Everybody’s got the working-from-home starter pack down. It starts with an Ergonomic chair (and if you still don’t have one, we’re plugging you here), a desk, an external hard drive, a work-provided laptop, and while wireless earbuds are optional, you might want to consider those too.
We figure that most of us have worked from home long enough to have these ticked off, so instead, why not invest in the things that you’ll really need. Things that will help you stay professional while working from home, and the best part is that you can find them all on Gumtree.
This isn’t an attempt at shade, but we know where we live, and like the Starks tried to warn all of Westeros, we’re warning you: Winter IS coming, and that only means one thing – loadshedding. And there’s nothing worse than a power cut while you’re busy with a work call. It’s the absolute pits and can come across as so unprofessional.
Eskom will do what they’re going to do, but if you work from home on a full-time basis, we can’t imagine that planning your workdays around different coffee spots is any fun. Especially when you consider the constant fuel hikes, the recent e-hailing services strike, and the fact that load shedding contributes to some of the traffic.
However, there are alternative power solutions, and investing in either an inverter or a UPS for your home could give you a few hours to get what you need to get done. Not only could you get through your meetings and client presentations, but you’ll also be able to get through all the items on your to-do list, and maybe a Facetime session or two.
We figure that most of us have worked from home long enough to have these ticked off, so instead, why not invest in the things that you’ll really need. Things that will help you stay professional while working from home, and the best part is that you can find them all on Gumtree.
This isn’t an attempt at shade, but we know where we live, and like the Starks tried to warn all of Westeros, we’re warning you: Winter IS coming, and that only means one thing – loadshedding. And there’s nothing worse than a power cut while you’re busy with a work call. It’s the absolute pits and can come across as so unprofessional.
Eskom will do what they’re going to do, but if you work from home on a full-time basis, we can’t imagine that planning your workdays around different coffee spots is any fun. Especially when you consider the constant fuel hikes, the recent e-hailing services strike, and the fact that load shedding contributes to some of the traffic.
However, there are alternative power solutions, and investing in either an inverter or a UPS for your home could give you a few hours to get what you need to get done. Not only could you get through your meetings and client presentations, but you’ll also be able to get through all the items on your to-do list, and maybe a Facetime session or two.
With regards to an inverter, its primary function is to supply power from its battery to your home, and depending on the size of the inverter you get, you’ll be able to keep the lights on so you can use your computer, TV, and other electrical devices, but it does cost that much more.
A UPS, which stands for uninterruptable power supply, is a backup battery system that keeps your devices on in the event of a power outage. The size of the UPS will determine how many hours of battery life you get and the number of devices it can connect to. You might not be able to connect your kitchen appliances to your UPS, but you will at least have access to your home WiFi, which means that you’re still able to deliver on your deadlines.
A quick search on Gumtree brings up 284 UPS listings, and if you have a look now, you might be able to get your hands on a good bargain from dealers and private sellers.
While we can all appreciate a good barista, coffee shops aren’t always as comfortable as your home workstation. They don’t come with a second screen, and it’s very likely that you have to get out of your gown, and some might even make you feel bad for the number of times you order relative to the hours it could take for the power to come back. They can also get crowded and loud.
One of the main benefits of working from home is that with less time lost while in transit, there’s an increase experienced in productivity. To keep this up, head on over to Gumtree so that Eskom doesn’t catch you slipping this winter.
Now that you’ve got the knowledge, it’s time to shop! Head to gumtree.co.za or your Gumtree app (click for Apple & Android) and don’t forget to use your location settings to find local service information close to home.
