8 Work From Home Essentials

Enhance your productivity with these must-haves

Many of us have been working from home (WFH) for over a year now…and we still haven’t put much effort into creating the ideal work-from-home environment. Maybe you’re still sitting on a hardwood chair at your dining table most days or working from the couch.

I have a confession: I still haven’t bought a wireless mouse–and my right hand is suffering from using the trackpad all day every day (don’t worry, a new mouse is on the way!)

Whatever happens in the future, lots of us will continue working from home indefinitely. After all, we like the flexibility, we don’t miss having a commute, and we appreciate being able to stay in bed for that morning Zoom meeting (unless your boss makes you turn the camera on).

If you’re starting to realize that working from home might be your future, it could be time to invest in some work-from-home essentials that improve productivity and promote overall health. Here are some of the tools you can use to upgrade your WFH environment.

1. Ergonomic chair

I hate to break it to you, but sitting on your kitchen stool all day isn’t doing you any favors. You may not have a home office space available, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have room for an ergonomic chair. If you’re short on space, you can keep the chair at your kitchen table or in the spare bedroom.

A good ergonomic chair will help your posture, reduce back and neck pain, and improve your blood circulation. Check out this chair for $160 or this one for $490. If you’re rather attached to the chair you already have, you can get this lumbar back support cushion for $14 instead of buying a new chair.

2. Standing desk

If you’re ready to see what all the hype is about, you might want to get a standing desk for yourself. According to research, using a standing desk gives you more energy while you work and may boost overall productivity. It also burns extra calories and might even help you live longer.

Buying a standing desk doesn’t mean you need to stand the entire day. Rather, it gives you the ability to alternate between standing and sitting whenever you want. You can choose between this standing desk for $519 or this one for $588. Both of these allow you to adjust them to either a sitting height or standing height.

3. Laptop desk

Perhaps you don’t have enough room for a full desk–or you don’t want to spend the money on one. In that case, you can find a great laptop desk that turns your sofa into a suitable workspace. Remember to sit up straight, even while you’re working on the sofa.

Laptop desks are awesome because they’re so affordable and can double as a TV tray or end table. Check out this one for $50 or this one for $34. You can even use your laptop desk in bed on those days when you just need a slower morning.

4. Blue light blockers

Staring at your laptop screen all day isn’t great for your eyes. Using blue light blocking glasses can help prevent eye strain and keep you from getting headaches. Too much blue light exposure can also mess with your natural circadian rhythm, disrupting your sleep at night.

You can order prescription blue light blocking glasses from Warby Parker or TrueDark…or find cheap and stylish non-prescription ones from Prive Revaux. As someone with an incredibly high prescription, I choose to wear my contact lenses for work with non-prescription blue light blockers.

5. Phone holder

Are you someone who uses your phone frequently for work? You might appreciate a flexible phone holder that allows you to work on your phone without bending your neck too much. This cool phone holder is just $20.

For those of us who know we get distracted by our phones while working, this UV light cleaning and charging phone station ($80) serves the dual purpose of concealing your phone during the workday. When you take your phone out during breaks, it will be freshly sanitized from the UV light. For a cheaper option, simply hide your phone in a drawer.

6. Posture corrector

One benefit of working from home is it doesn’t matter what you wear. We’ve all had sweats days, yoga pants days, and even pajama days. Wearing a posture correcting back brace may not look attractive, but it could be crucial for those who spend the whole day sitting.

This posture corrector is just $27 and forces you to keep your back straight, realigning your spine. Plus, it’s adjustable, so it doesn’t matter what size you are. Wearing a posture corrector should eventually become unnecessary once you train your body to have proper posture.

7. Ergonomic mousepad

When you’re on your computer all day, you need to be careful to take care of your wrists. Having an ergonomic mousepad helps by providing a wrist rest as you scroll and click. Plus, you won’t have the uncomfortable feeling of using your mouse on wood or another hard surface. 

Check out this cute leather mousepad for $22 or this gel one for $8. If you’re like me and haven’t bought a mouse yet, this futuristic ergonomic mouse is $25.

8. Nootropics

Even if you have all of the most cutting-edge WFH equipment, you still might need a little help focusing. Lots of people use nootropics to enhance their concentration and productivity. Nootropics are made up of minerals, vitamins, and plant extracts that boost your brainpower.

My favorite nootropic stack is Qualia Mind from Neurohacker Collective. This brain health supplement is designed to amplify productivity, improve concentration, and promote mental clarity and memory.