One thing I think many of us can agree on is that working from home can be amazing. There is no commute time to worry about, what outfit you’re going to wear, packing a lunch, etc. Some might even feel more productive in their home setting rather than in an office. However, that doesn’t mean working from home is easy. It’s something that requires a bit of adjusting, and we’re here to help. Here are our top 5 working from home essentials:
1. A designated office area
Now, this may seem like a no-brainer. However, you’d be surprised how many people work from their bedrooms. For me, this immediately was not an option. I knew that working 8 hours a day in the same room I use to unwind, relax, and sleep would affect my mood and work productivity. Creating a designated workspace outside of your bedroom is so important. Even if it’s just in your living room, your kitchen, or an awkward nook that you’re not quite sure what to do with (That’s where my office is, in case you were wondering) – try turning it into your productive space.
2. A happy light
Working from home can be great, but often we forget to get outside during the day. Or when you do leave the house, it’s at an inconvenient hour — you might go workout in the morning before the sun is fully risen or grab drinks with friends after sunset. Here’s where a happy light comes into play. Here are a few reasons to invest in one: 1) it brings natural light indoors, 2) energizes you, and 3) helps make healthy habits (learn more here.) We recommend one of these two Happy Lights: this option from Amazon, or get kicks for your purchase and get one from QVC!
3. A daily planner
We begin our workday by scheduling out our daily activities. We write out our entire schedule and include any meetings we may have. Then we write out our to-do list and today’s top three priorities. Planning helps us feel like we have a goal each workday and helps us organize different projects and home-life priorities. We recommend this daily planner from Amazon that is only $10!
4. Coffee
This one…is probably the most important essential. If we aim to get through the workday without any caffeine, we are a zombie by 2 PM. Which is not great for anyone who has a meeting with us past 2 PM (apologies to our coworkers in advance). Whether you are making coffee at home, going on a daily walk to grab that special pick-me-up, or getting it delivered, it is essential. Plus, you don’t need to drink coffee to stay energized if you don’t like it. You could try substituting it for tea (we recommend matcha) or other healthy energy drinks like Kombucha. Either way, drink up!
5. A hobby outside of work
Working from home means it is easier to take short breaks to enjoy something not related to your everyday work projects. Just don’t neglect those work projects as well. For us, we like to read. If there are days when we know the majority of our workday will be staring at a screen or in meetings, we value scheduling 15-minute breaks every few hours to read part of a current book. For you, maybe it’s drawing, light sketching, or listening to a podcast episode. But it is so important to stimulate your mind in other ways and switch up your location or activity to avoid end-of-day burnout.
Those are just a few essentials for your workday. These don’t necessarily have to be designated for working from home either and can be easily incorporated into working in an office life. I hope you found some of these tips useful and have a great week at work.
