Remote Work Tips
Given the extensive changes happening around us, many have started working remotely. Here are a few tricks of the trade from IT Professionals that have been working remotely for years:
1. Create and Stick to a Schedule
Switch out the tedious commute for a head start on your day! Whatever your morning ritual may include, make sure to give yourself enough time to wake up, shower, and get ready before you dive into work. Take small breaks to walk around as you would in the office.
If you prefer to plan out every moment, then do it. If you prefer to go with the flow, be productive when you can be, and when you can’t, go on a walk with family or pets; they want to get out for a moment as much as you do.
2. Setup your Work Environment
Clean off the old desk or card table, setup your workstation, and pump up that yoga ball to create your own space for success.
Please call if you need to access your emails, shared drives, files, or other resources. We are here to help you stay in business during any circumstance.
3. Be Proactive with clients and coworkers
Go out of your way to be sociable with your co-workers. Use one of our listed resources to connect with each other, ask questions, tell jokes, and build relationships.
Communicate your workload with your teammates, no one will know what you have on your plate unless you tell them.
4. Stay Secure
Use good judgment! Don’t visit questionable sites, open suspicious emails, or click on unrecognized links. Connect to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access any secure information to help further protect your business.
Contact us for help with this setup and for consultations about remote security. We have partners, products, and services to mitigate your risk of cyber-attacks and to keep your business running.
5. Stay Safe
Keep washing your hands, sanitizing your home, and protecting your loved ones. Be kind and patient with each other. Make sure that you take as many precautions with your mental health as you do your physical health.
Again, feel free to call us with any questions, concerns, or even if you are just feeling a little lonely. We will get through this together.
Resources
Here are some added resources that we have found helpful during these fast-paced changes. Feel free to reach out if you need any assistance with setting up conference calls, VPNs, workstations, or anything else.
Collaborative Software
Google Hangouts
If you already have your organization setup with business Gmail accounts, then Google Hangouts is the way to go. At no extra cost, you can instantly chat and video conference with up to 250 team members at once using Hangouts or Meet on Google’s integrated platforms.
Hangouts: https://hangouts.google.com/
Meet: https://meet.google.com/
Microsoft Teams
If your organization has Office 365, consider using Microsoft teams. It comes with most business 365 accounts for free and can efficiently be utilized from your computer, phone, or tablet for chatting and video calls with up to 50 participants.
Access Teams with your account: https://teams.microsoft.com/
Become a Master: https://info.calltower.com/blog/8-tricks-to-become-a-microsoft-teams-master
Slack
Slack is hands down the most used and effective chat tool for the industry. With free plans and support for thousands of users at once, it is the go-to way to keep in touch with your coworkers at any time.
Start Using Slack: https://slack.com/
WebEx
WebEx can be set to call you at the meeting time so that your team never misses a meeting. It integrates with Outlook for easy calendaring and invites. It also allows you to easily add up to 1,000 attendees on video or voice in case some of your team has spotty coverage. Their free version can hold up to 100 participants and is worth a quick look.
Start Using WebEx: https://www.webex.com/video-conferencing
Zoom
If you hadn’t heard of Zoom before this month, you probably have now. Zoom makes it easier to share your screen, whiteboard, or notes while still being able to view a large number of participants at once. With up to 100 attendees, it is great for most teams and small businesses. The free version limits meetings to 40 minutes, but that could be a bonus if you have trouble keeping meetings brief.
Start Using Zoom: https://zoom.us/
Tips for Keeping your business running
Mark Cuban, the Shark Tank Investor/Entrepreneur, took some time to answer small business owner’s questions on LinkedIn.
Find more of his insights here: https://www.inc.com/betsy-mikel/mark-cuban-coronavirus-business-advice-linkedin.html
Forbes has a featured article from another serial entrepreneur with his tips on staying safe and profitable: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikekappel/2020/03/19/6-ways-protect-business-during-coronavirus/#e5d8fa453a28
LinkedIn is providing free learning resources and live events to help businesses better utilize resources during this virtual transition: https://blog.linkedin.com/2020/march/10/staying-informed-and-connected-resources-to-help-navigate-work-and-coronavirus
Tips on Working Remotely
Here are a few articles with more tried and true tips from seasoned veterans in the remote working field.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/natashajokic1/work-from-home-hacks
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/347479
https://time.com/5801725/work-from-home-remote-tips/
Tips on Staying Secure with Remote Work
Here are a few easy tips that can prevent a lot of grief and expense if followed properly:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/working-from-home-cybersecurity-tips-for-remote-workers/
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/how-tos-2/2020/03/security-tips-for-working-from-home-wfh/
Peace of Mind in Difficult Times
Hackers have been taking advantage of this situation to penetrate organizations around the world. Consider using our partner product, ASSET, to assess, manage, and mitigate your risks before they become an issue. Visit https://arknss.com or call us for a free demo.
we will get through this together
