The hybrid revolution has spawned the digital nomad who works not only from home, but on the road, in a café, or in far-flung places across the land. This plethora of work environments offers a newfound empowerment in how we choose to work.
No matter your destination, if you are considering taking your work-from-home office on the road, here are the 3 items you should be packing to support a comfortable and productive set-up.
1 – External Keyboard + Mouse*
For short stints completing basic tasks the laptop only set-up may offer convenience without heavily impacting your productivity and comfort. The longer you stay in front of the laptop the more consideration should be placed on having an external keyboard and mouse.
These accessories unshackle you from a constrained setup, allowing you to reposition your laptop screen whilst keeping your mouse and keyboard in comfortable positions.
Whilst we recommend opting for wireless accessories (Bluetooth options can save you a USB port) the size and style should be based on your individual preferences. Some people find a compact keyboard comfortable and easy to pack away, whilst others prefer standard size keyboards. If you seldom use the number pad, a full-sized keyboard without the number pad (like this one) may offer the best of both worlds.
*We know, technically this is two items.
2 – Laptop Stand
With the external keyboard and mouse allowing you to place the screen at a comfortable distance, the laptop stand provides a simple solution to elevating the screen to a comfortable height.
Your situation will dictate the most suitable stand. From light weight, portable options such as these two (1, 2), to slightly heavier aluminium options that have greater range and under screen space such as this one.
Wondering what height and distance to set your monitor to? The rule of thumb is to position the screen so that the top of the screen is level with your eyeline and approximately an arm’s length away (slightly closer for smaller screens). If you find yourself leaning forward to view the screen or read text, consider increasing your screen scale in the display settings rather than bringing the monitor closer.
Screen still not high enough? Try tilting the screen a few degrees backward.
When at home the laptop stand can add to your home office set-up to better position your laptop screen when used as a second monitor. It is also a useful document holder.
3 – Noise Cancelling Headphones
We may no longer experience the constant buzz of an open plan office, though noise-based distractions have now taken on other forms. I am looking at you, Barista with your coffee grinder. Distractions are a central source of environmental stress.
As to which one you should get, it will depend on factors such as whether you prefer over-the-ear headsets or you’re more of an earbud’s kind of person, and what level of noise-cancelling you actually need. While the headphones themselves don’t always cancel everything out, using them in combination with a white noise soundtrack usually does the trick.
Remember it’s not just about your set-up
Ergonomics combines comfort and productivity with health. The silver lining of creating a more comfortable set-up can be the inclination to stay in that position for long periods. Regular changes in posture (stand and move every 30-60 minutes) are proven to provide both physical and psychological benefits so try to factor that in irrespective of your set-up.
The work-from-home revolution has required people and companies to adapt to a new way of working. The opportunity to take your work anywhere without sacrificing your career provides the perfect platform to take work to where you want. Now that you know what to pack, go and enjoy your journey.