1st Choice Translations
1st Choice Translations
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Basic Technical Equipment for your Home Office
For Students: Finding a Work Placement
At first sight it may appear the perfect solution, especially for (young) mothers, to work from home. The most important thing is to ensure that your family understands that you are at work even if – physically – you are at home. This can be difficult, especially if there are small children.
You need a suitable home office, a room that gives you enough space and peace and quiet to work. Make sure there is enough natural light. Position your computer in such a way that you have sufficient daylight without direct sunlight on the screen. The monitor must not be positioned too high because you risk your eyes becoming dry by staring upwards. Ensure that your heating arrangements are adequate and avoid draughts to the eye (for example from fan heaters) and air that is too dry. Your eyes are important, look after them! And last but not least: It is absolutely essential that you have a desk and a chair that are completely right for you. Sitting for prolonged periods in incorrect postures will do your back no good in the long term. As you have no colleagues who may notice bad habits, it's totally up to you to "watch your back".
I found there to be one very big danger when you are working from home: Without any distractions, you get so engrossed in your work that you don’t get out of your chair for hours. At the end of the day your back hurts, your shoulders are uncomfortable, your eyes are tired. Do get up in between, walk around, do some stretching exercises! Your body will thank you for it! Also, indulge your body and mind with doing some proper regular exercise. Take up swimming, go to the gym, join a dance club, go for regular walks, anything that gets the muscles moving. Our bodies weren’t made for sitting! Exercise will make you feel better and, ultimately, you’ll be more productive.
Working form home also means that you miss out on any social life that you would usually gain by working in an office with other colleagues. You are mainly working in isolation: Another reason to join one or two of the other above mentioned activities. That way you are not only keeping fit but also establishing a social network without which life is so much drearier.
Beware of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Pain may creep up on you slowly! Right wrist, left arm, shoulders and back are most likely to be affected. If you start developing a regular pain somewhere, look closely at how you are working and visit your GP. Do not ignore it! It won’t go away unless you change your way of working!