By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz, Founder/Editor of IndyPolitics.org and Attorney at Law
As the editor of a major political news outlet covering Indianapolis politics, it’s critical I’m connected to what’s happening. In fact, my livelihood depends on it.
Every day, I wake up at 5:30 a.m., head downstairs and scour the internet for the top Indiana-related political headlines of the day, which I email to my subscriber list.
Then my real day begins.
Besides being a practicing attorney, Indiana residents also rely on me to cover the latest political news from Indianapolis and Washington, D.C. I’m often on the phone interviewing sources about breaking news or on the scene of a press conference. On Election Day, I’m on local TV news, providing commentary about the election. This makes it crucial that I have the latest information and results, so I can provide enlightened commentary that evening.
The ability to work from home really came in handy a few years ago, when my wife was in a car accident. I stayed at home to help her, while working across the hall in my spare room. It was great because I could keep an eye on debates over road funding, then walk across the hall to bring her anything she needed.
However, you don’t have be a political journalist to appreciate the joys of working from home. Here are a few ways I’ve been able to do my job from home, or from anywhere, using XFINITY services.
Count on it
The first thing I tell people is that working from home should be treated like any other job. You might be at home, but it’s still work. For me, it’s best to set a routine. Every morning, I let the dog out, take a shower, brush my teeth and get dressed. I’ve found putting on work clothes gets me in a different mindset than if I were just in my pajamas all day.
XFINITY’s network works. I know I can count on my internet, TV and phone service. This is essential because news is made and reported in real time. For me, this means I can’t afford slow service or downtimes, especially when I’m trying to watch a speech from Vice President Mike Pence on TV, calling a government source or emailing my daily political newsletter, The Cheat Sheet, to my list of loyal subscribers.
Of course, in today’s digital world, many of us deal with sensitive information. As an XFINITY subscriber, I feel confident that the information and records I have on my computer are secure. I don’t have to worry about people hacking me and getting my stuff.
Get the right tools
I also like the latest XFINITY features, like the X1 DVR, which I use to record every second of the day’s Congressional hearing and replay them later. Also, the X1 Voice Remote lets me use voice commands to change channels, which comes in handy when I’m trying to find something but I can’t remember what channel it’s on.
Go mobile
For me, working remotely doesn’t mean I’m restricted to my house. XFINITY’s still-growing network of more than 80,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across Indiana, allows me to head to downtown Indianapolis for a press conference and then immediately publish a story on social media using an XFINITY hotspot.
Since I’m also a practicing attorney, I use hotspots to service my clients from anywhere. The nice thing is that with XFINITY WiFi, I can do this from anywhere. I’m not stuck at a desk or an office. I can work from downtown Indy, which I love.
Sometimes, I’ll remotely set my DVR to record a press conference, then upload the audio recording to Dropbox, which I can reliably listen to at home and post immediately to IndyPolitics.org.
Thinking about working from home?
In today’s 21st Century business environment, the nature of how we work is changing. Working from home isn’t for everyone, but if you’re given the chance, it’s a great way to work flexibly – without all the typical distractions of working in an office.
But while you do get the comforts of not having to leave your home, it’s easy to get distracted by other things. (As I write this, my dog is trying to jump into my lap.)
Stay focused and disciplined. Thanks to XFINITY, the services and tools I need to do my job are one less thing I have to think about.
