Top 3 Gadgets Joh Can't Go Without

Since March, my home set-up has had a few additions that have really made working from home just that little bit easier. I would likely have gotten these items eventually but as I was predominantly in the office and having a young child meant I didn’t spend a lot of time on the computer at home, my set-up was okay, it worked and I didn’t feel the need to spruce it up.

Now that I have been working from home for a month now, I thought I would give an insight into the things that I cannot live without or that have been invaluable to me. A good quality set-up isn’t just about the computer and its hardware, you’ve got to be able to function in the space and last all day if you’re working from home.

Let us start with the most expensive one – my Samsung Galaxy Buds. Now I must say upfront, I did not technically purchase these, they were part of a promotion when I upgraded my phone that I would also get a set for free. My set retailed at $249.00 AUD and because of that, I likely never would have bought a set myself due to the price.

Now that I have them though, I love them.

While prolonged wear does irritate my ears, that for me is just about their only con. I love the seamless connection between my phone and my computer. It makes video meetings with the team a breeze as I can get up and walk away for a few minutes if I need to and not miss anything that someone is saying because I stay connected. In fact, I can walk to the other side of the house and still be connected. The ambient noise filter is great when listening to music on my phone and the touch pads on both buds allows me to key in certain commands if needed. The case holds a decent amount of charge so I can go a couple of days without needing to charge it and even when I do need to, I can charge it wirelessly using my desk and bedside wireless chargers.

Speaking of wireless chargers, I added a phone stand to my desk that is also a wireless charger. I am always using up way too much phone battery and wanted to be able to sit my phone mostly upright to be able to see what notifications are popping up and who is calling me or the office number. It also means that when I am using my buds on a call, I can prop my phone up and not have to hold it while talking. The one I purchased was made by Belkin called a BOOSTUP Wireless Charging Stand 5W. They are a generally reliable company for tech like this and cost me $50.00 AUD. It has to plug directly into a wall socket or power board to achieve the charging capacity it promises to provide which at first annoyed me but now it also means I can charge my phone when my computer is not on and I’m near my desk.

My third item is not necessarily a gadget, but it is something everyone needs – a good quality chair. My previous chair was about 6 years old and was purchased for me in my last year of high school when I wanted something comfier to sit on when studying at home. It was a mid-backed mesh seat and the padding in the seat had gone a while ago. It had lasted me this long because I never really spent 8 hours straight sitting at my computer but after a 2-day online course over Microsoft Teams and some stern words from my Chiropractor, I upgraded. I stalked Officeworks till one I liked and fit the bill came back in stock and purchased it. I got a high-backed chair with good padding and arms rests that you can fold away if needed.

It has made a WORLD of difference for only $150.00 AUD.

Most of the time, I am sitting up straighter and not leaving forward so much. The arm rests are really to thank for that because now I can rest my weight on them instead of having to lean forward to rest them on my desk. My back isn’t as sore, and my lower half isn’t numb by the end of the day.

That is my top three at the moment. That might change in a week when I discover something new online however (like a mug warmer for my daily cup of tea?) but a workspace is never perfect. There are always ways to improve upon your quality of life surrounding it and your needs are likely to change all the time.