#13: My TOP Work From Home Essentials
You need these if you work remotely
This article contains affiliate links.
During my first job out of college, I started noticing my neck and back aching.
The culprit? Working from home.
Obviously, sitting at my desk for 8+ hours wasn’t good for my body.
And you can’t be productive if you’re feeling uncomfortable at work.
I knew I had to make a few changes, and boy did it make all the difference:
1. I swapped out my chair
I used to have a simple, white, faux leather chair, but it had no back support. It looked cute, but I quickly learned that having an ugly, comfortable chair is way more important than having a cute, uncomfortable one.
2. I set up my monitor
I promise that once you start using a monitor for work, you’re never going back to your small laptop’s screen.
You might be too lazy to set up the monitor and all the cords that your company gave you when you onboarded, but just do it and get it over with. It’ll keep your eyes from straining looking at those Excel spreadsheets.
3. I invested in an external webcam
My neck was also strained from looking down at my laptop during all my meetings, so getting an external webcam to put on my monitor was a huge relief.
On top of that, getting an external webcam will improve the quality of your video and audio during Zoom meetings, which is a huge reason in itself to get one!
Pro tip: I originally got the $20 Logitech camera to save money but it wasn’t good…so I ended up having to get a nicer one. It’s worth the investment! This is the one I got:
4. I used a different mouse
If you’re clickety-clacketing all day, your wrist is bound to get tense too. I actually went on a whole JOURNEY to find a good ergonomic mouse…
I went through 3 different purchases and none of them were exactly what I was looking for. Thankfully, my friends got me one for my birthday which ended up being my favorite one.
It’s so much more comfortable to use than a normal mouse, and I even bring it with me when I take my laptop to work at coffee shops.
5. I joined the standing desk club
Now, this one’s not as much of a priority as the others above, but it’s definitely a nice-to-have. Sometimes you get antsy from sitting for long periods of time, and being able to stand while working alleviates that.
I also like to stand while giving presentations - I’ve noticed that it makes me feel more confident, which makes sense because you typically stand for presentations!
If you work at a company that provides a generous work from home stipend, I would definitely recommend using it to purchase a standing desk.
Fortunately, the prices have actually gone down since the peak of the pandemic (some people would pay $600+ for one), but you can get a good one for $200 now.
I got mine from the brand Flexispot which I recommend! Amazon has more affordable options, or you can go to Flexispot’s website and customize one.
Bonus: here’s a desk accessory for organizing all your cables!
More product recommendations 👏
These items will make your adult life easier!!
From my favorite portable charger for traveling to cute home decor to a foldable tripod to book recommendations, I’ve compiled my favorites below for you!
Check out my links 🍬
{FREE} 👩🏼🏫 Slide templates - My secret hack to making slide decks that slap
{FREE} 💸 Marcus by Goldman Sachs High Yield Savings Account - Earn ~4% interest on your savings (vs. 0.01% interest from your bank’s savings account)
{FREE} 💵 Capitalize Rollover - Don’t neglect your 401k from your old employer!
{FREE} 🏋️♀️ 58 credits to ClassPass - Try out a variety of fun fitness classes in your area!
👉 ALL my Amazon favorites - Including office & tech gadgets you need!
👉 My LINKEDIN 101 COURSE - Learn how to set up a thorough LinkedIn profile and create a personal brand through posting on LinkedIn!
Thanks for reading! 😊
Hope you enjoyed this article of 9 to Thrive!
Hit the reply button if you want to write me an email, and I’ll respond back!
Until next time, stay healthy, wealthy, and wise!
Sincerely,
Sarena