Must-have remote work gadgets—the ultimate guide
We've been talking a lot about remote work lately, but that's because so many more people are experiencing the glory and frustration of it for themselves right now. And there's a lot of talk about how it just might be the new normal. If you're a person who is thinking it's going to become your new normal based on Zoom water cooler talk, it's imperative that you set up a home office. And we have the ultimate guide for what you need.
Working from home is both a blessing and a curse. Even for those of us who have been doing it a decade or longer, we still have our moments. The cat needs to be played with. The dog needs a walk. There’s a pile of laundry in the bedroom. Those dishes aren’t going to wash themselves. And, worst of all, the couch is not doing your back any favors. For most of us, having a designated room or space in the corner of a room for a home office is a must. Personally, I’ve been working from home for more than ten years now, and I’ve done it all. So I’ve assembled a must-have remote work gadgets list that will cover all your bases.
I’ve set aside a corner of the living room in my one-bedroom apartment. I’ve worked strictly from the couch. I’ve had an area of the basement. I’ve shared a home office with my spouse. And, right now, I have a dedicated home office all to myself. I’ve learned a lot from working in all of these spaces, and I’ve learned a lot about myself.
First off, I’ve learned that I can’t work with any noise or distractions. My husband eating lunch at the desk right next to me? Grounds for divorce. Sitting in the living room and seeing any mess in the kitchen or things that need to be dusted or picked up? Procrastination central while I clean. And sitting on the couch all the time led to some severe lower back pain and leg numbness. It took me forever to figure out that it was due to bad posture and lack of proper support.
The answer for me was to tell all my guests to stay at a hotel or to sleep on an air mattress when they visit. That was so I could turn the spare bedroom into a second office, so my husband and I could each have our own space. Which was really me saying, “I need my own space, so I am kicking you out of this office so I don’t have to divorce you because you’re chewing while I’m trying to work.” And, now that he’s furloughed and home all the time, boy am I glad we have separate offices.
If you’re still looking for ways to improve your WFH tenure, these are your must-have remote work gadgets.
You need a desk
Even if you’re working from the couch, you need a desk. Thank god for lap desks. And, yeah, desks can be pricey, but they don’t have to be. Standing desks are really helpful for lower back pain and getting you out of sitting all day long, which can be rough on your body. For some people, standing even boosts productivity.
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- A sit/stand desk with a woman standing in at it
Get the right chair
This can make a huge difference in your working environment. Those back problems got way better when I started sitting in a good chair and doing some daily stretching and light yoga. And, yeah, a good chair is going to cost you if you want a really good one like this Herman Miller one or this Autonomous Kinn chair. But if you can’t do that right now, there are some other great options to make your current chair better. The BalanceOn is a great seat cushion, and so is something like the BackShield. Even more affordable? These posture-improving cushions.
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- A woman sitting in an office chair
Don’t skimp on a monitor
Going to double monitors was one of the best decisions I ever made. I love it so much that I’m thinking about getting one of these SideTrak monitors for when I can finally work in a coffee shop again. I use a simple monitor like this as my second monitor on my desk. But what I really want is something like this HP ultra-wide monitor so I can have all of the benefits of a double monitor with one wide monitor.
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- A wide computer monitor on a desk
Be sure you have a good laptop
If your work hasn’t provided you with one or won’t let you take your desktop home from the office during the pandemic, you might want to think about getting a new computer. Or if you’re in the market for a new one anyway, you’ll want to be sure you’re getting one that will last. I work on a MacBook Pro because I’m Apple across the board. But if you’re PC and not Mac, there is this HP Spectre that looks pretty awesome—or this Dell Latitude. Looking to do double duty for work and gaming? How about this Razer gaming laptop? For even more suggestions, we have an entire blog on the topic.
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- A laptop computer
A good keyboard and mouse will make a difference
You know what’s awful? Using the trackpad on your laptop. It’s just not precise enough. And if you’re getting some work done from your desktop computer or a tablet, the right keyboard can make a big difference. Our blog topic Sunday is specifically on this, so you’ll want to check that out for even more suggestions. Personally, I like this list of keyboards and this Razer gaming mouse. If you don’t want a gaming mouse, try something like this Logitech mouse, which is also more affordable. And the part you’re really going to need? This ergonomic armrest.
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- A black computer mouse
Don’t forget about a smart speaker
Once you have Alexa in your office, you won’t get back to working any other way. Stop getting sidetracked by looking at the weather or whatever random thing crosses your mind that makes you pick up your phone or search the internet. Just ask Alexa. Any of these Spotify-enabled smart speakers will do the trick if you need music to get you through your workday. Or you can check out this Bose wearable speaker, this Belkin speaker, or this Samsung mini smart speaker. But sometimes you just need a good pair of headphones or earbuds instead, and we have a list of some headphones we love and earbuds we love.
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- A woman wearing a smart speaker around her neck
Be sure you’re organized
I’m not sure about you, but if my desk area isn’t clean and organized, it’s a huge distraction. All it does is serve as an excuse for me not to work and to clean up instead. Can you tell I’m a bit of a procrastinator? I have multiple desk organizers, and I like things that do double duty. There are a bunch of things on this work desk accessories list that I have on my Gadget Flow wishlist. These cord organizers are what I’m buying next because I hate the jumble. I’m also pretty in love with this drawer organizer, and the gray matches my office décor.
A desk organizer with drawers
Speaking of office décor…
Office décor is important to many of us. Feeling like you’re in your own space that reflects your personality can have a big impact. It’s important to feel comfortable in our space. Much of my office decor serves a dual purpose. I love this bird catch-all. And I have decorative holders all over my desk for my pens, markers, and highlighters. I have elephant figurines in my office that I pick up when I travel, and something like this on the wall is perfect for them. I just ordered a magnetic note holder to hang up pictures, notes, and to-do lists. And these pineapples might not serve a dual purpose, but I love them anyway.
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- A blue bird container with tech gadgets in it
Finally, you need productivity gadgets
Knowing how you’re spending your time has a huge impact on your productivity. I track this religiously, and seeing how much time I was spending answering a text, hopping on Facebook, or checking in on Twitter was … eye-opening, to say the least. One of the easiest ways is to use something like this time tracker. And all of the gadgets on this list are going to help you save time too.
A hexagonal time tracker cube
I know, it’s a pretty exhaustive list. And you’re not going to be able to get everything at once. Start with what you think is going to have the biggest effect on your comfort and productivity. It’s taken me years to figure out just what I needed and what works best for me. But now that I have, I can get my work done in half the time, and I’m not working on weekends. Because, yes, finding that work/life balance is a journey all on its own. Do you have any items you find that make your work life complete and you can’t live without? If there’s something I haven’t mentioned that you find invaluable, I’d love to know! I’m always looking for ways to work smarter and play more Animal Crossing.
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