remote work – Page 4 – Philippians Virtual Assistance Services

Keep Your PC From Slowing Down With Simple Steps

July 7, 2020July 7, 2020Leave a comment

Slow and steady wins the race — an old phrase that we have all been accustomed to, but in this age, regrettably, a slow and steady PC may cost you the race. Operating with a slow PC is not only frustrating but also wastes valuable time in handling a task. It may come gradually or all of a sudden, neither of which is pleasant to be in.

In the virtual assistant or remote work industry, efficient work means quick execution of activities without compromising output quality. However, how can you achieve this without a workspace that makes it possible?

It is not about having a poor set of PC specifications all the time. There are cases that other factors also lead to the slow performance of your computer.

Fortunately, there are simple tweaks that can help boost PC performance even on the slowest of computers. Here are some helpful system performance issue-based tips to consider:

Check if you have more juice in your computer. One possible reason for your PC slowdown is that you just do not have enough Random-Access Memory (RAM). RAM is the temporary storage for your laptop or PC. Specifically, it keeps all the things your computer needs on standby and when the time comes, it quickly pulls the information and hands it over to your processor.

The ideal RAM for tasks are as follows:

2-4GB of RAM for basic tasks like word processing and surfing the web
8-16GB for multi-tasking or graphics-intensive programs

While adding more RAM will not always speed up your laptop, you do need to have more than the minimum amount of RAM for certain programs to run properly. To find out how much RAM you have:

Go to search icon or click the magnifying glass icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
Type About in the search bar.
Click Open. You will then see how much RAM you have under Device specifications, next to Installed RAM.

Disable startup programs. If your PC is taking a long time to boot up, you may have too many programs that are eating up your RAM and starting up when you turn on your PC.

To fix this issue, simply follow these steps:

Right-click on the Start button.
Click Task Manager.
Select the Startup tab.
Arrange the list of programs by Startup impact, if you’d like to see the programs that are taking up the most time.
If you see a program that doesn’t need to be there, right-click it and click Disable.

Disable Windows tips and tricks. Odds are, you already know what you are doing and do not need a machine to tell you how to operate your PC. These Windows 10 tips scan your computer to function, and this process has an impact on performance.

To turn off these tips:

Go to Start.
Select Settings.
Click System.
Select Notifications & actions.
Toggle off Get tips, tricks and suggestions.

Defragment your hard disk. Over time, when you keep saving and deleting files on your computer, it becomes fragmented. This results in your computer needing to check in multiple places for the pieces. Hence, it can run more slowly. The term defragment basically means putting those files back together so your system can run more efficiently. To carry out a defragment:

Type defrag into the search box and press Enter.
From the screen that appears, select the drive you want to defragment.
Click the Optimize button to defragment it.
If you want to have your disk or disks defragmented automatically, click the Change settings button, then check the box next to Run on a schedule.
Select the frequency at which you want the disk(s) defragmented by clicking the drop-down next to frequency, and choose from daily, weekly or monthly, where weekly is recommended. Note: You only need to do this if your computer uses a traditional mechanical Hard Disk Drive (HDD). A Solid-State Drive (SSD) works another way from an HDD, and there is no need for defragmentation.

Try these simple and helpful tips to avoid frequent slow PC performance. The given pointers do not require too much time nor less penny from your pocket. Simply follow them and you will no longer have to worry about delaying your work every time the rush hour arrives. Remember, no matter how skillful you are, a slow outturn could lead to a poor impression for your employer or client.

Remote Work Life: How to Deal With Power Interferences

June 24, 2020June 24, 2020Leave a comment

Laptops, smartphones, tablets, and PC have already been part of our everyday lives and these gadgets run on power. As a remote worker or virtual assistant, you may use all the aforementioned devices, but among your top choices would be desktop PCs. These are known for durability despite long hours of usage, convenience of use, and efficiency of operation. PCs rely on a consistent stream of power to stay on, but sometimes, your main supply may not be so dependable. In areas prone to electricity interferences, damaging a PC is likely.

To understand more about power interferences, here are its different types:

Blackout. This normally takes place due to uncontrollable factors, such as electrical lines damage and disruption in the power station.
Power outage. This is an interference that occurs during the summer commonly. With extreme temperatures and high demand for power, it is anticipated that electrical equipment may fail.
Power surge. This occurrence is characterized by electrical draw changes and interruptions. One good example that could cause this is whenever your home equipment or appliances share the same power supply.
Brownout. This is observed when power does not black out completely, which explains the name itself. There is simply a temporal drop in electrical voltage.

If you work from home, you would have certainly experienced an instance wherein a power interference occurred while your PC is turned on. Take note that this does not imply all is well simply by powering your workspace back. A sudden loss of power in your PC could result in hard disk damage.

Should the said instance happen, it is best to run a system check when your PC completes a system start. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Tap the Search button on the taskbar.
Type cmd in the search box.
Choose Command Prompt on the top.
Select Run as Administrator.
Type chkdsk to perform a hard disk check.
When completed successfully, you would see whether there are problems found or the outage has not affected your hard disk.

In the instance of detected problems, Windows will prompt and automatically fix the issues. There will be an auto repair upon restart of the PC.

Otherwise, you would see the message, Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems. No further action is required.

There is an old saying that prevention is better than cure, so here are solutions to keep your PC from being damaged by power interferences:

Surge Protectors. These devices are used to keep your gadgets, such as a computer, from unanticipated blackouts. By simply plugging your workspace into these protectors, you would be able to change the direction of excess power to the ground wire of outlets.
UPS Devices. UPS stands for uninterrupted power source, which is a device that can protect your devices from all power interferences. What makes it more reliable is its additional five to sixty minutes of power in combination with the surge protectors’ functions. It gives your desktop PC a battery backup, providing you ample time to save your work and avoid sudden computer shutdown, in the instance of power interference.
Data Backup. One of the biggest risks of power interference with your computer is data loss. In order to prevent your work from getting lost, make it a habit to back up your files regularly. Apart from relying on your local system for file backup, it is also best to utilize cloud storage solutions. These allow you to save your data remotely via the internet. Even if you experience power interferences, cloud storage applications often save your work and corresponding changes in real-time. Hence, there is a higher chance for your backup to exist even if you fail to save your activity manually before your PC shuts down.

Dealing with power interferences should be done seriously if you are a remote worker or a virtual assistant. Losing your data could lead to missed deadlines and poor productivity, which are big factors that determine your work performance. With you being totally reliant on the internet and power during work, protecting yourself from associated problems with them should be among your priorities.

Four Free Antivirus Applications Every Virtual Assistant Should Consider

June 9, 2020June 9, 2020Leave a comment

Virtual assistance is providing professional administrative or technical assistance to clients remotely from a home office via the internet. As it is connected to the web, workplaces can be vulnerable to computer viruses and with the given fact, these should be protected from the said threats.

An unprotected computer is like an open door for computer viruses. Computer viruses are designed to replicate tenaciously, infect your programs and files, alter the way your computer operates, and even stop it from working altogether. Antivirus software prevents and protects your computer from these viruses by detecting and controlling it from spreading further into your computer system.

Antivirus software typically runs as a background process. It scans computers, servers, or mobile devices to detect and restrict the spread of malware. Many antivirus software programs include real-time threat detection and protection to guard against potential vulnerabilities as they happen. Moreover, these applications also include system scans that monitor device and system files to look for possible risks.

To give you options to consider, here are a few highly known free antiviruses that provide excellent and decent protection for your system’s needs:

Windows Defender. Believe it or not, but your computer device with Windows 10 comes preinstalled with it. It provides ample protection from viruses and installed with Windows by default, so even if you do not want to install a third-party solution, your system has at least some level of protection against threats. Furthermore, it detects other antivirus systems you may have installed. Therefore, Windows Defender removes any old scanners if you want to entrust it as your PC’s sole protection against online threats.

Kaspersky Security Cloud (Free). Kaspersky Security Cloud Free offers Kaspersky’s basic world-renowned cybersecurity software, which scans for malware, performs system clean-ups, and uses active scanning to prevent new threats. Moreover, it also provides complete privacy protection with a VPN, a password manager, and dark web scanning. Although Kaspersky Security Cloud Free does not offer some of the frills and bonus features available in the commercial version, there is nothing minimal with this version as it offers all of Kaspersky’s malware-fighting technology at no cost.

Bitdefender Free Edition. Bitdefender’s Free Edition is an antivirus scanner that users do not need to set further after the installation as it is designed to run in the background, with only important notifications in case of apprehensive program activity. Its minimal design will not slow your PC down at all and the built-in malware scanner is one of the strongest on the market. Basically, its Advanced Protection feature extends to ransomware detection so any suspicious behavior on your PC will get frozen immediately.

Panda Dome (Panda Free Antivirus). Panda Free Antivirus provides real-time antivirus, antispyware, behavioral analysis protection, process monitor, and URL and web filtering. It is a powerful and easy-to-use antivirus, offering 100% free protection. It is one of the most intuitive antivirus programs out there with no advanced setup required. The firewall feature is also quite powerful, blocking more intrusions than any other free antivirus applications can, including the built-in Windows firewall.

It is entirely your preference which of the provided antiviruses is most considerable for you. After all, they all have a good record of providing threat protection. Just be reminded that it is best not to disregard the perks offered by these free antiviruses. Else, you may face more challenges and expenses with a virus-attacked PC.

Manage Your Windows 10 Updates the Smart Way

June 2, 2020June 2, 2020Leave a comment

It may be irritating at times to find constant update notifications, but updates are essential to ensure your system’s smooth performance and functions. Without managing the said updates, you would find yourself in trouble for having a very slow system performance during your remote work shift. The worst scenario is that you would stumble upon automatic updates, which take time to finish. This could lead to late reporting, missed deadlines, delayed completion of tasks, and poor productivity among others.

Windows updates include security updates and are the worst possible errors – as they may be exploited by malware or hackers. Other updates address other bugs and issues in Windows. Although these are not responsible for security vulnerabilities, these might impact the stability of your Operating System. Windows updates also sometimes come with new features, while patching some known issues.

Oftentimes, these Windows updates, if not set properly, automatically update itself via shutdown or automatic restart without warning. Therefore, these halt system usage or even interrupt the user’s time since it takes roughly 10 to 20 minutes for some updates to finish installation.

If you want to somehow control how these updates behave, try following the steps below:

Make sure your PC is always updated.

To do this, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. You can see in this section if there are updates available or are currently pending.

Set active times to prevent an update from installing and restarting your PC automatically while the system is in peak usage.

To do this, click on Change active hours.

Once done, set your convenient active hours. Keep in mind that these hours are the hours that you and your system are not to be disturbed.

Set additional customization of updates.

Go to Advanced options.

In Advanced options, turn off Restart this device as soon as possible when a restart is required to install an update. Windows will display a notice before the restart, and the device must be on and plugged in., to gain control on when to restart your system.

Schedule a restart at a later time. Normally, when an update is completed, you would see a Restart required prompt.

Just click on Schedule the restart.

Enable Schedule a time and set your desired restart time.

Simply follow the aforementioned steps and you would no longer have to worry about constant update notifications or disrupting automatic updates. Be reminded that the condition of your workspace determines your remote work experience and performance. Hence, be sure to keep it managed effectively.

Understanding: What Does It Mean for a Remote Worker?

May 27, 2020June 12, 2020Leave a comment

As a remote worker, it is a common practice to simply exchange e-mails or make phone calls with your employer and team members. Some virtual staff even find it odd whenever they face a lot of calls in a position that should not require much of it. For instance, they are required to attend various meetings with suppliers, customers, and partners of their firm among others.

The aforementioned situation may be the reason why there are cases in the remote work industry that call for better understanding among professionals. When you say understanding, it means you have to look at a bigger perspective. It is not simply what you comprehend on the e-mails you have received or hear on the calls you are getting.

One good example is when a co-worker denied to assist you with an urgent project. You have to remember that simply because a message implying rejection was sent to you, the said team member takes things personally. For example, he or she does not simply want to help for you are new in the company. This is not the case most of the time. As mentioned above, you got to look at the situation in a different light. Possibly, your co-worker is caught up in an urgent task, as well, which resulted in him or her not being able to help. Moreover, due to the pressing importance of his or her activity, he or she failed to explain the situation well enough.

This is where understanding would come in. If you practice understanding towards your co-worker, you would never think negatively right away. You will consider other possibilities in the picture. Be reminded that prejudice is not often welcomed in a team, especially a virtual one. With the limitation of simply being able to coordinate via messages or calls, you do not tend to see your team member the whole time. You do not see him or her working on his or her tasks or making haste to meet deadlines. In truth, you will be deluged with tons of possibilities, which would most likely be false instead of true.

The same goes for your employer. Being a company owner or an executive imposes a lot of responsibilities. If he or she fails to assist you or answer your inquiry right away, this does not entail that he or she is showing a lack of care for his or her employees. Take note that this could connote that he or she is attending meetings or working on more important matters in the company.

To gain the said trait of understanding towards your employer and co-workers more effectively, you have to mull over the fact you also go through what they experience while working. It is simply a give-and-take process. If you are in their shoes (having to rush and work on critical activities), letting go of possibilities to support or communicate with your team members due to pending assignments, they would likely understand your situation and give you space, as well.

The most beneficial result when all people in an organization practice understanding is the lack of rift. Harmony would be maintained and there could be a more personal connection to one another. With the build-up of good relationships in a company, there will always be a promising success onward.

Remember, it is all about widening your view of the situation. Let understanding rule your thinking before being assumptive.