For many people, working from home is a dream, but it doesn’t come without a few challenges. It can be hard to distinguish between “home mode” and “work mode” seeing how you don’t actually leave your home to go to work. And often, inspiration is difficult to find with constant distractions.

If you are a remote worker, investing your time and thoughtful effort into setting up your home office will be well worth it in the end. Here are several tips on how to furnish your home office with tech for maximum efficiency and comfort.

Ergonomic furniture

Start with a good office desk. That’s the place where you’ll be spending many hours making your livelihood so you don’t want to be slouching over and breaking your back or neck! Standing desks have become very popular and it’s for a good reason! Sitting at your desk all day can increase the risk of diabetes and weight gain, but standing will do quite the opposite.

The solution lies in an adjustable standing desk. It’s compact enough so it won’t dominate your workspace and it can easily be moved up and down so you have a choice to sit or stand up and work.

When you do choose to sit at your desk, a comfortable ergonomic chair, designed for maximum back support, will help minimize back pain and allow you to focus on work. An ergonomic keyboard is also essential as it gives you elevated wrist support and keeps your hands and arms in the correct typing position. A split keyboard might take some getting used to but eventually, it will minimize your typos.

To prevent wrist fatigue, use a small gel-filled wrist pad that you can position exactly where you need it. Its sticky underside keeps it from sliding around on the table, and it's very convenient to have the ability to angle it or remove it throughout the workday depending on your needs.

High-quality gear

No modern home office can be functional without some quality tech gear. A powerful and modern computer is a must because the time spent waiting for the pages to load will add up. If you’re thinking of upgrading, consider the daily requirements of your job – do you run several programs at one time, do you need codes compiled fast or as a writer, do you need a fast browser to do your web research quickly?

A super-fast internet connection is also crucial but make sure you also have a reliable wireless router for your livelihood greatly depends on it. A faulty internet connection is one of the most frustrating things when working from home as it hinders your efficiency and can cause havoc on your video meetings.

A multifunctional printer is certainly another home office must, whether you need to print, scan or copy. There’s a great choice of affordable all-in-one models that can do all of those things. They’re compact and don’t take up much space, but still have great high-end options such as two-sided printing and an automatic document feeder.

If you print a lot of pages daily, consider investing in a high-quality laser printer. Laser printers are very convenient and efficient machines, and even though the initial outlay might cost more than a typical inkjet printer, a laser machine will cost less over time.

Gadgets worth investing in

One of the best purchases you can make is to get a power strip surge protector with 12 outlets. People always get surprised when they realize how many devices they need to plug in their home office. With this power strip and surge protector, you’ll be able to streamline the multitude of cables, plug all your gadgets in and still have some extra room.

Noise-cancelling headphones are a life-saver! Although working remotely gives you more freedom when it comes to time management and organization, these headphones are quite handy when it comes to muffling out potential distractions in the house (and out, for that matter). Should these also have an attached microphone, it would make them ideal for important work calls as they can isolate your voice from any background noises.

A portable hard drive is a perfect solution if you have separate computers for home and work. It offers an easy way to share files and store them safely. Make sure you pick one with ample memory which allows fast reading and writing speeds.

If your work requires frequent video meetings with your clients and partners, a high-quality webcam will help you ace them. If you’re not using a laptop with an integrated webcam, opt for a plug-and-play option with adjustable stands, enhanced controls, filters for power users and at least 1080p.

Missing your calls, meetings or deadlines is among the biggest red flags in business. It’s stressful to manage your entire business and stay on top of everything, from the tiniest details to big deals, so this is why in big offices, there are personal assistants and administrators. Luckily, seeing as it’s 2021, there are smart assistants like Google Assistant or Alexa that can help you manage your obligations, from setting up calls, making to-do lists to booking appointments and meetings.

Working from home does have its challenges but if you set up your home office well and have the right technology working for you, your experience will be elevated and work will run smoothly!