Work-from-home has gone mainstream. I never thought it would. 10 years ago, it wasn’t taken seriously. I came across a lot of folks (and I mean, a lot of folks) who demeaned it. They just didn’t think work-from-home was a legitimate way to earn money. I even had a relative who offered me a job so that I could have a “real” one. When I told her I had a real job, she said I had no career. Well, 10 years have passed since then, and here I am. Working.
While some of my friends are worried about their job security, I’m okay. It’s not that I want to sound better off than others because I’m not. It’s just that after being ostracized for working from home, I’m now in the mainstream. Almost everybody I know is working from home. Whether it’s a trend or not, people are now more aware of the concept of working from home. They’ve finally come to appreciate it.
I see a lot of articles that have great tips and tricks for working from home. Some articles even have a long list of must-haves to successfully work from home. They’re all pretty valid, but it seems like they’re missing two critical software to make working from home a breeze.
A Paid Anti-Virus
Be honest. Do you have a paid anti-virus installed on your laptop or desktop? Take note: you need a paid anti-virus. It’s not enough to settle for a free version. When it comes to safety, it’s not enough to have free software. As a matter of fact, you need to invest in safety. There is no excuse to use free anti-virus software. That’s just not enough to protect your computer.
When it comes to safety, you have to be paranoid. There are some folks out there who think that their hardware (laptop, computer, and even mobile phone) can’t get hacked. The truth of the matter is: it can. Hackers love complacent computer users.
I have been using Norton 360 for the last 10 years. It cleans out everything. If there’s a malicious script in a document, it cleans it out. That’s just one of the safety features of Norton 360. Of course, it also does a lot more than that. It protects my security online, as well, and it blocks dangerous websites that usually seem pretty interesting to open.
There are a lot of anti-virus software that you can look into. Although I have been using Norton 360 for the past 10 years, you should take some time to figure out which one would be best for you. The point is: you need to invest in anti-virus software. Never settle for a free version. Both your hardware and identity could eventually be compromised.
A Paid Online Backup
Another critical software you should invest in is paid online backup software. This is not to say that you shouldn’t invest in external backup hardware. You should. Along with that, however, you should also have paid backup software.
I know there’s a lot of free backup software out there, but here’s the thing: would you feel comfortable backing up your important files to a free service online? Even if it’s protected by a password, it’s just not safe if it’s free. Data privacy is never guaranteed with free software. You have better leverage with a paid service.
What if anything happens? How will you be able to get your files backs? Don’t get intimidated by a paid online backup service. There’s one that you can afford: Carbonite.
I have been using Carbonite for… yes, you guessed it right … 10 years. It was recommended to me since I was going to be working remotely.
Carbonite is reliable. It just works in the background, backing up and updating your files while you work. You don’t have to spend time worrying about backing up my files. It’s all done for you as long as you are connected to the Internet.
Carbonite is not expensive at all. It offers various plans; and for the past 10 years, I have been on the personal plan. I can’t say much about the other plans, but you can check out 95Box.com for more information about Carbonite. That website explains Carbonite pretty well.
The cool thing about Carbonite is that you can access your files from any computer. All you have to do is to log into your account and you will see a mirror version of your desktop.
If you’re wondering how safe Carbonite is… well, it’s pretty safe. Once you’re connected online, your files are encrypted before they’re transferred online. That means you are the only one who can access your files. If something goes wrong, you can always call them and they will help you get your files back.
If you care enough to protect your files, use a paid backup service. Carbonite isn’t the only one in the market. You can look into Backblaze or Mozy, as well.
There you have it. A paid anti-virus software and an online backup service will save you a lot of tears.
Do you work from home? What software do you rely on?
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