Zoom has seen a huge boom since the start of March as a result of stay-at-home orders increasing as the world battles coronavirus. For many, this was the first time they had used video conferencing on a more regular basis, if at all. Below are a few guidelines to help ensure that, whether you’re at home or in the boardroom, you’re ready to crush the meeting.
Automatically Mute Yourself
How many times has someone joined your meeting with their microphone on and you heard dogs barking or parents telling their children to “hush”? Probably more often than not. This lays way to odd sounds or conversations that weren’t designed for others to hear. Do yourself, and everyone else, a favor and automatically mute when you enter a call. This can be done by booting up Zoom and going to your Settings. From there, find the Audio setting and click “Mute my microphone when joining a meeting.” Learn to do this and your co-workers will thank you.
Turn on Your Camera
Have your camera on and look presentable. This is good practice because when other attendees can physically see you they see you’re present and actively listening to what’s going on. You can still be comfortable, just make sure you don’t look like you’ve just rolled out of bed. If you insist on having your camera off, make sure it’s for a good reason and try to add a headshot as your thumbnail for a personalized touch.
Don’t Eat
You would never go into a meeting with your lunch, so why would it be any different over Zoom? Don’t eat while in a meeting. No one is saying you can’t have a bite to eat, but make sure that bite to eat isn’t staring everyone else in the face. The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to plan a lunch hour. If there’s a surprise meeting during your lunch hour, make adjustments so you have adequate time for yourself.
Don’t Be Late
Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean it’s okay to be unprofessional. It’s very obvious when someone joins late and that tardiness can disrupt the flow of the conversation. If you know you have a meeting, set a reminder on your calendar or your phone and log in five minutes early, that way you can prepare and get focused. As the saying goes, “the early bird gets the worm!”
Don’t Multitask
As tempting as it is to try and get multiple things done at once, don’t multitask during meetings. This helps make sure you are retaining information so you don’t have to ask later. While it’s tempting to start a project or browse the internet, resist the urge! Be present so that if you’re called on for your input you have something valuable to contribute. If you are invited to a meeting, chances are it’s because you need to be there. Working from home comes with newfound freedom compared to an office, but those newfound freedoms can easily lead to bad habits. Practice good habits and make sure to realize that just because you’re at home, doesn’t mean you can slack off. Keep up those good habits with the Lagio Luxury Lap Desk. Its ergonomic design and plentiful features ensure that you can complete all of your tasks while keeping the productivity you have in a traditional office. Snag one here.
