Last Updated on May 7, 2025 by Tanya Janse van Rensburg
Home office gear plays a vital role in creating a workspace that’s not only comfortable and productive, but also secure and tailored to your daily needs.
Working from home can be quite the transition. Your boss won't be looking over your shoulder, but your 10-year-old might!
Want to make the change as smooth as possible without having your work suffer?
Then, you'll want to fashion a home office that is as cozy and comfortable as it is primed for productivity!
Here are the essential furniture items, tech gadgets, and digital tools to help get you there.
You might not be able to escape staring at a screen for eight hours, but you don’t have to do it while slouching!
Ergonomic chairs offer adjustable, comfortable seating that corrects your posture and lets you work longer without experiencing strain.
A standing desk completes your ultimate home workstation combo. Its adjustable height encourages periods of standing, which promotes better circulation and awareness.
The best ones aren't cheap, but consider a standing desk an excellent investment in your prolonged health and productivity.
Neither a better CPU nor RAM helps with the vast majority of home office tasks, but a second monitor definitely will!
Research reveals that adding a second screen can improve productivity for some office tasks by up to 40%!
It makes sense — you suddenly have double the desktop real estate to work with or more. You can have a conference call open on one monitor and call up documents on the other.
Or work on a graphics design project without having to tab out to look at references.
Not everyone has the luxury of peace and quiet in a dedicated study.
There's no need to force family or roommates not to make a sound for eight hours or more each day when you can filter them out with noise-canceling headphones.
Just be sure to get an ergonomic, well-padded pair suitable for wearing for long stretches.
Carpal tunnel is no joke. Not only is it supremely uncomfortable, but it also prevents you from clicking or typing with your usual efficiency.
Prevent it by getting the right peripherals! Ergonomic keyboards are designed to accommodate each hand, and some can even be split.
A vertical mouse might take some time to get used to, but the unique grip is much easier on your wrist and forearm.
Ideally, you’ll want to work in a bright room with plenty of natural sunlight.
What if that's not an option, or you're a night owl?
Lighting like a desk lamp or a well-placed LED strip can make all the difference. The glow they emit softens monitor glare, reducing eye strain and letting you work longer.
It's best to get lights with adjustable brightness and color temperature settings to mimic different times of day and help with your circadian rhythm.
Working from home shifts cybersecurity responsibility from a company's IT team to the individual.
That means they're responsible for maintaining device hygiene, ensuring they have strong, unique passwords, and protecting the connection used to access internal company data.
Ensuring connection security through a VPN is crucial. The VPN encrypts the connection, letting you access and handle sensitive information without fear of exposure.
Moreover, VPNs hide your IP address and internet activity from your internet service provider.
Some VPNs even have features like scam and fraud alert functionalities, helping you secure yourself on the digital space even further.
Oversight is inherently more relaxed for WFH employees. Not everyone handles it well, especially during their early transition days.
A time-tracking app is a lifesaver for structuring your day, setting priorities and boundaries, and identifying inefficiencies you can address.
We use so many apps and services these days that staying organized is a real challenge.
A note-taking app saves the day by helping you keep notes, brainstormed ideas, to-do lists, and other documents in a single searchable place.
They also integrate with calendars and time trackers for better time management.
With the right gear in place, your home office can be both comfortable and efficient.
Investing in a few essentials now sets you up for better focus, improved posture, and a smoother workflow—no matter who’s knocking at your door.
