These days it’s very common to have more than one workplace. You may work at the company’s main office, in a work hub, in a café, or even from home. It’s great to have this amount of flexibility in your work. However, it can also cause many challenges. One of the main issues is that you may have a hard time troubleshooting devices when they act up.

We’ve created a list of the most common issues that can pop up with working with your technology. The tips come in handy when you don’t have access to your IT team!

Don’t Allow Family or Friends to Use Your Work Computer

We’ll start with one of the easiest ways to avoid tech issues; don’t allow family and friends to use your work device. They may not understand how to keep from falling prey to phishing attacks or other cyber security dangers. And they may unintentionally cause your device to develop issues. For example, a family member could accidentally leave tracking cookies in the browser cache. These can slow down your computer and cause other security issues.

So, if you really need to share your computer, first create a separate user profile that others can use. This limits the damage they can accidentally cause when using your device.

Stay Aware of Bandwidth

The next most common issue you may have to worry about is bandwidth. When you’re working from home or another location, you may have bandwidth issues. These usually involve not having access to enough bandwidth to get your work done. That’s a very unpleasant problem, especially if you’re working on an important deadline.

What’s more, many people use their devices to stream music, videos, and more as they work. This can lead to slowing down the network considerably.

To avoid this issue, cut down on the number of video calls and avoid streaming on your device. It’s also necessary to consider the amount of data usage allowed on your device if your internet service provider has bandwidth caps for hotspot usage.

Unplug When in Doubt

One solution many IT professionals know about is that turning your device off and back on can cause issues to “disappear” and be fixed. It’s a simple way to restart your device, even if you don’t know what’s wrong. This fix can help you get back to work sooner without taking much time away from your work.

However, if this method doesn’t fix the problem, you may want to consider if you’ve recently installed new apps or if your family or friends may have done so. This is one of the problems of allowing others to use your work devices.

If the software was installed, remove it and then reboot the device. This may be all you need to do to solve the issue you’re having.

Know How to Get IT Help When You Need It

As you work from other locations away from the office, it’s possible your device may develop a very complicated problem you’re not able to fix. This is an issue that requires IT assistance. So, it’s crucial to know how to get the help you need fast!

One of the fastest ways to get assistance is through chat. With chat, you can easily connect with your company’s IT department or the IT management service provider. They can help you solve the problem through chat. There’s no need to pick up the phone! The IT guys can help you through chat, leaving your hands free to follow their directions. And it’s a great way to get the help you need faster and easier.

Log Out After Work

At the end of your work time, it’s important to log off your company’s apps and networks. It is very tempting to leave everything connected and walk away. However, this is not secure. You could be leaving your device open and vulnerable to cyber criminals.

What’s more, the network you’re using may be unsecured; open connections at home or other locations make the hacker’s job so much easier. They’ll be laughing at the joy of finding your device unsecured with access to valuable company data!

Check for the Latest Software Updates

Another way to fix certain problems with your work device is to ensure it’s running the latest software updates. It’s not uncommon for devices not to update regularly, especially if they’re off the network for a while.

So, check to see if the device has the most recent update(s). If not, run the updated app and apply it as soon as possible. This applies to the device’s OS (operating system) and other apps.

Bluetooth Issues

Bluetooth issues are another common problem your device can develop without much notice. It was working fine up until a minute ago! So, now what’s happened? These issues are usually easy to fix by pairing the Bluetooth device again.

You must go to your device’s Bluetooth settings and then click on the device that isn’t connecting (such as headphones). When you do this, a new screen usually opens, giving you the option to “Forget” the connection. Now, put your headphones (or the other device you’re using) into “pairing mode” and allow your device to search for a new device to connect to. Your Bluetooth device will hopefully show up on a list. Tap or click on that device and see if it will pair with your computer, smartphone, or another device you’re using.

This usually clears up the problem. However, if the problem remains, you may want to try restarting your computer or other device and going through the steps in this section again.

Concluding Thoughts

Even when you’re working away from the office, there will be times when your computer and other devices don’t function correctly. Use these easy tech troubleshooting tips to see if they work to fix the problem. If not, it’s necessary to contact your IT department or managed IT service provider for help. Never be afraid of reaching out for assistance if  you can’t solve the tech issue on your own.