Writers aren’t the only people working from home now. Thanks to COVID, more employers are seeing the benefit of having work from home as an option. But before you sign a contract to do so, make sure you have a dedicated space in your home for you to perform your work duties. It may not be a full office, but a corner in a room does work.
My home office is part office, part man cave as I share the space with my boyfriend. Luckily, it works for us. Others are more fortunate and have an actual full office.
Now that you’ve allotted a space, here are a few essentials you’ll need to be your most productive self. A desk and a computer are not the only things you’ll need to live your best work from home life.
Good Quality Chair
This is something you’ll want to spend good money on. Take it from me, do not try the cheap option. I spent $80 on a computer chair and thought that was an outrageous price. Three months later, the chair is leaning backward, causing me major discomfort during however many hours I am working throughout the day. Now, I’m in the process of looking for yet another computer chair. Lesson learned. Amazon offers a great ergonomic chair. It may seem a little costly, but your back will thank you in the long run.
High-speed internet
This may sound like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people try the shortcut of using the login of a friend or family member or get a cheaper internet package. Wifi is nothing to play with when you work from home. I cannot stand being in the midst of a virtual meeting with someone and they are constantly cutting in and out, have sketchy service throughout the house, calls drop, or there’s a delay in starting the meeting (or the meeting goes on longer than expected) because of connection issues. More times than not, it’s because they don’t have the best internet option. Most packages are affordable, especially now as more people are working from home. Spend the extra $20. It will save you time and trouble in the long run.
Power strip
One outlet will not work after a while. Besides your computer, at some point, your home office space will grow. You’ll need outlets for a charger for your phone. You may have a speaker that you use to listen to music that will need recharging. And, if you’re like me, the light in your office may be too bright at times and you’ll opt for a desk light.
Office supplies and stationery
Yes, post-it notes, pens, note pads, scissors, staplers, and things of that sort are needed, even when you work from home. None of the items required are expensive and can be purchased at a local dollar store or even online in bulk to keep from having to restock.
Printer and (digital) scanner
We may live in a digital world, but a printer and scanner are absolutely still necessary in the workforce. You may not use them often but it’s frustrating and time-consuming to have to run to the nearest FedEx to print or scan a document in the middle of your workday. I didn’t rush to buy a printer or scanner, mainly because there’s a free library directly across the street from my home. But thanks to the COVID shutdown, I’ve had to get creative along the way. The scanner part has been easy, as there’s a scanner pro app that I downloaded to my phone that’s very easy to use. As far as a printer, there are cheap yet quality and small machines available online.
Amazon Prime
Remember when I said it’s good to buy things in bulk to refrain from having to restock? Or, that replacement chair that I need to order? All of these things are made possible thanks to Amazon Prime. I gladly handed over the $49 annual fee for free 1 or 2-day shipping with as much as I order from Amazon. If you’re lucky, your job may even offer to pay for your subscription.
