Working from home (WFH) is the new normal and is here to stay even after the pandemic. Are you prepared and equipped with your home office essentials to take on this new normal?
There are a lot of advantages to working from home. You no longer have to travel to work and sit in traffic or deal with distracting coworkers. However, working from home also poses a lot of challenges when it comes to efficiency and productivity. This is why having a solid home office setup is one way to boost your productivity to help you get work done despite the many challenges when working from home. This article delves into the home office essentials you need for your work from home setup.
Importance of Home Office Essentials for Your Work-From-Home Set-Up
It’s essential that each of us take the time to invest in our work-from-home setup for our well-being, productivity, and overall satisfaction. Setting up a dedicated work area at home and having the best home office essentials is essential to improve and level up your work-from-home experience.
Ten Home Office Essentials to Smarten Up Your Work-From-Home Set-Up
Even though many of us are now settled in and have had more than a year to adjust to working from home, it can still be a challenge to work from home. Our homes are mainly for comfort and relaxation, so converting homes into efficient workspaces can be quite the challenge. Here are ten of the most essential items for your home office.
A Home Office Space
It is ideal to have a separate room or area dedicated to work. However, this is not the case for a lot of people. Additionally, the COVID pandemic shifted the way we work in the blink of an eye and forced us to turn our bedrooms into our new office. Each person would find their work-from-home set-up unique since we all have different living situations. So, each solution will be different for each given home.
Some Quick Reminders When Working From Home and When Setting up Your Home Office:
It is important to create a division between work and life even if it's just by creating a corner nook where you can do focused work. Here are some no-no’s to consider when setting up your work from home space:
Working From Bed
- This is one of the biggest don'ts when working from home. If you work from your bed, it can make it difficult to sleep at night. Additionally, it also makes it more difficult to work because of the urge to lay in bed and take a nap. It blurs the lines between rest and work.
Working on the Couch
- It can be difficult to work when you are in an area that's supposed to be a place to rest or for recreation.
Here are some suggestions when finding or creating your home office.
Home office space suggestions:
- Turn an extra bedroom into an office space.
- Find a corner in your living room and turn it into a workspace.
- Convert patios or attics into working areas.
- Find a nook or corner in your bedroom and use it only for work purposes.
A Computer or Laptop
Remote work is obviously dependent on your hardware, AKA your laptop or computer. When working from your homefront, your computer or laptop is king. Additionally, it's important to find the hardware that works best for you.
Reliable internet connection
Now that everyone is online and most of the work we do is all online, having a reliable internet connection is essential for your work-from-home setup. Without it, we won't be able to get any work done. There are several options available in the market depending on your budget and your needs.
An Ergonomic Desk & Chair
It’s easy to overlook other items needed for your work-from-home set-up when you focus mainly on your hardware. Two of your most used items would be your work desk and chair. For a favorable work environment to boost your productivity, having an ergonomic desk and chair are investments that will be worth it. Here are things to consider when choosing your work desk and chair.
How to choose your work desk:
- Is it the right height for your body?
- Is it big enough for your laptop, keyboard, mouse, extra monitors, notebooks, books, etc.?
- Is it sturdy enough to carry your hardware and everything else you'll be putting on it?
- Is it durable and long-lasting?
Your chair is another basic essential for your at-home setup. When choosing your chair, here are a few factors to consider:
- Find one that’s ergonomic.
- Make sure it fits your body size.
- Find one that's not too uncomfortable to avoid back and neck pain.
- Find one that isn’t too comfortable that makes you tempted to take a nap in.
Investing in an ergonomic chair will do wonders for your health, efficiency, and productivity.
Additional Monitors
Aside from your main laptop or desktop screen monitor, it’s good to have extra monitors that you can use. A second monitor is helpful when you work with a lot of windows open and helps reduce eye strain.
Here are some factors to consider when picking your monitor:
- Screen resolution: 1080p or 4K
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Proper inputs: HDMI or VGI
Adequate Lighting for Your Home Office
Proper lighting can have a huge impact on your mood, effectivity, and productivity. A room that's too dimly lit can strain your eyes. Additionally, it can also make you feel sleepy and less motivated to work. When you have enough light in your work-from-home office, it helps wake up your brain for optimal productivity.
Laptop stand
Of course, not everyone has space or budget to have extra monitors. If you don’t have the budget or space for it at your home desk, the next best thing you can do for your posture and health is a laptop stand. Ideally, a good laptop stand puts your eye level 2 or 3 inches below the top of your monitor. This will help with your posture and helps keep you from slouching.
Cellphone and Headset
Working from home can require a lot of phone calls and video conferences from colleagues, clients, or employers. This is why having a phone is another work-from-home essential. But aside from your basic cellphone, a reliable headset is something to consider as well. Make sure your headset has a quality microphone. A noise-canceling headphone is much better to lessen background noises such as dogs barking or cars honking.
Storage for Hard and Soft Documents
Having storage for both your hard copy files (documents, papers, etc.) and soft copy files (online files, spreadsheets, photos, videos) is a must-have when working from home. Aside from backing them up, it's also a way to safeguard your files.
Storage Space for Papers and Documents
Having a cluttered desk isn't good for your productivity. If your type of work deals with a lot of documents and paperwork, organizing those papers in a binder or desk organizer will help declutter your home office. It also helps make it easier to find documents when you need them. No more time wasted searching for pieces of documents.
Storage for Soft Copy Files
We live in an age where everything is online. This is why it's so important to have enough storage where you can organize all your files online. You can try iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox. There are definitely a lot more options in the market that you can choose from.
Personal Touches
Finally, it’s important for your home office to feel like your own and feel like home. You can do this by adding personal touches. try adding these to personalize your work from home setup:
- Framed photos of your loved ones,
- Essential oils to help you relax
- Diffusers
- Your favorite coffee cup or water jug
- A house plant
Now That Your Home Office Essentials Are Complete, It's Time to Get to Work!
When you invest some time, energy, and money into creating a favorable work-from-home setup, you’ll be amazed at your new productivity levels and overall work satisfaction. Additionally, having a proper home office setup helps improve work-life balance.
Ready to get to work? Here are some great resources to get you started on your online work-from-home journey.
