Pandemic has completely changed the way we work, and working from home has become the new normal. We no longer walk across the street to get our coffee, walk down the hall for a meeting, or drive our cars to the office. Instead, we sit in our room in front of our laptop the whole day.
According to a survey conducted on Facebook for the American Chiropractic Association, 92 percent of chiropractors (out of 213 surveyees) said that their patients report more neck pain, back pain, or other muscular issues since the work from home norm began. Millions of people have spent hours sitting on their couch while looking at their laptops in the most uncomfortable positions every day. This not only increases strain on their spine and neck joints but may also lead to some serious musculoskeletal issues if not taken care of.
Working from your home will never be the same as working in your office. Still, we have curated a list of the 10 most essential comfort-driven accessories to make your home office experience comfortable, reduce the chances of encountering musculoskeletal issues and maximize your productivity. Investing in these accessories will help you get the best out of your day without compromising on the quality of your work or your health.
Best Comfort Driven Accessories for WFH
- Height Adjustable Desk: Working on your bed, couch, or dining table not only causes back pain but also reduces your productivity. A table that is not aligned according to your height or eye level may cause neck pain, back pain, or weaken your eyesight. An adjustable table solves the problems like weight gain and back pain caused by sitting in the same position for hours as it can also work as a standing table. Adjustable desks would help you feel more active, prevent unhealthy weight gain, and maintain an upright posture. It is an essential work from a home accessory that will make working easier. A basic height adjustable desk costs around $750 and ranges up to $3000.
- Supportive Chair: No matter how much you enjoy working from the comfort of your home, your back and neck will always suffer at the end of the day if you sit in an incorrect position while working. A supportive chair relaxes your muscles and ensures that you can work for a longer period of time without getting back pains. An adjustable chair will help you adjust your position according to your desk’s height while not restricting your movement. Investing in a chair with a backrest or head support will also reduce the risk of cervical pain caused by the incorrect posture, leading to a lot of pressure on the spine and neck muscles. A chair may cost you around $100 to $400. However, you can get more affordable, basic models or more expensive luxurious options if you desire.
- Foot Rest: Footrests may look a little insignificant initially, but they play a vital role in improving blood circulation and preventing lower backaches. They help you change your position by shifting weight and also reduce pressure on your calf muscles. A footrest is a must-buy for individuals with a shorter height as it prevents legs from hanging uncomfortably and eases the pain in feet, ankles, and calves. You will find height-adjustable, angle adjustable, and footpad movement adjustable footrests made of various materials for all your needs. Incorporating a footrest into your work from home accessories will definitely help you work more comfortably. You can get a perfect footrest for your office at just $25 and make your experience more comfortable and relaxing.
- Computer Glasses: Spending hours in front of your desktop can make your eyes dry, and exposure to blue light for a very long time can cause irregularity in sleeping patterns. Extra strain on the eyes may lead to an increase in power or maybe the reason you encounter frequent headaches. Using glasses that protect you from blue light will do wonders in keeping your eyes healthy. Even if you do not wear prescription glasses, you can still consider wearing blue light glasses for extra protection and comfort. Wearing Blue-light blocking glasses while working on your device will help ease digital eye strain, reduce blaze and maintain the quality of your vision. A basic non-prescription computer glass will cost you somewhere around $10. These glasses are both pocket-friendly and eye-friendly.
- Scented Candles: Whether you are looking for a calmer workspace, suffering from a creative block, or finding it difficult to focus on your work, lighting a scented candle in your home office will solve all your problems. Aromatherapy has been proven effective in reducing stress, relieving body pain, and increasing focus. These scents help in releasing hormones like dopamine and serotonin that help in regulating mood. Jasmine scents help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, whereas citrus scents like lemon and mint help uplift mood and increase productivity. You can add fragrance to your office and uplift your mood with these scented candles, starting at just $15.
- Heating Pad: Working from home becomes exhausting when you have cramps or muscular pains. A quick and easy solution to reduce muscular pain or menstrual cramps is using a heating pad or a hot water bag. The heating pad relaxes the nerves and increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the area where heat is applied. It also reduces muscle soreness and increases flexibility. A heating pad is the best alternative to pain-relieving pills and helps you focus on your work instead of focusing on your cramps. The starting price for a heating pad that will ease all your muscular pain is just $30.
- Wireless Charger: Having a heap of cords on your work desk can definitely frustrate anybody. Instead of plugging your phone into the charger every day, you can keep it on your wireless charging pad and grab it whenever you need it. Switching to a wireless charger is the easiest transition to start with if you want to keep your workplace clean and tidy. This will eliminate the need to search for wires and cables in your drawer or desk every time your phone’s battery gets drained, and you will not have to deal with wires again. The cost of a wireless charger compatible with your phone and the time it will take to charge your phone completely depends on the smartphone you use.
- Stress Ball: Working from home can sometimes be more stressful than working in an office full of colleagues. The best way to release your stress is to redirect it to a stress ball. Though squeezing a stress ball is not a long-term solution for stress, it can help your body to release tension at the moment. Repeatedly squeezing a stress ball helps in increasing blood circulation and also strengthens your hand and wrist muscles. Squeezing a stress ball while you sip your coffee or stare at the screen will help you calm down and enjoy your small break while also allowing your muscles to relax. A stress ball that will absorb all your anxiety will cost you no more than $15.
- Temperature Controlled Mugs: We all need our dose of caffeine timely to stay focused while working, and going to the kitchen frequently to reheat our cup of coffee can consume a lot of our time and energy. Temperature-controlled mugs are here to solve your problem. They let you set your drink to a specific temperature for as long as an hour. This would mean fewer trips to the kitchen, warm coffee every time, and happy taste buds. It will keep your drink at the temperature you prefer, and you can attend your meeting without worrying about reheating your drink. No matter the temperature outside, your drink will remain at the temperature you prefer with these mugs starting from $100.
- Wrist Rest Pad: Our wrist usually starts hurting after using a mouse or a keyboard for a very long time. This happens because unwanted stress is developed in our bones if our wrist is not placed correctly while using the mouse or the keyboard. An ergonomic mouse pad or a wrist rest pad helps position your hand in a more natural position while using your mouse. These wrist rest pads are designed in such a way that your wrist and arms can lay comfortably on the desk without restricting their movement. The memory foam present in these pads makes them supportive and comfortable to rest your hand on while typing out a long report or sending a ton of e-mails. A comfortable wrist rest pad with memory foam will cost your pocket around $15 and will do wonders in easing your wrist pain.
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Best Comfort Driven Accessories for Work from Home
