The Internet of Things or IoT refers to the network of WiFi connected devices in our homes, workplaces and the wider world. IoT devices such as AI-powered personal assistants and smart thermostats can be essential for ensuring your home becomes your perfect remote working environment. This article looks at how IoT devices can help you tackle the reduced efficiency you may be experiencing during the lockdown and become more productive when working remotely, as we adjust to the new normal.
AI-Powered Personal Assistants and Smart Speakers
AI-powered personal assistants like Amazon’s Alexa integrated into smart speakers are commonplace in many homes. With intelligent devices such as these, remote workers can benefit from improved, automated calendar management and scheduling.
A smart assistant can notify you of the best time to get to sleep at night, so you can feel as rested as possible for you to achieve optimal productivity, wake you up in the morning for the day ahead and talk you through your tasks for the day as you get dressed.
As well as this, smart assistant speakers can control all of the internet-connected devices in your home, from smart plugs to smart lights – making your home working environment as productive as possible.
Smart Bulbs
Adding a smart bulb with different colour settings to your home office can help you improve your productivity. Maybe the colour blue negates feelings of stress? Or, perhaps the colour green makes you feel more focused? Smart bulbs are just another way that an IoT device can help you to cultivate your perfect workspace via your mobile phone to improve your productivity.
Intelligent Printers
Installing a printer with IoT connectivity to your home office can aid efficiency and therefore productivity, by automatically ordering the ink cartridges you need before you run out – ensuring you are always able to print important documents. You also do not need to waste time ordering more ink.
An internet-connected device such as this can improve productivity by reducing the time you spend on mundane but essential tasks, leaving you with more time to complete more important tasks in your working day.
WiFi Enabled Thermostats
A comfortable environment is crucial for being as productive as possible when working remotely, the temperature of the space you’re working in is a key element of this. Too cold and it’s all you can think about – too warm and you sacrifice alertness.
A smart thermostat can help you curate your ideal working environment by managing the temperature of your home via your mobile phone – thus ensuring you can get working quickly and comfortably.
Getting out of your warm bed to sit in a cold office is never a good start to a working day, especially with the weather getting colder at this time of year. However, by setting your smart thermostat to reach a comfortable temperature before you start working can make you feel more motivated to get started with the day and support greater productivity.
Internet-Connected or Smart Home Appliances
You may find that once your focus breaks, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes to answer the door for a delivery, it’s much more likely for extra distractions to follow and disrupt your work even more. It might seem like a minor thing, but it can be difficult to get back into the swing of your workflow after moving away from your desk.
Adding a smart doorbell system to your home means you can answer the door on your mobile phone or computer, and advise a delivery person where you want a parcel left without even leaving your desk. In this way, the risk of being distracted further is minimised. As a result of this, you’ll spend more time with complete focus and less time trying to get back into your rhythm.
An element you might be missing from being in the office is having a clear and clutter-free environment to work in and the increased amount of time you’re spending at home might mean your place isn’t as tidy as you’d like it.
Working somewhere clean and tidy is said to improve focus and productivity but interrupting your busy schedule to do housework just isn’t a feasible option. With intelligent home appliances like a smart vacuum cleaner or a smart washer-dryer, you can save time by setting these devices to run automatically and on their most optimal setting via a mobile phone app, which could also end up saving you money as well as time.
Do you have an idea for an IoT project?
Now that you know some of the ways the Internet of Things can benefit remote workers, you may want to get involved with this growing sector. At Coderus, we are experienced in creating IoT solutions for clients from a range of different industries and we would love to hear about your idea for a new IoT project so please do get in touch.
