Posted 9/4/2020
5 Work From Home Essentials
With the current worldwide situation calling for the implementation of measures to minimize contact and reduce the spread of the Coronavirus, many in Singapore and beyond are experiencing the need to establish a functioning home office for the very first time.
If you are among these new telecommuters, you may not have a comprehensive work-from-home setup prepared just yet. In which case, we’re here to help!
We believe that every working professional deserves to own a workspace that they are both productive and comfortable in. Even if you already have a place of business tucked in a corner of your home sweet home, we’re sure there’s still much more you would love to add to it.
Here's a list of essentials and must-haves for creating the best workstation for you.
1. Display
2. Cable Management
3. Devices & Peripherals
4. Additional Accessories
5. The Desk
1. display
Since all workstations are expected to have one, let’s start with getting the right monitor. Whether it’s a 24” single monitor that simply does the job, an ultrawide display for seamless
productivity, or a multi-monitor setup for maximum multi-tasking, we have some advice that carries across all options.
If possible, we strongly suggest using a monitor arm. This reduces the footprint that monitor stands
normally occupy, freeing up that precious desk space for your much-needed office accessories and any other trinkets that matter.
Furthermore, your monitor arm should be equipped with sufficient cable management features to keep that cluster of wires under control, which brings us to…
2. cable management
You'll want a cable management bar and preferably also a hidden, under-mounted multi-plug power bar below your desk. Having adequate cable management components such as these will assist in organizing your workstation's inevitably large collection of wires that will otherwise be strewn about in a mess akin to a noodle shop disaster.
To further help with this effort, ensure that your desk's tabletop comes with a sufficiently large pass-through grommet to add even more tidiness by keeping all those cables contained to one single point of entry. Typically, this boils down to picking the right home office desk, which can be a daunting task especially with all the functional options available in Singapore.
The cables on your desk surface should typically run into the grommet where your monitor will be mounted, but it is also crucial to ensure that the cables for all your devices receive enough slack for free movement. Of course, this also depends on the devices you end up requiring for your home office, from the absolute necessities to the good-to-haves.
3. devices & peripherals
With the massive, seemingly infinite variety of computer mice and keyboards to choose from, there are only a few factors that should matter to your telecommute. It's all about the ergonomics and what feels comfortable for you while keeping things clutter-free.
If you have always wanted to hammer away on a mechanical keyboard for work, we highly recommend taking advantage of this situation and getting yourself one now. After all, working from home likely means you have fewer concerns about being a nuisance to colleagues around you.
Either way, consider getting a keyboard that not only feels comfortable to your fingers, but fits neatly into your cable management plans. Though not permanent, this will probably be unmoved for a long time on you desk top.
As for picking your computer mouse, it's a lot easier. Once again, look for something ergonomic and especially of the right size, because you're going to be holding onto this a lot and you'll want to feel as comfortable as possible throughout your workday.
Spark joy with the keyboard and mouse first. Every other accessory comes later. For example...
4. additional accessories
Beyond the essential devices, everything else is optional or can even be seen as a luxury. However, some truly help with the work-from-home experience.
USB Hubs create an easier-to-reach access point for data transfer and connecting of other devices. This can be a game-changing (and sanity-saving) add-on to your set-up if you find yourself frequently fiddling with USB ports. To keep things even neater, get yourself a desk-mounted USB hub that, once again, fits seamlessly into your cable management plans.
Noise-cancelling headphones are another optional yet great-to-have accessory to have with you throughout your workday. Particularly for drowning out surrounding distractions, you could see a change in your productivity. Of course, you will also need this if your job explicitly states that you do. If you are getting one, do consider keeping things organised and aesthetically-pleasing even after your work hours have ended with a simple desk-mounted headphone hanger.
No matter how many devices you have, ensure once again that their connecting wires are maintained in a neat and orderly manner, both on and under your desk.
5. the desk
The foundation that makes or breaks your entire home office and should also be your magnum opus. This is the essential item that you will want to look forward to starting your workday in front of.
Apart from the aforementioned monitor mounting and cable management features, one more thing to look out for in a desk, though it may seem a little obvious, is the right size. Of course, the ideal scenario would be to customize the width of your desk to suit your specific needs, ranging from the common sizes of 1.2m and 1.5m all the way to 1.8m for some truly glorious home office spaciousness.
Thankfully, such option exists, along with a whole host of other customization with us. Perhaps the most beneficial of all customization is the additional (and highly recommended for everything telecommuting professional) feature of motorized height-adjustable legs for your desk. Not only does this life-changing feature have your back and take your home office experience to new heights, you'll find that it also makes a difference to your productivity and work output.
Take it from us: when you're comfortable at your home office desk and have it set up for optimal focus, you'll be looking forward to work with much more enthusiasm.
a new way of working
Working from home seems to be a more widely accepted practice as more companies worldwide have begun to embrace it. Though the current global health crisis is nothing to be taken lightly, it has undoubtedly shone a spotlight on the ability to work from anywhere.
The convenience of a remote workspace not allows the safeguarding of employee health and safety, but enhances the overall working experience as organisations begin to re-prioritize the necessities of different types of meetings.
If the goal is to remain responsive and efficient even when working remotely, then a properly-equipped home office is nothing to scoff at.
Also, it doesn't hurt to have the delightful bonus of being able to switch from work to play so easily, since you're already at home. Officially ended the business day? Lower that Omnidesk Pro 2020 Series to a comfortable lounging position with a tap of a button, pull out a bean bag, and whip out that PS4 controller. You just transitioned from work to fun with minimal time and effort. What's not to love?
Prioritize your productivity. Enhance the essentials.
