ReadyHarbor

WFH desk setup

You are working from home Monday and the desk is a kitchen table

What you actually need for wFH desk setup — 5 things to cover, each with a pick.

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A laptop stand or monitor riser

Looking down at a laptop for eight hours is the whole problem. Raising the screen to eye level is the single change that stops the neck ache.

What to check
  • Check the height range against your sitting eye level
  • If you raise the screen you will also need a separate keyboard, so plan for both

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A separate keyboard and mouse

Once the screen is up, the laptop keyboard is in the wrong place. This is the other half of the same fix, not an optional extra.

What to check
  • Check the connection - a USB dongle is more reliable on calls than Bluetooth on some machines
  • Check whether it needs batteries or charges

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A headset with a real microphone

Laptop microphones pick up the room. On a long call the difference between clear and muddy audio is the difference between being listened to and being tolerated.

What to check
  • Check for a boom or noise-cancelling mic rather than only noise-cancelling ears
  • Wired removes a whole category of call-day problems

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A desk lamp or a light behind the camera

Overhead kitchen light puts your face in shadow on every call. A light in front of you fixes it instantly and costs almost nothing.

What to check
  • Look for adjustable colour temperature so it can be warm in the evening
  • A clamp base saves desk space

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A seat cushion or a proper chair

Kitchen chairs are made for forty minutes. This is the item people put off longest and regret longest.

What to check
  • If a chair is not happening yet, a wedge or memory-foam cushion is the honest interim
  • Check the size against the actual seat

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

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