It’s clear why some people enjoy working from home. Telecommuters at home can work in their pajamas, avoid driving in traffic, and enjoy fewer distractions or interruptions from coworkers. Despite the allure of these benefits, they are not the reason why approximately one-third of Americans are currently working out of makeshift home offices around the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many workers to perform their job duties at home – whether they like it or not. If you’re suddenly doing your job from home, smart home technology can improve your working conditions and streamline some of your workday inefficiencies. Here are some perks to working remotely from a smart home:
Who Needs a Secretary When You Have Alexa?
Smart home assistants like Amazon Echo and Siri give you access to a wide range of convenient features while you’re isolating at home. These devices connect with your smartphone, smart lighting systems, smart thermostats, and other home tech. Through smart home assistants, you can control your smart tech by voice command or through your smartphone without leaving your office, so you’ll be able to focus longer on your work with fewer interruptions.
A smart home assistant is like having an attentive, 24-hour secretary. You can call out commands for almost anything:
- Make lists
- Set reminders
- Schedule meetings
- Calendar lunches
- Call clients and colleagues
- Read the most recent headlines
- Track your time for different clients
- Translate different languages
- Order a lunch delivery
- Order supplies
- Dictate emails
Certain smart home assistants like Alexa allow you to add additional “skills,” such as the Quick Events Skill for calendaring reminders, looking for scheduling conflicts, and other features. There are many smart speakers and smart home assistants available, so do some research on price so you can buy the best one to suit your needs. Conveniently, PointCentral’ssmart home hubs are compatible with all major smart speaker systems.
Temperature Control With a Perfectly Calibrated Smart Thermostat
Having the right temperature in your home office isn’t just about comfort. A recent study showed that 77 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimum temperature for an office. Dropping the temperature only 10 degrees caused workers to be 54% less productive with 25% more errors. Additionally, waiting for an HVAC system to kick in can be uncomfortable and frustrating, neither of which are ideal conditions to be working under. A smart thermostat can solve these problems by running your HVAC system evenly and consistently.
Independent tests have shown that the Alarm.com’s Smart Thermostat can save you approximately 9-16% while heating, and approximately 15-23% while cooling your home. The Thermostat is complete with remote temperature sensors that can be placed in different rooms for more efficient heating and cooling. Additionally, with PointCentral’s HVAC Analytics, you can receive alerts if your HVAC system is having unusual trouble cooling or heating your home or property. Not only will you be more comfortable, but you’ll improve your work productivity as well!
Get Smart and Put a Plug In It!
Smart plugs are the easiest way to transform normal appliances, lights, and other technology into “smart technology.” A smart plug is a simple device that connects to your smart home hub, so your smart home system can control when the device turns on and off. Here’s a smart plug made by Alarm.com:
Smart plugs are excellent for automating your coffee maker, ceiling fans, desk lamps, and other simple electronics as a part of preprogrammed smart routines. You can schedule different devices to activate at specific times every day, or you can have them activate after you say a voice command to your smart home assistant.
Smart Doorbells So You Know Who’s at the Door
If you’re like most homebound workers, you probably enjoy having groceries, food, and other necessities delivered by Amazon, Uber Eats, and similar services. But when the delivery person shows up with these goods, how do you know who it is when the doorbell rings?
Sometimes your doorbell will ring because a package is at the door, but the packages can wait outside until you’re free from your responsibilities at work. Other times it will ring because a visitor is there or you have received perishable goods – which means you need to answer the door immediately. Installing a smart doorbell system allows you to see who’s at the door and have a conversation with them – all without disturbing your work routine.
In PointCentral smart homes, we use the SkyBell Slim Line Doorbell Cam, which offers users a high-quality video feed, including night vision technology. Here’s what the SkyBell Doorbell Cam looks like:
PointCentral: Making Remote Work Better Every Day
At PointCentral, we want you to experience the full benefits and comfort of working in a smart home. If you’d like to learn how to transform your residence with smart home technology, contact the PointCentral team now.
