While there are many advantages to this arrangement, making the transition can impact your personal life and career greatly. There are several things to consider before making this a permanent change.
Look to Sell Your Car
If you’ll be working from home for the near future, you might not be driving your car nearly as much. If your household has multiple cars, think about how many are necessary. Can you get by with only one vehicle? If you live within walking distance of grocery stores, you might not even need one vehicle. Weigh the pros and cons of selling your car. Now is a good time to research what goes into selling cars. For example, you’ll need the Monroney Sticker to determine the options, trim, or packages your car has. A free tool allows you to print out car window stickers with accurate information, just like the car was brand-new.
Find the Equipment You Might Need
When the pandemic first hit, many people thought they would only be away from their office for a couple of weeks. They made things work with the equipment they had on hand. But if the arrangement will be permanent or at least long-term, what technical support and equipment does your job require now? Think about your living space. Is there enough room to successfully get things done? If you do not have a separate office, can you work from the living room or kitchen and still keep your home and work life separate? To make a long-term arrangement successful, consider the equipment you need to stay productive. For instance, is your laptop adequate? You might need a keyboard and monitor as well. Perhaps you also need to invest in a better chair and desk. Or you might need a fax machine and printer.
Think about Your Internet Connection
If you do enough video conferencing, you might need a better internet connection to support that. Consider asking your employer to help cover the cost of an upgraded internet package. Or see if they’ll give you a phone that has a mobile hot spot option. It’s also important to think about your existing cybersecurity tools, such as designated phone lines, VPN access, and a signature program for signing documents. No matter what you need for work, it pays to ask for them instead of demanding them. Ask your employer what you can do to help make this work.
Talk to Other Members of the Household
If another member of the household is also working from home, do you have the flexibility and space to adjust together? For instance, if one household member already works from home and has a certain routine, the dynamics can change significantly if another household member also starts telecommuting. You might need to play with your schedules a bit, so you don’t interrupt each other. Think about how things might play out over time – such as who will take care of the kids.
