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Set up your home office electronics correctly

Working from home is becoming more common amongst businesses as they begin to adapt to changes in work culture. Saving employees time and money by avoiding the daily commute to work, plus flexibility in work hours, working from home offers a range of benefits.

However, bringing the office home means setting up devices and electronics. From your keyboard to your mouse, additional monitors, and perhaps even a second computer, you could end up with a birds nest of cables and an overloaded power outlet.

To help you avoid catastrophe, we’ve rounded up some handy tips on how to set up home office electronics correctly. Learn how to connect your devices properly, discover office desk ergonomics, plus all the best cable organiser tips and tricks with Smoothmoves.

Don’t Overload The System

If anyone knows how to set up home office electronics correctly, it will be the Electrical Safety Foundation International or ESFI. Promoting electrical safety across North America since 1994, this non-profit has a power strip worth of advice for your home office.

  • Avoid overloading outlets. Furthermore, use power strips intelligently.
  • Unplug appliances when not in use to save energy and minimise the risk of shock or fire.
  • Regularly inspect electrical cords and extension cords for damage.
  • You should only use extension cords temporarily.
  • Never plug a space heater or fan into an extension cord or power strip.
  • Never run cables under rugs/carpets, doors, or windows.
  • Make sure wires do not become tripping hazards.
  • Keep papers and other potential combustibles at least 1 metre away from space heaters and other heat sources.
  • Do not exceed the maximum wattage for lamps/lighting.
  • Test smoke alarms monthly. Change batteries yearly.  Replace smoke alarms every ten years.

The Cable Organiser

Cable management is an underrated aspect of home office ergonomics. Both a method for organising your power outlet and removing unsightly cables for view, cable management can significantly improve both the look and feel of your home office space. Consider investing some time in planning the installation of your home electronics to avoid cable clutter by using cable ties and cable organiser tools like cable boxes.

How To Set Up A Second Monitor Without Cable Clutter

One of the most common sources of cable clutter is from plugging in an external monitor. External monitors usually require a power cable, a display cable and a data cable, with the last two connected to your computer.

Firstly, plug in the power cable to the monitor, and bundle it together with your computers power cable with cable ties or inside a cable sleeve. Then, plug both into your power outlet. If you’re using a power strip, consider putting it inside a cable box for a clean look.

Secondly, connect the display cable from your monitor to your computer. Depending on your computer or monitor, you’ll likely be using one of three connection types. HDMI, DisplayPort and USB-C. If your external monitor supports USB-C, you may be able to power your computer through your monitor in addition to data transfer, leaving you with one less cable.

Thirdly, connect the data cable from your monitor to your computer. This cable will come packaged with your monitor if it has any USB ports. Bundle the data and display cable with cable ties or inside a cable sleeve. If there are none, skip this step.

Finally, position the external monitor so that the top half of the display is slightly above your eye level and at fingertips reach, or roughly 51cm from your sitting position to limit eye fatigue.

Software is your Friend

Beyond the hardware in your physical workspace, your home office relies heavily on the software that you use. Much like our electronics experts, the IT Support team over at ADITS are masters of software and digitally optimising your home office environment. While there’s no way to know what kind of software or applications every worker is using, there are some general tips that can make a significant difference to your productivity.

  • Keep software up to date.
  • Schedule updates for after-work hours
  • Leverage browser extensions.
  • Use private browsing and incognito mode for different results.
  • Implement email rules to organise your inbox.
  • Use window snapping for open applications.
  • Adopt a clipboard manager.
  • Learn application keyboard shortcuts.
  • Reduce the number of programs running on startup.
  • Back up your files locally and in the cloud.

Professional Home Organising Services

If you need some help getting your home office setup ready to go, then you might want to think about giving Smoothmoves a call. Alongside a lightning-fast removalist service, we provide professional home organising services in Sydney, offering hands-on assistance to create immediate changes to your home office and transform the tired, redundant areas around your home into workable and organised environments.

From furniture ergonomics to decluttering and even removing unwanted items, Smoothmoves is your top choice for professional home organisation in Brisbane, Townsville, and beyond. Transform your space and create the perfect ergonomic home office setup today with Smoothmoves!

ADITS ranked 4th Best Managed Service Provider in Australia

ADITS has been selected as one of the technology industry’s top-performing providers of managed services by the editors of Channel Futures. For the past 15 years, MSPs from around the globe have submitted applications to be included on this prestigious and definitive listing. The Channel Futures MSP 501 survey examines organizational performance based on annual sales, recurring revenue, profit margins, revenue mix, growth opportunities, innovation, technology solutions supported, and company and customer demographics.

Channel Futures is pleased to rank ADITS at #4 in Australia and#81 in the world, in the 2021 MSP 501 rankings.

“It is great to see that ADITS is not only maintaining a presence amongst the top MSP’s, but also continuing to improve upon our position within the ranks, “Managing Director, Ashley Darwen said. “We have been aiming to crack the Top 5 in APAC and Top 100 in the world for a number of years, so to do this in 2021 is a real testament to the hard work and dedication of our Team.”

Background

The 2021 MSP 501 list is based on confidential data collected and analyzed by the Channel Futures editorial and research teams. Data was collected online from March 1-May 24, 2021. The MSP 501 list recognizes top managed service providers based on metrics including recurring revenue, profit margin and other factors.

Since its inception, the MSP 501 has evolved from a competitive ranking into a vibrant group of innovators focused on high levels of customer satisfaction at small, medium, and large organizations in public and private sectors. Today, many of their services and technology offerings focus on growing customer needs in the areas of cloud, security, collaboration, and support of hybrid work forces.

“The 2021 Channel Futures MSP 501 winners are the highest-performing and most innovative IT providers in the industry today. They stand head and shoulders above the competition,” said Robert DeMarzo, vice president of content for the Channel Futures and Channel Partners Conference & Expo division of Informa Tech Channels. “Coordinated by Channel Futures MSP 501 editor Allison Francis, this year’s list was clearly one of the best ever on record.”

“Vendors that are aligned with the Channel Futures MSP 501 are driving a new wave of innovation in the industry. Through their partnerships they are demonstrating a commitment to moving the MSP and entire channel forward,” said Kelly Danziger, general manager of Informa Tech Channels. “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 2021 winners and gratitude to the thousands of MSPs that have contributed to the continuing growth and success of the managed services sector.”