Find your home-working mojo

No question about it, home-working became a pandemic modus operandi for us all. And although many of you are returning to an employer’s workplace and attending physical meetings, working from home has found its mojo thanks to tech enablers like online meeting and conferencing platforms and cloud based collaborative tools.  

And that got us thinking here at 2to3days HQ. What makes a brilliant home-working set-up, whether you’re working from a study, garden office or even your kitchen table? We filled a white board with ideas and whittled it down to a top-7. Here they are:

1.An adjustable chair - This is a must have – how many of you are still working all day sitting on an unforgiving upright dining table chair?  We suggest investing in a proper office style swivel chair. Better still, opt for an ergonomic model, if you can.

2.Standing desk - There are lots of studies to show that a standing desk not only helps you as you are not seated the whole time, but it also improves concentration, blood flow and can even reduce insulin levels.

3.White board - A magnetic whiteboard is great for brainstorming and as a presentation prop on virtual calls. It’s also a mental break from staring at a laptop screen or monitor.

4.Get a second monitor – If you work from a laptop, a second monitor on your home desk is essential. Great for working on spreadsheets and to keep browsers visible while working on email or documents.

5.Headphone & mic set-up – Your mobile no doubt has a wired or wireless earbud/mic combo. That probably works just fine, but upgrade to a bespoke over-ear set with mic extension and you’ll immediately notice the difference in sound quality. So will those listening to you. Go one step further and invest in a stand-alone omnidirectional mic with diffuser; ideal if you’re joining webinars or creating video or podcasts.

6.Good keyboard - We favour wireless laptop and mouse. This makes best use of your desk as you can remove them easily, freeing up space without getting in a tangle. Also, a good keyboard can make you even faster at typing.

7.Laptop riser - If you use a laptop, the riser is great to get the screen of the laptop to the optimum height for posture while working. They also act as a holder which means air can circulate easily preventing overheating and, even better, they take up less desk space.

These are just some of the things we have put in place to help us work flexibly from home.