Just a few months ago, working from home was not even a possibility, and yet now many workers find themselves clocked in on their laptops and working remotely. Although working from home was once something many aspired to do, it is often not the peaceful, relaxing work environment many hoped it would be. Although statistically, workers are more productive from home, if you find yourself struggling to keep up, here are five essential office products to boost your work from home productivity.
A Good Desk Chair
If you started the telecommuting journey with any office equipment at all besides a cell phone, a computer, and the internet, hopefully, you have decided to invest in a supportive desk chair. Far from being “just a place to sit,” your desk chair is your new home inside your home. You will be spending precious hours in it, so make sure you invest in a good one. If you don’t, you will find yourself focusing on your numb feet and aching back instead of your rapidly increasing incoming emails. Things to look for in a good desk chair include:
Upgrade Your Internet
From download speed to router quality, when you are working from home, only the best will do, especially if your job involves a few weekly video calls or internet-based software. Internet upgrades are also a must-have if you find yourself sharing a connection with a house full of people who are also living the “online life.” There is only so much bandwidth to go around, so make sure you have the tools to make the most of it. If you can’t get your apps to load properly, then your productivity is doomed before your day even starts.
A Good Quality Keyboard
If you have not had the experience of walking into a computer store with the sole intention of trying out keyboards to see which one you like, you are missing out on something truly incredible. In the world of keyboards, there are many different kinds to choose from, but the one you ultimately take home should provide wrist support, should have no lag from the time the key is depressed to the time the character shows up on the screen and if you find yourself needing to type during calls, should probably not have mechanical switches. A good keyboard leads to faster typing, fewer arm and wrist pains, and fewer typos.
Dual Monitors
At first glance, you wouldn’t assume that a larger monitor would help you get more things done, but once you experience life with two monitors, you will find it hard to go back. Studies have shown that dual monitors increase productivity by around 20%, so if you are prone to having millions of tabs open all at one time, you may be the perfect candidate for doubling your monitor space.
A Faster Computer
It should go without saying that a faster computer will help boost your daily output. In addition to that, if you are working full time from a laptop, you should seriously consider taking the dive into the land of the desktop. If you are going to save money somewhere, don’t cut corners on your work computer. You will invariably regret it.
The home office equipment that has the highest likelihood of boosting your productivity will almost always be the tools you use every day, all day. From the chair that supports you to the computer that runs your software, these simple office additions will put you well on your way to making the most out of your time in the office.