Simple Steps to Transform Your Home Office for Better Video Calls 🎙️
Issue #85: Tips and Tricks to Upgrade Your Video Call Setup. ABC Goal-Setting Method. How to Say 'No' Gracefully.
💡 Here are 3-tips to help you learn, grow, and be inspired this week!
🎓 Learn
Here are before and after pictures from my video calls.
Until last year (2023), I didn't pay much attention to how I presented myself and my surroundings during virtual meetings and video calls.
However, when I met other people online with great audio, video and background, it left a great impression on me.
It made me think that when I go to meet someone in person, I will put effort into dressing up a little bit and will pick a nice place where we can hear each other clearly. It matters and makes a big difference.
But why don't we prioritize this when working from home or attending virtual meetings? Investing some time and money to improve our home office setup can significantly enhance our online presence.
Here are more reasons:
Low-quality audio often leads to significant frustration during virtual meetings.
Good lighting paired with quality video will leave a good impression on the people you are meeting.
Presenting your surroundings elegantly, tailored to your personality, can make you more likable.
Having a good quality home office setup will boost your self-confidence (this is my favorite).
I’m sure you’ve thought about upgrading your home office setup, but:
Maybe you’re not sure where to start.
Find it time-consuming and costly.
Feel overwhelmed by the advice available.
I felt the same when I was ready to upgrade my home office setup a few years ago.
So instead of spending countless hours and potentially making mistakes, I decided to enroll in a course on home office design. The famous productivity YouTuber, Ali Abdaal, recommended this course, and I found it incredibly helpful.
In this post, I’ll share:
What are the tools and tech I use for my setup, and what are their costs?
Where to place them, with precise measurements and angles for optimal results.
A blueprint with floor plans and settings for four different types of studio design for inspiration.
A list of all the tools and tech you need for different budget options.
While the course provided a laundry list of recommendations for setting up a good-looking home office for video calls, I didn't follow every suggestion (and I don't recommend that you do either). Instead, I focused on what was most essential, affordable, and available.
Here’s a simplified version:
1. Microphone
Having good audio quality for virtual meetings and remote work should be a top priority. You can communicate in a meeting by keeping your camera off, but you can’t do it with the mic off.
Here are my top pics for Microphone:
Headset — Sennheiser SC 135 USB-C Noise-Canceling Microphone (~$63)
Desk Microphone — Logitech Blue Yeti X USB Microphone (~$139)
Tips for Microphone: When using a headset, position the microphone away from your mouth and under your chin. Avoid speaking directly into it. Additionally, ensure that the cord does not rub against your buttons or zippers.
2. Camera
I use Opal C1, which is $300 4K DSLR quality webcam. It works really well and has software that is great for customizing your look. They also have a cheaper model, Tadpole which is $150. Both are great and I would highly recommend.
Tips for Camera
The middle of the camera lens should be placed at the height of your chin (when you are seated on your chair). The camera should not be tilted up or down but should look straight at you.
The distance of the camera should be ~4 ft, measured from your nose.
Ideally, you want the head-to-shoulder to cover 60% or more of the frame.
Don’t mount the camera on your computer screen; use a tripod to mount the camera so you can adjust the height and distance of the camera (here is what I use)
3. Light
Once you have invested in quality audio and camera, the following should be the light.
Tips for Light
Don’t rely on your room light or sunlight (natural light). The purpose of the room light is to brighten the room, not you. Natural light changes based on the time of the day and weather conditions. So, it would not give a consistent light.
Use external keylights, here is what I use and you can find more suggestions in the gear list in the resources section.
The distance of the light should be 2ft 6in (76cm) from your nose.
The face of the light should be angled (30 degrees) to follow the edge of the camera.
The bottom edge of the dome (light) should be placed at the height of the camera.
Angle down the dome about 30 degrees.
4. Other
While audio, video, and lighting are crucial, it's also essential to personalize your environment.
External Display — Utilize an extra monitor or display placed beside the camera. This way, when talking with others, you'll naturally look at both them and the camera, ensuring direct eye contact and engagement.
Background — For a good background, use a plain wall whenever feasible. Adjust your camera’s zoom settings to remove any visible edges of the wall or ceiling from the frame. Consider adding some wall art or frames to personalize the space. I personally use Mixtiles photo frames, which don't require nails, stick to any walls, and are reusable. You can also enhance the backdrop with a bookshelf or study table decorated with books, plants, and decorative items.
Key Takeaway:
If I have to put a number on priority and importance for these tips, I would put 40% → Audio (Microphone), 30% → Video (Camera), 20% → Lighting, and 10% → Other. And having reliable and fast internet is and should be the top priority when working from home.
Here are extra resources to assist you with your home office project. Please note that most of the products listed in this guide are available only in the US. So you might have to find alternatives with similar specs in your country.
🚀 Growth Tip
Here is one of my favorite goal-setting methods, ABC Goals, by Sahil Bloom.
A Goal: Hit your aggressive, optimal time goal.
B Goal: Hit your realistic, base case time goal.
C Goal: Finish the race.
🤩 Inspiration
I found this quote from Josh Billings, “One-half of the troubles of this life can be traced to saying ‘yes’ too quickly and not saying ‘no’ soon enough.”
This is an excellent guide by Colby Kultgen, and I highly recommend his newsletter too.
Anil
May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴