With many of us – myself included – moving to a more permanent Work From Home situation, you might be considering how you can optimize or upgrade your WFH setup. As someone who has been working from home for five years, and will continue to WFH for the indefinite future, I think I’m pretty clued up about having a good setup that optimizes your productivity, but is good for your mental and physical health too.
Consider a ‘Sit to Stand’ Desk
Your work desk is likely to be the main place you work, and having a standing desk can really benefit you in many different ways, including:
- Burning calories
- Normalising blood sugar levels after eating
- Increasing circulation
- Reducing the risk of shoulder and back pain
- Helping with wrist positioning
There are some drawbacks to having a standing desk, especially for those who may find being on their feet all day more difficult and you might be a bit worried about making a big investment in something you haven’t tried before. The perfect solution in my opinion is an electric sit to stand desk, such as the desk I have, which is this Comhar All-in-One Standing Desk. I’m so impressed with the quality of this desk! With the single touch of a button your desk will change height, from sitting height to standing height – or any height you want it to, with programmable buttons so you can either choose a height manually, or instantly go to your pre-set height. It has a drawer to keep my notepads and pens tidy, and has front facing USB ports for easy charging of all my devices!
A Sit to Stand desk allows you to decide how much of your day to dedicate to standing, but you can also sit whenever you want to. My desk is from Flexispot.co.uk who have a lot of options at really competitive prices on standing and sit to stand desks, and often have sales and discounts available.
Get a Chair that Supports You
Whether you’ve got a sitting desk, or a sit to stand desk, you’ll need a desk chair. Even if you only have a standing desk, you may find it beneficial at times to sit down, such as to read or talk on the phone. It’s really important that you pick a chair that has good back support if you’re going to be sitting in it for long lengths of time. You want a chair that is:
- Height adjustable so you can choose the right height for you
- Hast ergonomic backrests
- Offers lumbar support
- Has a good size seat to suit you
- Has armrests
- Has a breathable material to help you be comfortable even working in the summer
All of the above will result in a chair that you can work in all day – but remember to get up and walk around regularly, or to use a sit to stand desk to alternate between sitting and standing.
The Best Peripherals
If you’re working from home you’ll likely have your own desktop or laptop PC. I personally recommend a desktop setup to anyone who is working from home permanently, but if you’re on the go or hybrid working you may find a laptop works best for you. Even if you have a laptop you can plug it in to external monitors and peripherals. You’ll want a good quality:
- Keyboard and mouse
- Headset
- Webcam – I recommend the Logitech C920 HD – Amazing quality!
- Desk lighting
- Organize your extras you might need so you can find them quickly, like pens, pencils, notepads, etc.
Make sure you’ve got plenty of wrist support for your typing position and that your monitors are at the correct height for you not to have eye or neck strain and having good lighting is essential for your eyesight too. You might not think you need a light on your desk when your monitor is already bright, but having the right light around your working space is really important.
Make Sure Your Space Works For You
Finally, before setting up your new desk, make sure the space is right for you. Here are some things to consider:
- Good natural light
- Will comfortably fit you, your desk and your chair
- Has the right power plugs for you to plug in and charge all your devices without having long extension leads to trip over
- Access to the internet if required
- Will be a suitable temperature in both summer and winter
- Is a quiet part of the house where you won’t be disturbed
- The location is good for your concentration and won’t cause distractions
- Is in an organized space where you’ll be able to access everything you need to work
I hope that this has helped you think about your work from home setup, let me know in the comments if you have any more suggestions!
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