Welcome to our newest series. In “Friday Favorites,” our team will share a handful of favorite items. These can range from clothes to beauty products to recipes to books and anything in between.
Many of us experienced remote work for the first time in 2020. Whether you enjoyed it or hated it, this type of work is here to stay. There are so many benefits to it, and so long as pandemic restrictions are in place, it remains a viable option for workers.
Remote work is also challenging. It requires focus and dedication while working outside of a traditional office. But with the right tools and systems in place, it can be a great alternative for work, especially for military spouses.
I love my remote work, and here are my favorite essentials for staying productive while working from home.
Customizable Planner
When it comes to keeping track of projects and deadlines, I am a mix of the old and new schools. I love using my phone and Google calendar for reminders, but I also love using a planner. Writing tasks, appointments, and schedules down helps me to visualize and plan more efficiently. It’s even better if I can customize it and break it down weekly and daily. This planner from Knot and Bow is affordable and has everything I need.
Apps for Tasks, Project Management, and More
I just explained why I use physical planners, yet online apps are also one of my essentials! An app for teams is essential when coordinating multiple tasks, projects, or deliverables. One of my favorites is Asana for project management. You can break down projects or goals into steps and assign team members to each one. It also sends team members reminder emails when deadlines are upcoming (which has saved me plenty of times). You can try it for free and upgrade to higher membership levels as your needs expand!
At The Military Mom Collective, we also love using Dubsado for sales and contracts, CoSchedule for social media sharing and planning, and Canva Pro for marketing and graphic design. These allow us to work remotely and even on the go!
Bulk Cards
Remote work can feel isolating, especially in 2020. We may see each other on Zoom calls or during online events, but we miss that connection with people. That’s why I love using mail when I can. I appreciate a simple thank you card for a project, a promo sticker from a company I worked with, or a birthday note on that special day. I’ve been a huge fan of snail mail for years, and it’s one of my favorite ways to communicate with people.
This bulk pack of thank you cards is perfect – easy on the budget and easy to use. You’ll always have one ready for when you need it!
Rainbow File Folders
No matter where you work or how you work, there is paper. LOTS of paper. Contracts, agreements, receipts, datasheets…we are still reliant on paper in our daily lives. And we have to keep things organized and neat. But neat does not have to mean boring!
Find file folders, cabinets, and organizers in whatever color or print your heart desires. It’s your home office, right? I like this wall hanging set. It files and centrally locates what I need in fun colors.
Ring Light
Look, I resisted as much as possible. I felt way too much like an influencer and less like an employee with a ring light. So many of our interactions are online or on video calls, and proper lighting can take you from looking frazzled and tired to energetic and awake. There are many different lights and styles available; try this one for an affordable light with a stand for your desktop.
Quality Bluetooth Earbuds or Headphones
Even if you are working home alone, consider a set of good quality earbuds or headphones. Bluetooth listening allows you to walk around and still communicate or listen. Need to stretch your legs during a long meeting? Or to grab another cup of coffee on a call? Earbuds or headphones allow you to be mobile while productive. Even better if they are noise canceling. There are meetings and calls where it may be important to have that benefit. As a mom who works from home and conducts distance learning, trust me on that one.
I received these Sony earbuds for Christmas and love them. While not noise-canceling, they do buffer out external sounds a bit. They charge quickly, work seamlessly between my phone and computer, and the price was more affordable than other brands.
