Scottish Elises

• Get changed for work. If you Zoom with me you will see I still get up and put on a shirt every morning. This helps me differentiate between when I am at home and when I am working from home. It also helps the kids know when I am at work.
• If you need some quiet time stick some headphones on and zone out for 30 minutes. https://lnkd.in/dPxzXNX
• Update your Citrix client if that is how you remote work. You should be on 20.2.x as of 01/05/20.
• Run your windows updates when you finish work. While you are at it ask your iPhone or Android phone to download their application updates at this time too. By doing this you will not have all these devices doing their updates when they see fit which could be during your working day and impair your bandwidth for Video calls / Citrix sessions etc.
• Get a good webcam. 55% of communication is visual. If people cannot see you clearly your message is not getting across as best you can. I use the Microsoft Lifecam range as they also have a very good microphone.
• Use Zoom on your desktop or laptop rather than your tablet or phone. Far better user experience and you can share content from your desktop, e.g. press and hold space bar to come off mute. And no battery anxiety!
• Run an anti malware tool daily, kick it off when you go to grab lunch. The bad guys are still out there doing their thing and simply visiting a website could infect you. I have a subscription with MalwareBytes on all my machines and it catches things weekly.
• Run your Windows updates on your PC. Granted it is not the best time to have your primary desktop bork on you but with the dramatic increase in time switched on the time exposed to danger is vastly increased. Ensure all critical updates are installed.
• Charge your car battery. Sounds odd but post lock down I foresee a lot of dead batteries and long lead times. Ideally you would use a battery conditioner, I use a c-tek one, if you have a normal battery charger use that for 24 hours then switch it off, you can leave the conditioner on indefinitely. Starting and moving you car also helps stop the brakes from seizing on.
• Update your Zoom on your desktop and Mobile device at the start of each day. As the product evolves the updates are coming out thick and fast. Your minimum version should be 5.x as of 30/04/20

• Avoid the repeated popping into the cupboards to gorge yourself by having a "tuck" box of snacks you can have during the day. Fill the tuck box up in the evening based upon your "days allowance" and make sure you only use that for any daytime snacking
• Ensure your lunchtime is blocked out in your calendar so that you can have time away from your desk
• Try to keep you home desk tidy as you would at work (I work from home permanently so life has not changed for me, however I spent the weekend clearing out my study and its made a massive impact on how I feel during the day when working)
• Put your personal phone at the other end of the room so you are less likely to look at the forums when you are in a meeting (he says typing this up in work time!!)

ed wrote:Wear sunscreen.

Corranga wrote:On the flip side, having your 6 year old walk in, in a tutu or a floaty fairy dress seems to make everyone smile, even when she then explains that mama has gone for a lie down and that something has happened to Mario Kart and she needs me to fix it