Working from home is the dream. After all, you have everything you need to be happy and productive at your job—from flexible work schedules, to a better work-life balance. True enough, research listed on Quartz notes that remote employees (even those who only work from home a few days a week) showed an outstanding 13% improvement in performance.
While remote working can motivate anyone to work better, some tools can help you be even more productive. From ergonomic chairs to noise-cancelling headsets, here are five office essentials every efficient remote worker needs.
Hard Drive
Lack of storage is a common issue with remote workers. You never know when you might need certain files, so it’s never good practice to delete any of them. Instead, it’s worth investing in large hard drives to keep all the older files in. You also have the option of saving them in online storage platforms like Google Drive; but do note that anything exceeding 2GB means you’ll have to pay for a monthly subscription.
Reliable Headset
If you have a lot of virtual meetings, you need a reliable headset to be able to participate. Sure, you could use your phone or even your computer, but their speakers and mics are often not enough to hear important points or clearly relay messages of your own. When choosing a headset, we recommend those that have good noise-cancelling features (should you want to work in a cafe or coworking space), and are durable and comfortable enough to wear for hours.
Ergonomic Chair
Being comfortable at work highly affects your productivity levels, according to an article on Forbes, and the chair that you sit on is an important factor to it. For instance, it’s very distracting once your back starts hurting or your legs start feeling numb from prolonged sitting. Therefore, it helps to invest in an ergonomic chair, which is so much more than just a fancy chair. Pain Free Working informs that an ergonomic chair is one that automatically adjusts to the body of the person seated on it. It’s practically designed to fit your own body, so it can do things like improve your posture, promote blood circulation, decrease your stress levels, and more. They’re a bit expensive (around $300 at least), but the investment is totally worth it.
Adjustable Standing Desk
Plenty of companies have adapted to the adjustable standing desk trend, but it’s an essential that goes beyond the office. Studies on Everyday Health show that inactivity accounts for 9% of deaths globally. Moreover, the same article finds that even those who exercise but spent the bulk of their time sitting were at higher risks for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. An adjustable standing desk gives you the option to take a break from sitting but without needing to take an actual break from working. It’s best to switch positions every hour, so you don’t have to sit or stand for too long.
Blue Light-filtering Glasses
As a remote worker, it’s unavoidable to look at screens all day. Remote Dev Daily reports that eye strain is easily one of the most common issues for remote workers, especially for those with computer-focused jobs like developers and programmers. Much of the fatigue is caused by exposure to blue light—a light source that emits from screens and can penetrate your retinas. Protect your eyes by buying a pair of blue light-filtering glasses. For those who already wear glasses, most optical shops already have the option to build pairs with both your prescription and filters in them.
Your home is basically your office, so it helps to have the necessary tools to make it feel like one. Whether you’re adding extra storages or comfy chairs, you’ll find that having the proper tools can help you reap the full work-at-home comfort that your job promises. Luckily, we at Anda Cowork provide you with everything you need—be it comfortable desks and chairs you need—so you should be on your way to maximum productivity in no time.
Written By Roxy June