Essential tools for remote working: the most important office utensils for at home

In an environment where everything is geared towards work, most people can concentrate very well and work for many hours in a very organized and productive manner. However, since coronavirus at the latest, many of them have realized that working at home, which is becoming increasingly normal in times of working from home, presents them with completely different challenges. Checking your emails from the comfort of your sofa in your pyjamas while sipping a coffee? That sounds tempting, but what if there's a sick child next door who needs to be looked after or the washing machine has been beeping for half an hour? And the pile of washing up in the kitchen could do with a bit of attention too ... There are many obstacles to working efficiently from home, but with some help in the form of special office equipment designed to increase productivity, you'll soon be working at home at least as productively as in the office!

Sitting, standing, walking

As in the office, it's important to make sure you have ergonomically designed seating for hours of computer work at home. To prevent possible back pain caused by prolonged sitting, you should definitely look for a comfortable, ergonomic chair. You should look for a model with adjustable functions for lumbar support, armrest height and seat depth so that you can easily change your body position every time you sit down. You can change these every half hour to give your back a break from time to time by sitting in different positions.

In addition to the chair on which you sit and work most of the day, you should also incorporate other comfortable seating in your home office, e.g. a cozy armchair, an exercise ball on which you can easily bounce and move your legs, or a beanbag. With alternative seating, you can change your posture throughout the day and counteract stiffness and back pain.

In recent years, working in a standing position has also become increasingly popular as a supplement to sedentary work. Set yourself up with a height-adjustable desk that allows you to switch between the two positions again and again. Working in a standing position not only helps your blood circulation, but can also improve your concentration and therefore really boost your productivity.

In addition, bring even more movement into your working day for a dynamic and active way of working. Plan a short walk for moments when you don't have to sit down, such as phone calls, or cycle to your next meeting if possible. Even on a normal day when all you have to do is work at the computer, don't forget to get up and move around for a few minutes every now and then. Even going to the kitchen can provide the right variety and relaxation. Incidentally, many short breaks help far more than a few long ones!

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The best technology for your work

If you work with maps or multitask a lot, for example, you can often improve your productivity by setting up an extra monitor. The extra screen space helps you to have several windows open at the same time and not have to constantly switch between different tabs, which is much clearer and increases the efficiency of your workflow.

Young people in particular, who prefer to work flexibly and on the move and like to spend a few hours in the café around the corner to hit the keys, often no longer use an external monitor at all, but rely on their laptop as their primary work device. Ergonomics can become a real problem here, as the position of the keyboard often automatically requires a constant downward gaze, which unfortunately all too often goes hand in hand with neck pain. An adjustable laptop stand can help here, as it makes it possible to raise the screen to eye level and thus creates better neck alignment.

In combination with an adjustable laptop stand, an external keyboard and mouse are then required at the home office. If these have also been designed with ergonomics in mind, they can counteract possible wrist strain and injuries caused by repetitive movements. In order to know which model suits you and is good for your wrists in the long term, you should take the time to find out more about the products and, ideally, try them out.

Clear and tidy

Keeping your workspace at home neat and tidy is another important aspect of being productive. Cable management solutions such as a cable duct, cable conduits or cable clamps and cable clips can be helpful here. Make sure that there are as few distractions as possible in your working environment, such as interesting books or your favorite instrument.

A whiteboard or cork pinboard can also help to keep your work organized. These can support you during brainstorming sessions, for example, and provide clarity or serve as a place for the weekly work plan. There is just as much space here for new ideas as a list of the most important to-dos for the month. Also work with a good calendar and practical task management tools. These will help you to keep an overview and coordinate your work, especially with your colleagues.

Peace and quiet for your own thoughts

Last but not least, you should still be able to work in a relaxed and focused manner, even if construction work is taking place on the street outside your home or the neighbor's child is preparing his violin lesson. In contrast to working in the office, the background noise at home is difficult to regulate and to create peace and quiet for your thoughts, you should definitely invest in a pair of good noise-canceling headphones. These will help you to block out unwanted noises and create a focused environment so you can work effectively despite the noise from next door

Conclusion

Whether at home or in the office, sedentary work brings with it many challenges for the back and neck that can only be overcome with the right, ergonomically designed equipment. Especially when working at home, make sure you have a tidy and orderly space in which you can create silence and concentrate in an ideal way. If you also have a stable and fast internet connection, you can start working productively remotely from home!