Working from home comes with a few challenges. You’ll have to deal with noise from neighbors, housemates, and pets. You’ll have to fight the temptation to relax and stay motivated to work. But one of the biggest challenges that you’ll face as a remote worker is the dreaded tech problem.
If you were in a corporate office, you could call up the IT department any time your computer stopped working or your internet service mysteriously cut out. But when you work from a home office, you have to resolve this frustrating situation all on your own.
This is why you have to prepare for IT emergencies ahead of time. So, how do you start?
1. Make a Tech Emergency Fund
Your tech will cost a pretty penny to repair. That’s why you should set up an emergency fund to help you recover from any expensive fixes or replacements. It’s not like you can wait for a week to get a new laptop or phone.
Now is the best time to start building a fund. Dedicate some of the savings from your monthly budget for it. Over time, you’ll have a substantial safety net set aside for these IT problems.
Another good idea is to get a personal line of credit. You could get a line of credit by CBW Bank offered through CreditFresh to fall back on when you don’t have enough in your fund for these IT emergencies. One of the benefits of a line of credit is that it’s a revolving form of credit. Once you replenish the balance, you can use it all over again.
2. Extend Your Warranties
Full warranty programs will offer you complete coverage for device repair or replacement. Other warranty programs will offer you more affordable prices for repairs and replacements than customers that have exceeded the limits of the warranty — this is common for Apple products. A reduced price is a better option than nothing.
If you really depend on your tech to complete your daily tasks, you might want to consider an extended warranty or protection program. This could come in handy, especially when you’re dealing with a very expensive piece of equipment.
3. Always Have a Back-Up Plan
What can you do when your equipment is getting repaired? You can keep working with a back-up device. If you have any old laptops, tablets, keyboards, headphones or phones lying around in your junk drawer, don’t throw them away. As long as they still function, keep them around. It’s better to have a slightly outdated computer than no computer at all.
If you don’t have any old devices, you should think about getting some cheap secondhand alternatives. You can find lots of gently-used tech for sale online. Consider it as an investment that could save you during an emergency.
What about your internet? First, you should follow essential tips for getting good Wi-Fi so that your service is fast and consistent. Improving your set-up could lower your risk of sluggish service and inconvenient interruptions.
See if you can use your smartphone as a hotspot whenever your router is slow or cuts out. It’s not a perfect solution, but it could help you shoot your boss a quick email about why you can’t make it to the Zoom meeting that’s starting in five minutes.
Dealing with a tech breakdown when you’re working from home can feel like a complete disaster. But if you’re ready for it, you can regroup right away and get back to your work in a flash.