The only winner in my listed equity portfolio recently has been Zoom. See the chart below, but don’t look at the P/E ratio.

Yes, that’s a pretty high P/E ratio (I said, don’t look), and a sweltering market cap, so is only a small part of my equity portfolio, but it is a nice feeling to have something that looks green in the morning other than an Avocado shake.

As a business tool, however, in truth I have only dipped my toes into Zoom, as I already have FaceTime, Skype, WebEx, Teams, Google (something or other) and WhatsApp. But I like what I see.

I have been using the basic version for a year or so, and still get confused when using it, but I am determined to become more proficient, particularly as I am now a satisfied shareholder.

The basic version is free, but once you start dabbling, though, be prepared for some additional costs…

Virtual Background – this is a neat feature – but for it to work well (at least on a 2-core MacBook Pro) you need a GreenScreen. I typed ‘how to get a green screen?’ and was directed by the Zoom ChatBot to Amazon. The range was huge $10 to $200. My family hails from Scotland, so I ordered delivery of the $10 version. It arrives Friday.

I soon found that the free 40 mins on the basic version aren’t enough for me, as I tend to prattle on, so I signed up to the Standard Pro Monthly at US$14.99 per month (you get a discount if you pay for 12 months upfront).

Next are the thoughts about a second monitor ($100), web-cam ($200), Airpods ($200). I can see a trip to the computer store coming… oh, wait.. can’t go out so that will be Amazon again.

But beyond the purely technical aspects of working at home are some more basic tips, kindly also provided by Zoom, and worth a think about.

Zoom Work-from-home tips

• Get dressed: Get dressed from head to toe. You should put on a shirt or outfit you’d normally wear to the office work and not the ratty old shirt you’d wear to clean your garage.
• Take 5 regularly: Just like the office, proactively take breaks every hour to avoid burnout. Take the dog for an extra walk (your dog will love it!), put in that load of laundry, or spend 15 minutes outside with the kids (they’ll love it, too!).
• Stretch! Stop your video and stretch yourself a little bit every hour. Take a lap around the kitchen in between calls or use a lacrosse ball or massager on your back to stave off the kinks. Or make it more fun and use a virtual video workout background and get your reps in during a meeting!
• Communicate your availability: Publish your calendar so others can see it and quickly understand your commitment. You can block off time for work on projects, set reminders for important tasks, and even reserve a time to get dinner started. You can also toggle your Chat status to busy when you need to be heads-down on a project.
• Eliminate distractions: Shut the door to give yourself some privacy and separation, especially at home. Even hanging a curtain to separate your space can help. You’ll also want to close tabs and pause notifications so you’re not tempted to constantly check social media. Even setting a 10-minute meeting or two throughout your day to specifically check your feeds can give you a break and something to look forward to.
• But avoid isolation & loneliness: Many people need that personal contact with their team, so it’s helpful to have daily team stand-ups and check-ins. You can even set up a “group lunch” with your colleagues. Talk live or disable the audio and chat with the group or 1-on-1 privately, whatever helps you get the conversation and connection you need.

Welcome to the new world.