My Eight WFH Essentials

Over the past few years and especially during COVID I have collected and tested a range of working-from-home devices and furniture. While some of these items are expensive, I believe if you have the money the investment is worth it in the long run.

Desk

I have used a standing desk for the past 3 years now and think it might be one of my best investments for health while working from home. I don't have any particular preference towards the Omnidesk, however, I believe if you have the money opting for the electronic version is the way to go. A great alternative is also the Ikea manual wound desk which can be had for close to $200.

Chair

Now I know what you are thinking, how could someone spend $900 on an office chair? Well for one I can end up spending 10+ hours a day sitting down and on the other hand, the chair will last me for years to come. When selecting a brand, Herman Miller is known for their exceptional customer service and manufacturer warranty. The Sayl is the cheapest in the range, which played a significant factor in the decision, but also this is the best office chair I am yet to sit in and the quick recline feature is perfect for lying back and relaxing. Not to mention it looks amazing in any home office set-up.

Monitor

This monitor is a bit different to all those 34" plus curved displays. At a resolution of 3840 x 2160 it is essentially four 13" laptop screens in a square grid. I typically snap four windows to the four corners, but also have the option to view dashboards or PowerPoint presentations in close to 4K at full screen. This makes fixing alignment and small issues a breeze. If I were to buy another monitor, I would look for something with adjustable height and be able to receive UHD from more than one source.

Mac Mini

The Mac mini is the workhorse for any of my personal projects. As I already had all the peripherals for my working from home set up, buying the Mac mini was the smartest choice. While I have only had it for less than a month, I have been able to start to customise the code behind my website and improve the workflow for writing my blog.

iPad Air

Perfect for all those video calls and sketching at a moment's notice, I have had an iPad now for the last 4 years now. This replaces any need I had for using paper and accompanies me to all my meetings at work. I have combined my iPad with the smart folio case and the Apple Pencil and find that I use these accessories a lot more than expected.

Keyboard

I have only recently discovered mechanical keyboards, previously I would just type on the built-in laptop keyboard. The slim profile and light weight of the Keychron K3 keyboard mean that if I am working from the office, I can still bring it with me. Having only used iPad and laptop keyboards before, the Keychron K3 change is a significant one and I can’t believe I didn’t switch earlier. Something about tactile feedback reduces fatigue and makes typing something I look forward to doing.

Mouse

Just about everyone in consulting has the Logitech MX Master 3 mouse, and once you try it you will think, how did I ever interface with a computer before? I find it's the perfect balance of ergonomics and functionality, as I no longer get wrist and forearm pain, while also being able to utilise both scroll wheels for flying through code and excel spreadsheets. The quick switching between devices feature becomes extremely useful when changing between the iPad, my work laptop and my Mac Mini.

Lights

I have only started to experiment with smart lights, however, for working early in the morning or late at night, this standalone light is perfect. The orange hue matches the night shift effect on my monitor and makes using my computer in the evening or morning a lot easier on the eyes.