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I have been working at home for over 3 years now exclusively. While it might sound like a heavenly set up, it comes with its challenges. Over the years I have discovered a few simple tools that help not only make your work at home experience manageable, but fun.
5 tools to make your work at home experience manageable (and fun)
A binder
I have found that my favorite school supply of my youth has made its way back into my adult life. They may not be as colorful or a Trapper Keeper like I had when I was younger, but they provide the same organization and feeling of satisfaction as when I was younger. I still keep a lot of my schedules in my phone too but that doesn’t seem to help me remember as well as the physical act of writing it down. I have a calendar, a notebook full of tasks, notes from meetings and print outs from my classes. It’s only for work stuff and is totally separate from family life, unlike my phone.
A good chair
There is nothing like a good chair. My cat Frosty agrees since he always trying to steal my spot. I have had the chair for years, it’s a little beat up but it’s my favorite chair. It’s worn just right, I have my memory foam seat cushion and it is my friend while I work. I can not stress enough how important a good chair is to working at home. It’s the difference of you being able to sit still and whip out a good portion of work or fidgeting and getting up constantly. It causes a distraction a lot of us don’t have time for.
An organized set up that suits you.
It bugs my kids that I have my space so organized I can tell if anything is moved or used. It may not look as organized as some would like but it’s my kind of organized. You need to adjust your environment to what suits you best. I need to have everything tucked away but right in front of me. I don’t like wasting time looking for stuff so all of my work stuff, including crafts, cameras and tripods are always with in reach. I cannot wait until the day I actually have an office but I make due and am pretty happy with what I have set up.
I add my little personal touches that make me happy and it just feels better. The reason I work out of my house is that I need flexibility, space to be creative and room to breathe. When you make your spot/space your own it helps relax you and unblock any negative things that would effect your productiveness.
Security
One thing that my fellow work-at-homers forget is that when you work out of the house you don’t have all the fancy gadgets or tech support as when you work in an office. Security is important when you are relying on your equipment at home. All your work stuff, devices etc are what you rely on everyday and if anyone was to jeopardize this…..well, it could be catastrophic. I discovered a new device that has added an extra level of security that every person that works at home should really invest in. Bitdefender BOX reassures personal online safety and brings peace of mind to the ever-changing inter-web. This tiny box has the ability to secure all of the devices you use everyday and that you have come to take for granted. As of June 16, 2016, the BOX has a new feature called Vulnerability Assessment that scans your entire home network to identify any weak spots that can compromise its integrity. Bitdefender BOX protects any device that connects to the Internet and has an IP address. It’s something that I never even thought of. Of course they would make all of our devices safe and protected right? Apparently I learned absolutely nothing in the 90’s. Nothing is invulnerable. When you use it, the Bitdefender Box protects every device you connect to Internet. Across all platforms.
Since we are on our devices all the time anyway, the smart people at Bitdefender knew that making it all accessible with an app was the way to go. One app and you’re in charge of everything. Anywhere. It’s super easy. Just plug it in, connect it to your router and set it up from your phone. All set. I feel safe knowing it’s future-proof. Bitdefender BOX is continuously improving and learning. Intuitive devices and tools are the tech of the future. Gone are the days where you have a stack of useless cds or mp3s lying around. If technology can’t adapt anymore it gets left in the dust, literally. If you are as excited about this as I was you can visit the website, check them out on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and the hashtag #ProtectedbyBox, give them a few hearts on Instagram. They also have a Youtube Channel that talks a little bit more about the epic coolness of Bitdefender Box. Just like a lock on your door, the Bitdefender BOX is a necessity in every modern working professional’s home.
Bitdefender BOX is available for purchase at $99 for a limited time (value $199), including both the hardware device and one- year service. Yearly subscription, regardless of number of connected devices, is priced at $99. Ordering is now available on bitdefender.com/box. Currently available only in U.S.
Killer headphones
If you work at home and you live with people, any people, including roommates, parents, children etc…you need killer headphones. Ones that block noise, filter sound and tell people to back off, I am working. The type of music I listen to depends on my mood and what I am writing that day. I have 4 different playlists called Work 1,2,3 or 4 and those are the lists I know will get me on task. I like all sorts of music. I know some people need classical or soft rock to work. Pick what works best and stick with it. Your brain is a giant muscle and it has muscle memory just like the rest of your body. If you play the same music when you work your brain will actually adjust into whatever mode you need it to. When I am painting or crafting I play bouncy music. When I write I pick music that has a certain beat in the background. When I need to concentrate I put that playlist on and I can feel the focus shift in me and I become more productive. It’s crazy but it works!
Enter to win 1 of 5 Bitdefender Boxes! Giveaway ends August 20th, 11:59 pm. US residents only please.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bitdefender. The opinions and text are all mine.
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