I have always been a huge fan of working from home, and was accustomed to always working a few days a month away from the office. But as many of us have had to adjust to a full-time work from home situation, I quickly learned it was an entirely different beast. Adjusting a fast as I could to the new work environment, I’ve now mostly settled into my new working space and mojo. To potentially help others, I thought I would share a few of my new work from home “essentials.”
For Those With Critters – A Great Pet Bed
As many know, I’ve fosters for more than a decade, and with that comes testing a ton of different pet products. I have pet beds all throughout my house, as I find some days I work better in one room than another. I recommend having a pet bed in any room you are working in consistently. You will find that rather than bug you, your furry friends will gravitate to a good bed.
And one bed has stood out as the house favorite. I find the cats and dogs cuddled up together in this bed often, and the dogs will “steal” it from each other if another gets up.
The cushion is removable and washable (this bed has been through things). It doesn’t pill or show aging as some well-use beds do.
Headphone/Headset
I have found the best, most practical way to work from home if you need to be on calls or virtual conferences is to use a headset/headphones. My stand our favorite is Aftershokz. I admit, I was WAY skeptical at first. I assumed because it wasn’t in my ear I wouldn’t be able to hear correctly, and others would not be able to hear me either. It’s the absolute opposite. I can hear great for video and phone calls, it syncs effortlessly with my phone and laptop, and others report I’m crystal clear on their end.
And the biggest thing that makes these different is that you can hear ambient noise around you. This is HUGE if you are keeping these on all day while taking calls. I can easily have an impromptu conversation with a delivery person coming to the door with no problem. In fact, I forget they are even there. But once my phone rings, the headphones turn on and I’m ready to remote work again.
A Great Ergonomic Chair
I didn’t realize HOW GOOD my office chair was until I started full-time work from home. Without my standard office chair, my back has turned into a mess. I am currently working at getting a better office chair at home, but I’ll definitely be soon investing in a solid home office chair that is height adjustable and has the proper lumbar support. This is Ergonomictrends’ best of 2019 chair list: http://ergonomictrends.com/best-ergonomic-office-chairs-reviews-buyers-guide/ if you need some help.
Bad office ergonomics leads me to my next item…
Portable and Compact Massager
If you are like me adjusting to a new desk with a not-yet-perfect ergonomic fit, your back may hurt and your muscles may be tight. This Zyllion massager has been my go-to. It’s small, compact, and has a heat function. You can take it wherever you need it. In fact, I often turn this on while sitting at my desk during longer phone calls – killing two birds with one stone!
What are your favorite things since working from home? If you have anything, please share your feedback in comments!
Monica.Mosure 