During this time of quarantine and working from home, some of us may be asking “How do I stay productive at home?” or “How can I see my friends and family?” or maybe even “what the heck is a virtual meeting?”
Well, we can answer some of your questions. If you haven’t already heard, meeting software, commonly used for business purposes, is being used by people around the world to stay in touch with their loved ones, and for people to stay connected with their work teams.
You may have always dreaded the work call, but now is a great time to hone valuable skills. After all, many of your work colleagues and clients may be learning these skills for the first time as well! How can you master virtual meetings while you’re working remotely?
Master your mute button
We’ve all heard it before: the person on the call who can’t seem to grasp the concept of their microphone. Muting your microphone when you aren’t speaking avoids others hearing any distracting background noise like coughing, sneezing, throat clearing, or even embarrassing flubs or comments.
Pay attention
It’s important to make sure you’re paying attention to what your colleagues and clients are saying during a call. This can be difficult when you aren’t with them in person, and you can quickly open up your email browser to look for that message from this morning you didn’t read yet. But sometimes it’s harder to clarify details digitally. If you do get lost, or there’s a glitch during the call, don’t feel afraid to ask “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” or “I lost you for a second” to help you get the conversation reset.
Avoid the noise
It’s hard enough to keep yourself undistracted from other work matters during a call, but it’s doubly important to avoid any distractions around you. First, turn off the TV, and if possible, use a quiet room away from others in your home, and let them know to not disturb you during meetings.
Save the snacks
We’re all used to multi-tasking nowadays. Maybe you usually take lunch at your desk, or have a few snacks throughout the day. While there’s nothing wrong with chowing down during your work, it’s generally rude to munch and crunch while on camera and audible. So save everyone on the call from the sight and sounds of your favorite barbecue chips, and keep the snacks for after the call.
Praise your pets
Pets….we love them, but sometimes they can be a real pain. Whether it’s your dog barking while talking with a client, or your cat walking over your keyboard, they always seem to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. However, pets are cute, and people love them! If your coworkers and business partners don’t mind, feel free to give them a cameo on your video call. It could make someone’s day.
What are some of your ideas, tips, or experiences from doing calls at home? Let us know!
