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Are you working from home? Here are 7 work from home essentials that are a must-have in your home office set up!
Are you working from home? Here are 7 work from home essentials that are a must-have in your home office set-up!
It’s been over a year since I quit my publishing desk job, and moved back home to be a helpful daughter to my ageing parents. The transitional month between my former job and my current job had not prepared me for my home’s lack of office amenities.
Well, you can ask what happened during the pandemic. How did you work without an office setup?
It was very hard, yet I didn’t have to prepare for a work-from set-up; as I was living alone in a tiny place where there was no space for any extra furniture or plug point! But moving back home, after seven years of being home, made me realize; I didn’t have my place any more!
My bedroom now belonged to my mother, yeah, just like Kapoor and Sons! My father refused to lend me a corner in the main bedroom! Not only that, my former study table was given away to one of my cousins, and my comfortable chair was taken by an aunt when she had to work from home! And our old home desktop was sold to the local bookshop!
In the last one year, I had to rebuild my workspace, from the starch, after watching multiple YouTube vlogs, reading lifestyle magazines and asking my friends who are seasoned freelancers, I finally built my little office, in the corner of my former bedroom!
A home set-up, needs you to make a conscious choice, there is no room for trial and error! Especially if you live in the Northeast, even getting an environment-friendly air-conditioner online can be tough!
Hence, here is a list of 7 work from home essentials that I curated after having done the market research for you!
Wooden Point Sheesham Wood Office Table for AdultsImage source Amazon.
A table is the ultimate sign of an office, and work! In my former job in the publishing house, I had a huge desk with drawers, cabinets and legroom! And I missed having that table at home. When you are buying a table, don’t be thrifty!
This advice for the table comes from my dear brother-in-law, a work table is meant to last for years, invest in a good one, you don’t have to blow your budget, but get one that comes with a warranty, brand name and meets your specifications. See your work from home essentials options here!
Monitor Mount Desk Stationery Organiser Metal Desktop Shelf Frame. Image Source Amazon
If you are a messy person like me, who is the opposite of Marie Kondo, you need a desk organizer. We don’t realize the importance of this item until we have comfortably set on our chair and are in full mode to work, but unable to find a working pen and an empty notebook! View here for pretty organizers!
Multi-Purpose Ergonomic Gaming Chair with 7-Way Adjustable Seat. Image Source: Amazon
My father complains about back pains, and he blames it all on hardwood chairs that he had to sit on for thirty years of his work life. I don’t have any particular sympathy for him, but I have tremendous sympathy for my own back. So I bought an adjustable ergonomic chair with a sturdy backrest! I have a tendency to slouch and sit like a frog, sitting on the right chair saves you years of back pain! See your options!
Breathable Back Support Cushion. Image source Amazon
Comfort while sitting is a must, especially for people like me who spent their 9-5 in front of a screen! Posture-supporting items like a memory foam cushion or lumbar support pillow provide extra support and care to the back. One of my former colleagues has an anti-fatigue mat for their standing desks as it can reduce pain. View your other options!
Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo, Gamcatz 2.4G Ultra Thin Compact Keyboard and Silent Type-C Rechargeable Mouse. Image source Amazon
My laptop is 11 years old, and it is in the final stage of its functionality, so every working day has been an adventure for a while now! Sometimes my keyboard doesn’t respond, sometimes my mouse doesn’t! Though I have been meaning to change my device, I want to wait for more options to come out! Until then, I have to work on the current device.
So I bought an external keyboard and mouse that can work with a desktop computer, laptop or tablet! Yes, so not only can you use it on Bluetooth, you can move it around freely! Find devices compatible with your computer here!
Office Led Pendant Hanging Lamp. Image source: Amazon
Since the age of nine, I have had bad eyes, so if the lighting of a place is too bright or too dim, my eyes start to pain and a headache happens! Returning home made me face a harsh reality! Like a typical middle-class Indian household, my parents tend to turn off lights, they replaced old lights with low-watt bulbs!
As a result, no matter what we do, the house is never fully lit! So I had to bring in new lights and lamps for my work corner. Check your lighting choices here.
Microtek- Online UPS E2-1KVA 24V Pure Sinewave with in-Built Batteries. Image Source: Amazon
In India, we are bound to have power cuts and unannounced load shedding, my friends and sibling who work in tech and finance swear by the need for a UPS system in the home office. Not only will protect you from unwanted power cut surprises and provide backup power, these devices are highly compatible with lower-power devices like Wi-Fi routers, modems, and PC! See your options here!
Surge Protector Power Strip, Power Strip Tower. Image source: Amazon
A USB power strip is a must-have if you have multiple cords and various devices! This adds extra outlet space; you can arrange all your cables and cords! Isn’t it lovely to have neatly organized wires and cables? You can charge your phone or tablet via the USB. And a surge protector can prevent damage to electronics from sudden power cuts and load shedding. Check here.
Gretutu Triple Portable Monitor. Image Source: Amazon
If your work involves multiple windows and sheets, having a second computer screen is extremely useful! My sister and friends have to work on multiple apps and software programs at the same time, they can’t think of having anything less than two screens!
One of my seniors who is an app developer has two extra computer screens, which helps with linearity! If your entire work is happening on the virtual, investing in a second screen is highly advisable! Here are your options.
Blue Light Screen. Image source: Amazon
Protect your eyes from stress, and protect your mind from headaches! After I added my blue light filter, I stopped squinting my eyes! I had no idea how much I was stressing my eyes out! Here are your varied options!
SentrySafe HD4100 Fireproof Safe and Waterproof Safe with Key. Image Source: Amazon
I live in the northeast, and flood and earthquake have been part and parcel of my life. Though most of our documents are in bank lockers, we had an old safe in our home. But when I suggested my father gets a fireproof safe for his office set-up; surprisingly, he amicably agreed! Now we both share our safe, and it keeps my mind at ease. Check out your options here.
Are you motivated to set up your home office? Remember to double-check the product you want! And it is always better to invest in quality over quantity! My grandfather always said, any purchase we make should be made with longevity in mind; be it shoes or a house!
There are tax advantages to having a home office! Having one can provide tax relief to both employers and employees that I was not aware of! My cousin was able to deduct some of her utilities as office expenses, and her company reimbursed her a certain per cent of the budget spent!
Image source for 7 Work From Home Essentials: Ti-ja, free and edited on CanvaPro
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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