Nearly a year ago, the first case of Coronavirus was reported in Wuhan, China. Who would have thought this outbreak will lead to a global pandemic? Along with lockdowns, social distancing, and masks, working from home emerged to be a new practice for many. From kindergarten teachers to equity associates, a wide range of professionals had to quickly transition to telecommuting.
When you’re spending most of your days indoors, your utility expenses and living costs are bound to increase. Take a look at some ways you can be more sustainable at home and lower your expenses.
1. Install a Smart Power Board
You’ll likely have a plethora of electronics like laptops, smartphones, coffee machines, desk lights, and so on surrounding you. Many of these devices use phantom energy, which means they continue using electricity despite being turned off.
The best way to avoid this wastage is by unplugging these devices after use. However, if that’s too much hassle, you can automate the process by installing a smart power strip.
2. Switch to Better Energy Plan
Since your electricity consumption is expected to increase, it's a suitable time to find a better energy plan for your home. Check out competitively-priced Origin Energy plans.
3. Adjust Your Thermostat
Rather than setting your thermostat to a consistent temperature, dial it back at night and according to outside temperature changes. Even lowering it by a few degrees will make a noticeable difference.
4. Dress Smart
Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you should lounge in summer clothes and crank up the heating. Wear a few layers of clothes to keep warm indoors without increasing heating costs.
5. Utilize Natural Light
People often lack a sense of structure when working from home and end up starting their day quite late. Instead of starting work at noon, make an effort to wake up early to make the most of natural light. Sticking to a routine will give you a sense of normalcy.
6. Decrease Screen Brightness
Keeping your screen brightness high can cause headaches, eye strain, and other issues. Moreover, a brighter screen is likely to drain your battery faster. Try to keep your screen brightness lower than 50% but at a comfortable level. This will extend the battery life of your device.
7. Go Paperless
In today’s digital age, why even use paper? Using paper to take notes or plan projects is wasteful in every way. And it’s also difficult to access and organize. Use Google Keep, Trello, Evernote, or any other online platform to take notes and plan your day.
8. Take a Break From Electronics
Instead of staying planted in front of your laptop, take a break to rest your eyes. But taking a break doesn’t mean scrolling through social media on your phone. When you’re done with work, take at least a few hours away from screens. Go workout, clean, or read a book, anything but electronics.
9. Go Meatless
With your favourite restaurant being shut down or your reluctance to order food, you’re probably cooking up a storm at home. Try to go meatless at least once a week. You can easily access several delicious and easy to make vegan and vegetarian recipes available online.
10. Get a Crockpot
When you’re working full time, you may not have the time to cook every meal from scratch. A crockpot is a great investment for your kitchen. In addition to being energy-efficient, you can quickly make a wide variety of one-pot meals. Moreover, having a crockpot makes cleaning up easier.
Working from home is an excellent way to lower your carbon footprint as you no longer have to commute to the workplace. Hopefully, the aforementioned tips help you become more sustainable at home and save money.
