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How to Prepare to Work From Home


The day before you work from home, remember to transfer any important files, as Fast Company points out in their guide to working from home. If you’re using a different computer, sync everything over with Dropbox, email, or a USB drive. Even if you’re using the same computer, or if you mostly rely on cloud services, remember to also prepare for any two-factor logins, and anything that won’t work on your corporate VPN. And bring any physical documents home.

FC also recommends prepping your workspace the night before: Clear away distracting “home stuff” and replicate your work environment as much as possible. It’s hard enough to get into your usual workday headspace when you’re sitting at home. You don’t want to waste the morning on making adjustments.

Set up as many of your usual office comforts as possible—you’d be surprised how distracting it can be to not have your favorite coffee mug or headphones. And clear away your home clutter. The idea is to replicate your usual workspace for a day.

If you’re using your personal computer for the day, turn that into “work mode” too: Close your usual home tabs like your personal email, turn off any notifications you wouldn’t have on your work computer, and maybe even create a different Chrome account.

For more prep, check out Lifehacker’s massive archive of work-from-home advice, from convincing your boss to let you do it, to changing clothes at the end of your day.

The Ultimate Work-From-Home Checklist For People Who Are Always In The Office | Fast Company