My work from home setup
As the effects of the pandemic subside, many are dreading the thought of going back to the traditional office. Luckily, working from home, or indeed working from anywhere, is becoming the new norm. It is, therefore, more important than ever to consider the work from home setup you need.
Having run many side, and full-time businesses over the years, I have spent considerable time working from home, at coffee shops, hotels, and everywhere in between. For me, it goes without saying that a well-chosen minimalist setup can help you be more productive, save time, and be more comfortable. Believe me, a well-thought-out remote setup can make getting up, getting started, and getting work done a whole lot easier.
In this article, I will outline my own work from home setup which allows me to be productive no matter where I am.
Who is this setup for?
If you’re like me, getting work done in the most efficient way possible is the priority. In terms of purpose, my needs fall somewhere between a power user who needs powerful graphic cards and a typical user who uses normal applications like word, excel, and google docs. Most of the time I am typing articles in a word document, using excel, or replying to emails. However, I also regularly do some video and photo editing.
For those of you working from a stationary location, the size and weight of items may not be a great consideration. However, I like to have a working setup that is portable. I tend to work at home most of the time but I also take my setup with me while traveling and occasionally do some light work at coffee shops for a change of scenery. Additionally, even within my home, I sometimes find it productive to change location depending on the task at hand.
My 6-item minimalist work from home setup
I would encourage you to read the entire article which explains why I choose these products as well as a quick review of each product but for those of you in a big hurry, here are the items I use for getting my daily tasks done no matter where I am.
- MacBook Pro 15 2014.
- N8 Laptop Stand.
- Apple Magic Mouse.
- Edra EK398 Mechanical Keyboard.
- Sony Earphones.
- Microfiber Cloth.
01 MacBook Pro 15 2014
What? You are using a laptop that is seven years old?
Yes, I picked up my Macbook second-hand way back in 2016 from a friend who had hardly used it. At the time it was in mint condition. Five years later, it is still going strong. Before buying this laptop(which I am writing this article on) I had had cheaper laptops that inevitably died or got to the point of being so slow that they were unusable. I am not an Apple Fanboy by any means but I cannot give this workhorse enough credit. I use it for everyday tasks such as email, excel, writing articles, watching videos as well as more intensive jobs such as photo and video editing.
Of course, I am not going to recommend that you buy a seven-year-old laptop but I think it highlights that buying quality is often a better deal in the long run. I don’t think this laptop owes me anything at this point and when it does die, I won’t hesitate on splashing out for a good machine. The new Macbook Air M1 would be the first option I would look at.
02 N8 Laptop Stand
Laptops are great for their portability but they fall short in terms of ergonomics. I can work for a few hours on a laptop before I begin to get neck strain. The solution; a laptop stand. I’ve used a few of these over the years but my favorite and the one I’m using right now is the N8 laptop stand.
I like it for two main reasons. First of all, it allows me to position my screen at actual eye level. It rises to about 30cm which is more than enough for my needs. Secondly, it is very portable, folding up so that I can easily carry it in my bag. If I had one gripe with it, it’s that it can become shaky if you are typing aggressively and the table you are using is less than solid. That said, on a solid surface, it functions very well. For the price and portability, you can’t go wrong with this N8 stand. Believe me, your neck will thank you for it.
03 Apple Magic Mouse.
I will start by saying that this is not the cheapest or the most ergonomic mouse on the market. However, I use it for two reasons. First of all, I find its intuitive gestures very useful. It allows me to seamlessly switch between screens, without the need to use the keyboard. Secondly, it has a much smaller form factor than other mice. For example, I have also used the Logitech MX Master, which is more ergonomic and a great mouse but it is too big for carrying around with me.
04 Edra EK398 Mechanical Keyboard.
This was my first mechanical keyboard. I began using it about a year and a half ago and I really like it. If you are used to using low-profile membrane keyboards such as those that come with laptops, mechanical keyboards take some getting used to. However, for someone who spends much time typing, the extra key travel and better typing experience trump their comparative lack of portability.
On the flip side, mechanical keyboards are inevitably louder than membrane keyboards which means they are not as suitable for working in crowded environments like an office or a coffee shop. When I work at a Cafe, it’s usually not for long and I tend to just use the built-in keyboard on my laptop.
05 Sony Earphones.
There is a big push for wireless noise-canceling headphones with seemingly all big vloggers recommending them. I am not an audiophile and value portability. Because of this, I choose these cheap Sony earphones. Yes, they are wired! I have enough things to worry about without having to remember to charge yet another device. These are not the best sounding earphones in the world but at their price and durability, I can throw them in my bag without having to worry about them breaking or running out of battery. I do have a pair of high-quality wired over-ear headphones which I use for editing sound for videos. However, for daily tasks such as taking Zoom calls and listening to music when I work, these cheap ones do the job just fine.
06 Microfiber Cloth
I decided to include this here as it is an item that is often forgotten. There aren’t many things worse than looking at a laptop screen that’s covered in smudges. I’m not sure if this is a major problem for all laptops but if you are using a Macbook, smudges are pretty much unavoidable. Get yourself a microfiber cloth and thank me later.
That’s it for today guys! I hope this article has helped you to better decide on what you need for a productive work from home setup.