The uncertainties brought by the pandemic have made remote work a semi-permanent part of the corporate culture. Even with the return to normal, some businesses are expected to integrate work from home in their operations. Thus, you should make the best out of your home office arrangements, especially now that some version of it is here to stay in the long run.
It can be quite a daunting task to stay productive while working from home, but you could invest in certain tools to improve your remote-work efficiency. Read on to find out the essential items that can help enhance home office productivity.
8 Must-Have Things to Improve Home Office Productivity
1. Multi-screen setup
An additional screen can boost your work-from-home productivity by 40%. Other statistics say 42% of 1,000 individuals surveyed had increased their work productivity by using two monitors instead of just one.
With employees losing approximately 32 days of productivity a year because of how they multitask or switch apps constantly, multiple screens can help you save more time with app switching and enable you to keep your browsers open. At the same time, you can access another app, compare, or refer to data from another screen.
2. Laptop stand
Having your computer screen at eye level is the best way to keep your eyes from straining and help you avoid bad posture. If your screen monitor is too low, you may end up hunching or craning your neck over long periods.
A laptop stand is a good way to solve this, as it can help correct your position and raise your computer screen to a comfortable level. However, typing on a raised laptop can be difficult and eventually injure your wrists or shoulders. An ergonomic keyboard and mouse can come in handy to couple with your laptop stand.
3. Ergonomic keyboard and mouse
When you relax your hands and shoulders after a long day of typing, the first thing you do is shake your hands out of your keyboard, relax your shoulders, and keep your elbows close to the body. This echoes how a standard keyboard can stretch your arms out and make typing a challenge for your hands and shoulders.
It makes your working posture unnatural, cramping your fingers and forearms and keeping them extended at awkward positions towards your computer. Eventually, the forceful keyboard tapping coming from your uncomfortable fingers can destroy your keyboard or, worse, the delicate bones of your fingers.
An ergonomic keyboard and mouse might just be the exact solution you’re looking for—the holy grail to your home office. It can save your wrists, arms, and hands from experiencing a lot of tension. Furthermore, you can adjust your ergonomic keyboard and mouse to go with your preferred typing position.
4. Better headphone and microphone set
Music can motivate, boost creativity, improve memory retention, and get your energy up while working. Even better, a superb headphone and microphone set with a noise-canceling function can help you concentrate on particularly noisy days.
If you’re doing menial work, such as changing the font design or designing a presentation deck, an upbeat tune is perfect. On the other hand, classical music or white noise is a popular hack if you’re brainstorming.
5. Comfortable office chair
A good definition of a comfortable office chair is its ability to recline, roll, promote ergonomic balance, accommodate various weights, and adjust to the height, shape, or size of your desk. Investing in a high-quality ergonomic chair can protect your back from long-term injuries and improve your posture.
It can also make remote work comfortable and increase productivity by reducing muscle fatigue and other musculoskeletal conditions. Ultimately, it makes your working atmosphere more efficient and boosts your morale.
6. Capable computer or laptop
Examine the RAM, graphics card, service packs, and software updates when choosing a capable computer or laptop. The faster and more efficient your device is, the more you can save on waiting time. Imagine, if you spend 10 minutes a day to shut down or start your computer, you will have a whole week of lost productivity in a year.
Thus, it is crucial to get a computer that will allow you to multitask, run several applications at once, and switch between tabs seamlessly. Also, consider reliability or the immunity of your laptop or PC to viruses, hackers, and interruptions. You should also consider the hardware requirements of the software you’re using.
7. Laptop cleaning kit
Dust is one of the most significant disablers for your laptop. To maintain your device’s long life, a laptop cleaning kit that includes a cloth, liquid solution, and brush can remove residue from your computer and even keep the internals clean!
8. Wireless phone charger
With a wireless phone charger, all you need to do is gently place your phone on the charger, and just like magic, your wireless charger will fill it up with battery! This electromagnetic technology makes charging convenient and fast and eliminates the need for an interface between a phone and the traditional charger.
With its practicality, you get to save a lot of productive time that you may lose when plugging or unplugging your device. As a bonus, the interface durability of wireless chargers is better. Since your smartphone no longer needs to be unplugged or plugged, the wear and tear of your phone’s data interface will decrease. It will also keep your phone’s corrosion and oxidation levels at a minimal level.
Wrapping Up
Adding these essential things to your home office can ultimately boost your productivity. Couple it with items that make your home cozy, and you are set to work productively!
However, the best way to promote remote work efficiency is still finding a comfortable living space and a well-lit, separate office area. If you’re considering buying a new home, consult with the best real estate broker in the Philippines today.
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