Mastering Video Conferencing from Home: Dos and Don'ts

Preparing Your Appearance

• 👔 Get dressed as if you were going to the office, at a minimum ensuring you wouldn't be embarrassed to meet someone for lunch.
• 👖 Avoid the temptation of wearing pajama bottoms or casual wear with a nice top; dress your entire body appropriately in case you need to stand up.
• 💇‍♀️ Pay attention to hair and makeup, ensuring it's neat enough for a video call, especially for morning meetings, to convey professionalism.
• ⚖️ Looking smart can create the perception that you are working harder, which is an advantage when working remotely.

Setting Up Your Environment

• 🔇 Silence electronics and turn off all notifications to minimize distractions for yourself and others.
• 🏠 Prepare your space by ensuring the temperature is comfortable and any noisy appliances are off or managed.
• 🚪 Shut the door to your workspace and ensure pets or children are occupied elsewhere to prevent interruptions.
• 📦 Plan for deliveries by tracking them to avoid unexpected interruptions during calls.
• 🎤 Test your audio using tools like Skype's echo test or by calling a colleague beforehand to ensure clear sound quality.

Optimizing Your Setup and Presence

• 🧹 Clean up your desk and the background visible on camera, treating it as if someone were visiting your actual office.
• 🖥️ Clean your computer desktop by closing unnecessary files, applications, and confidential spreadsheets to prevent accidental sharing.
• 💡 Check your camera angle and lighting to ensure your face is clearly visible and well-lit, avoiding shadows or glare.
• 📚 Prop up your laptop if necessary to ensure the camera is at face level, providing a natural viewing angle.
• 🚫 Avoid walking around with your device during a call; remain in your prepared workspace.

Punctuality and Engagement

• ⏰ Log on 5-10 minutes early to handle any technical glitches, software updates, or simply to be ready for the call's start.
• 💬 Utilize the initial minutes of the call for relationship building through small talk, as you miss out on casual office interactions.
• 📹 Enable your video unless there's a critical reason not to; being audio-only detracts from the meeting's effectiveness and fairness to others.
• 👁️ Move the video image of participants as close to your camera as possible to create the illusion of direct eye contact, enhancing engagement.