believes the biggest area to work on is clear communication and maintaining relationships.

Photo: Welcome to the Jungle

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