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10 home office upgrades to make working from home more productive

Living and working in the same area can make it hard to stay productive. Here are 10 home office upgrades from Reincubate to help you stay focused from 9 to 5.

As we get further into 2020, it seems working from home is here to stay. And why not? 

For many of us, working from home makes practical sense– no more commuting, more lunch options, more time with pets. It makes sense for businesses as well, as working from home is linked to lower stress and higher productivity. 

But to make working from home work for you, you need a good setup. We’ve collated 10 of the best home office upgrades to help you increase your productivity while working from home.

1. An actual desk

Having a desk to work at is important for a number of reasons — the first being that if you’re committed to working from home, you need to section off part of your space for work. It doesn’t need to be big, but creating a designated workspace is vital for creating a distinction between work and free time. 

If possible, set up your work station near a window, not only for the vitamin D, but also to make sure you’re well lit on your calls. If you don’t have the option to sit  near a window, invest in better lighting to upgrade your setup. A key light is the best option here for video call lighting.

2. More screen space

If you’re currently working on a laptop, getting hold of an external monitor will significantly improve your working experience, with studies suggesting a bigger screen can lead to a 30% increase in productivity.

For maximum screen space, keep your laptop open to use dual screen, or tuck your laptop out of sight to maximise desk space. 

3. Look your best on video calls

Now that many of us aren’t seeing our colleagues in real life, virtual meetings are essential. These are important, not just for getting work done, but for maintaining work relationships, and reducing isolation. 

To get the best possible picture, you’d need a DSLR camera and setup, which could cost $1,500+ and take up significant desk space. However, you can get a pro-quality setup with less clutter and cost by using Camo, an app that lets you use the amazing camera on your iPhone as a webcam.

4. Make your voice heard

By this point, we’ve all been on a call that’s been disrupted by various audio issues; whether it’s distracting background noise, inadvertent robot voice, or audio simply not working. To safeguard against these issues, you can invest in a professional microphone for better audio quality. 

5. Are you sitting comfortably?

If you’re spending 8+ hours working at a desk everyday, and you’re likely to continue working from home in the future, investing in a comfortable chair is a sound choice. Ergonomic chairs claim to prevent back pain and improve posture, but with studies suggesting ergonomic solutions offer little to no benefit, focus on finding a chair that’s comfortable to use, and make sure to change positions and get up and move around frequently.

6. Put distractions on mute

Working from home can be so distracting. If you’re sharing your living space while trying to work from home, investing in some noise cancelling headphones can help you concentrate on your own business, rather than everyone else’s.

7. Get organised

If you’ve got more than a couple of things on the go at any one time, it can be harder to keep track of everything when working from home than when you’re in the office. Planning and productivity apps like Trello can help you increase productivity at home and collaborate with colleagues remotely.  

8. Add plants

Plants don’t just make your home office look more instagrammable, they’re proven to increase productivity, with one 10 year study concluding plants offer a 15% boost in productivity. To reap the productivity-boosting benefits of plants, choose a plant that is easy to look after, and make sure it’s visible from your desk. 

9. Improve your connection

Wi-Fi is the lifeblood of remote working. Make sure your Wi-Fi is as good as it can be by positioning the router close to your workspace, keeping it updated, and making sure it’s password protected to prevent Wi-Fi thieves from hogging your bandwidth. 

10. Clutter-free keyboard and mouse

If you’re limited by space in your new setup, switching to a wireless mouse and keyboard can be a great way to declutter your workspace. They can be more of a hindrance than a help if they don’t hold a charge or periodically disconnect, so it’s worth spending more on a quality product.  

Reincubate helps consumers and businesses get more from their Apple devices and data.

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