Enhance Comfort and Efficiency with Must-Have Work-From-Home Equipment 💻☕

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Working from home and hybrid work arrangements became more common as a result of the 2020 lockdowns . More than 4 years later, it remains a popular option.

According to a study conducted by Pew Research in March 2023, 35% percent of workers who have the ability to complete their jobs in a fully remote environment, do. That’s a lot of people still working from home!

Work From Home Pros

Plenty of benefits have been cited and testimonies shared of how working from home has changed people’s lives for the better. FlexJobs posted 10 Advantages to Working from Home. Some highlights include:

  • being able to control your work-from-home environment (which I’ll be talking about today!)
  • saving money on transportation and eating out
  • more flexibility/great work-life balance
    • easier to address household tasks & errands during the day
    • having the luxury of working in your pajamas (at least from the waist down–you never know when you’ll get pulled into a video call!). 

Work From Home Cons

However, there are some disadvantages & risks in working from home as well. One source cited increased health complications due to prolonged period of sitting. Common areas of complaint include pain the neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, hips and even in the arms.

There are also concerns about mental health as a result of isolation from other people. Humans are social creatures and despite how saturated how culture is with technology and videochatting or IM’ing, nothing can replace authentic human contact. 

My Take

I personally work from home myself and have since 2020. Overall, it’s been a blessing but there are definitely physical & social challenges that come with it.

However, my absolute favorite thing about working from home is that I feel empowered to change & control my environment (actually, second favorite. Number #1 is petting my cat Zack whenever I want 😺. Number #3 is fridge access lol). It’s not just fun–it’s necessary to ensure I am comfortable, focused & productive. But let me elaborate. 

If you are new to working from home & want to make some changes to your setup, I want to encourage you: it can be really great!

There are certain limitations that no longer apply. For example, I love essential oils. If I worked in an office, there’s a chance the smell, as lovely as it is, would be disruptive to some and I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it.

I’ve also mentioned before I’m sensitive to lighting. So much so, that I actually bought a mood therapy lamp for those dark days. Some people like working in the Batcave–I’m not one of them. And now that I work from home, I don’t have to! 🙂 

Today, I’m going to share all sorts of things that have helped to make my work-from-home experience both functional & enjoyable. Some of them may surprise you!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Product List

  1. 2-Tier Monitor Stand
    • I don’t know about you, but I absolutely need dual monitors to work comfortably & efficiently. Before I got this, I had one screen on my desk & the other on a little box to elevate. That was neither safe nor even 😂. Now that I have this, my screens are level, which alleviates neck pain and I have a shelf & the area underneath it to store notebooks, pens, magazines, my Mr. Coffee mug warmer, etc. 
  2. USB Speakers
    • The audio on these is great & it connects via USB–you literally plug & play. I also love that it has various color modes and the design is simple.
    • Note: these do not have an earbud/headphone jack. These are strictly to play music aloud, which I prefer to protect my ear health. When I have video calls for work, I plug my headphone/mic directly into my laptop. When I want to resume jamming, I take them off.
  3. Video Conference Light
    • Even though my desk faces a window, cloudy days & certain hours of the day caused me to look really shadowed on video calls without this. It definitely was not flattering or professional-looking. This was the perfect solution! I use the clip configuration but you can also use it as a stand if your space allows & that’s the angle you prefer.

      I love that it has multiple light settings in terms of brightness and warmth but also, it has a cable with a remote on it! That allows you to easily change color modes, adjust the brightness, and turn it off or on. The clip is secure and does not shift while I’m using it. A great, affordable find that helps you to look your best on video calls.

  4. Mouse Pad Set with Coaster and Ergonomic Wrist Rests
    • I got this in Pink Gold and I absolutely adore it. It makes my space more girly but more importantly, it has all the pieces I wanted in a mousepad set:

      • Large desk pad
      • Ergonomic wrist rests: a long one for typing and a small one for the mouse
      • The matching coaster was an added bonus
      • It’s easy to clean and has a no-slip grip. The pad itself has not budged once and the rests have eliminated any wrist aching I was having before.
      • They come in all sorts of designs & colors, so definitely check this one out!

5. Adjustable Laptop Stand

    • This is also how I ensure my laptop is at the right angle for video calls (slightly above eye level and pointed down with me in the center) and is positioned in a way that doesn’t strain my neck while I’m working. As I mentioned, I work with two screens but one of them is a laptop and the screen is a bit smaller than my standing monitor. This helps to balance them out a bit better.
    • Also when I travel, it helps to bring the laptop a little higher so it’s more at eye level and the design ensures it’s well-ventilated so it doesn’t overheat.

6. Wood & Aluminum Headphone Stand

    • Looks nice & conserves space on my desk. The little storage tray can also be used to hold jewelry, mints, lipgloss, sticky notes, paperclips…anything small, really.

7. Under Desk Foot Rest

    • Reminder: I’m only 5″2. Most places I sit, my feet dangle. However, sitting for extended periods of time like that can put a strain on your hips and legs. So I got this and wow what a difference it makes. I usually put it on the rounded side for stability, but you can also flip it over and use it as a foot rocker (which is especially fun if you’re sitting in a meeting you’d rather not)!

    • The base helps to make it a little higher (perfect for me) but if you’re a little taller, you can remove it. The material is velvety soft & machine-washable.

8. Lumbar Support Seat Cushion

    • I absolutely needed this to help with my posture & back pain. The lumbar back cushion has straps you can put over whatever chair you have, supports the natural curve of your spine, and the seat cushion has no-slip grips with high density foam. Super comfy!

9. Office Chair Armrest Pads

    • I got these to go with the office cushion set. This helps to address arm & elbow pain. These have straps and can be adhered to many different kinds of chairs–even wheelchairs! Like the set above, it’s got high density foam for comfort & non-slip grips. It’s a more affordable way to get that ergonomic comfort without replacing your entire chair. You can just upgrade the chair you have!

10. 7 Ambient Light Aromatheraphy Diffuser & Essnetial Oil Set

    • The natural wood, the soft lighting changes, the 15 light modes, the delightful aromas of the essential oils. Such an elegant addition to any home office (I have one in my office & one in my bedroom). I love this set too because it has such a good combination of essential oils. I personally favor the lavender to relax and decompress and lemongrass to help me perk up a bit. Sometimes, you need that after the morning coffee wears off.

11. Electric Adjustable Sit Stand Desk

    • This was a game changer for me. I have an injury I’m still healing from so in addition to the above products to help with extended periods of sitting, I’m so grateful to have a desk that I can change the height on with the push of a button. Now, I can get the perfect angle to reduce strain on my neck, back, and shoulders and get the blood flowing in my legs again. Comes in multiple colors (I got the Black+rustic in 48×24″. They have several other sizes as well).

12. Walking Pad Treadmill with Remote Control

    • Last but not least, if you’ve got an adjusting desk, this will be super easy to integrate so you can get your daily steps in! If you don’t have a standing desk, you can still have this treadmill set/walking pad in your office so you can walk on your breaks.
      Alternatively, you can have it in your workout room or garage and it won’t take up nearly as much space as the standard treadmill (and more cost-effective, too!). This particular one is on sale fairly often so you may be able to score a deal on this one.

 

Hope you found this helpful.
Thanks for stopping by! -C

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