Environment and background

Minimize distractions

• Find a room with a door that can be closed to control interruptions and noise
• Silence your other devices, like phone ringers
• Use headphones to listen closely and minimize the noise you add to your environment
• Avoid unnecessary noises like tapping, playing with desk items, or eating
• Warn your family or others nearby if you will be on a conference so they know not to interrupt and limit their noises

...

• Mute your microphone unless you are talking and be careful to not talk over others (wait for an opening or "raise your hand" via chat)
  
• If the meeting is choppy, particularly if you are presenting, consider turning off your camera to reduce the bandwidth needed at your location
  
• Assume your camera and microphone are always sharing to avoid accidental bad comments or gestures to the group
• Avoid extended conversations that only involve a subset of the attendees; they may waste others' time and would be better handled separately
  

Technology

Confirm that your device and network meet the system requirements for the service you are using

• Zoom: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-requirements-for-Windows-macOS-and-Linux
• Microsoft Teams: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/hardware-requirements-for-the-teams-app