There are obvious savings when you work from home instead of going to the office. For example, the first two that come to mind are saving time in your commute and saving money on gas. There are many other ways you can save money by making some minor energy-saving changes in your home while you are working from home instead of in an office. According to a 2020 article by IEA, your energy consumption can increase by up to 23% when you are working from home. Check out these 4 tips to see how you can lower your working from home expenses.
Utilize Natural Lighting
Turn off the lights and open your blinds and curtains. Use natural lighting as much as you can throughout your workday. As an added bonus, if it’s sunny out you might even get some extra heat from the sun…plus it’s good for your overall health! If you must have a light on, try only one desk lamp with an LED lightbulb to save on energy costs.
Invest in Smart Power Strips
Devices that are plugged in use power even when not in use. Smart power strips save energy because they can recognize when a device is in standby mode and turn off the power to that device.
Evaluate your Device Settings
Check out your Energy-Saving Settings on your computer and over devices. One quick setting to fix is to eliminate your screensaver and instead have your computer automatically power off when it is inactive for a set amount of time.
Leave the Thermostat Alone
Depending on where you live, you might need to adjust your thermostat as the seasons change. During warmer months, it is less expensive to run a fan in the room you are working in than to have air conditioning running through your entire house. Even better – open some windows if there is a breeze! In colder months, it’s ok to wear a sweater and even put a blanket on your lap for extra warmth; don’t bump up the temperature in the entire house or level of your home while you work in one room.
Looking for more ways to lower your business expenses? Consider hiring a Virtual Assistant. Contact Schwab Virtual Assistant Services to learn how we can help.