At the start, working from home was brilliant, wasn’t it? Able to roll out of bed two minutes before your day begins, make sure your top-half looks presentable for the zoom call, and start your day. But now, the novelties of home have worn off, and the idea of spending another day at your makeshift desk are probably making you go mad. Plus, with the latest restrictions in place, if you were about to fly the nest back to the office, the chances are that those plans may have been postponed and you’re still going to be working from home for the next few months.
If you’re feeling a bit behind on your workload compared to your workmates, don’t worry, as it’s reported that 1 in 3 of workers in Britain are struggling with productivity. Whether you balance your laptop on books to look presentable for zoom, or have to sweep everything away at the end of the day to use your desk as a dining room table, here are three tips and gadgets that can help you elevate your space.
Plugged into work with Wireless ad on’s
While working from the comfort of your own home has a billion benefits, there’s one massive downside: using a company laptop. Sure, you have all the software on there, but you don’t have your keyboard, mouse, or even a nice monitor to read from.
While you might feel trapped, hunched over your laptop, why not upgrade your set up and heighten the experience of work. Let your shoulders relax and invest in a wireless keyboard and mouse, such as the Logitech MK540. With precision typing and an 18–36 month guarantee, giving yourself the space between your screen and keyboard could be the key to making you more productive.
So, now you’ve got the space, but do you miss your monitor and can’t afford one? If you have an iPad or tablet around the house, why not turn it into another screen!
If you use a MacBook for work and have bought an iPad in the last few years, go into the sidecar settings on your desktop to turn your tablet into another monitor.
Use something else for work, have an android tablet, or want to interconnect an iPad with a windows computer? Don’t worry, you can still use it as a monitor with Duet. The application ‘built for professionals’ is designed to turn any tablet or smart device into a screen, allowing you to easily and seamlessly expand your workspace without impacting your wallet. Although the PC or Mac software is free, the tablet application costs £9.99 to download from the Apple Store or Google Play Store, which is a lot less than another monitor!
Tidy Desk, Tidy Mind
Compared to your desk at work, your home office is probably a bit of a state, right? With cords tangled on the desk, to random items cluttering your work station, it might not feel like a place of productivity.
While an empty, work free desk may be the dream, it’s an unlikely reality; although working from home you have your laptop, chances are there are a few mugs of cold coffee, pens and paper for scribbling notes down, or even the odd file here and there cluttering up your workspace. A messy work space may be your norm, but it can be immobilising your productivity. Therefore, by organising your work space, you can help yourself to be more productive.
When it comes to sustainable desk organisation, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin of The Home Edit recommend that ‘the supplies you access the most frequently should be within your reach, but without taking over your workspace.’ When figuring out how to store items, whether you have a permanent desk space or not, they recommend that you ‘store your supplies in a way that makes sense for the space, your items, and your daily routine.’
While this is incredibly vague, this essentially means the desk is your oyster! If you use a lot of tech in your job, and have a multitude of laptops, tablets, or work phones to use on a daily basis, why not store them vertically in a magazine holder, such as this clear one. Not only will this save space, but it will also give them a home, helping you switch off when they do. Similarly, if you have tonnes of clutter taking up your much needed space, make room for them on your desk with a drawer, such as this Acrylic 3 Drawer Chest. Not only will your notebook and pens have somewhere to be stored, but you’ll have tonnes more desk space for the important things.
Top tip: when creating desk space, if you’re a naturally messy person and want things to be more neatly organised, try and use see through containers. Not only will this help you find where everything is, but it will also hold you accountable to keep everything neat and tidy.
Screen Queens
Have you been hunching over your laptop in recent months and feeling your back slowly begin to ache? Although getting a new chair could help alleviate any pain you’re experiencing, your problem might be right in front of your nose (literally) — your monitor.
While it might not seem like much, according to the NHS website, if your screen is too high or low you may have to ‘bend your neck’, which can lead to further pain and physical complications. At the optimum height of ‘eye level’ and around an ‘arms length away from you’, this distance will not only help avoid spinal complications further down the line, but also avoid unwanted eye strain.
If you’re sick of unwanted back and neck pain, invest in a laptop stand. Built to raise your screen to new heights, stands such this one from OCDAY, will help ease any unwanted back pain, and create more space in your workspace.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to organise your desk too, why not get a monitor stand that includes some helpful organisation tools. While there’s thousands to choose from online that can fulfill a range of your work-life needs, why not try this Klearlook Foldable Monitor Stand. This monitor riser not only lifts your monitor to a more comfortable level, but also has unique and sleek storage for your phone and other desk clutter.
Alison Irlam
Alison is a writer with a keen interest in mental health and wellbeing. Since finishing a postgraduate degree in creative writing and having her own experiences with mental health, she has dedicated her time to helping and empowering others to make positive changes in their own lives.
