LIFESTYLE

 By Naomi Shaw

Working From Home?

Try These Gadgets To Boost Your Productivity

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Working from home allows for greater flexibility and freedom than you might find in a traditional office setting, but those perks often create new problems. Even after you have all the necessary equipment to work from home, there are still issues unique to remote work you must contend with. Some remote workers struggle with productivity and focus. It can be hard or impossible to create a home working environment free from distractions, and productivity can suffer for a variety of reasons. Still, there are steps you can take so you can successfully work from home. Use modern gadgets to boost your productivity and solve common problems while working from home.

Limit And Replace Distractions

When working in an office, the environment is usually designed to limit distractions and create a space conducive to focused work. Your home office area is likely not intended to be an ideal workspace and limit distractions. If you live with housemates, you are at the mercy of their noise level unless quiet hours are established. While you can talk with your housemates to set up quiet hours or a quiet zone, compromises and accommodations can only solve so much. When your roommate is watching TV in the other room, you need a way to replace that distracting audio with audio that helps you remain productive. 

Grab a pair of wireless headphones, preferably with noise-canceling technology, to turn out distracting noises and replace them with helpful audio. Listening to music or a podcast while working has been shown to improve your focus and productivity. Depending on the genre you choose, music can help you relax or give you more energy. Find the right audio that helps you work while limiting distractions. If you don’t have wireless headphones, there are a slew of other options. Gaming headsets offer excellent audio quality and often have a built-in mic you can use for video calls. Wireless earbuds are another comfortable and convenient option, but small earbuds can be easy to misplace. 

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Improve Your Home’s WiFi And Cell Signal 

Connectivity is critical when working from home. You do not want your call to drop in the middle of a meeting, nor do you want to lose progress because your Internet dropped. You may have WiFi and a cell signal in most of your home, but not all of it. If you have dead zones, you can fix your coverage issues by boosting, extending, or repeating your signals. 

WiFi repeaters take your existing WiFi signal and broadcast boosted signals to cover dead zones. You can buy WiFi repeaters that look similar to your router or units that plug into the wall for a lower profile. You should place WiFi repeaters halfway between your router and the dead zone for the best results. 

Boosting or improving cell signal is a bit more involved than boosting your WiFi. Cell signal boosters require an outdoor component and an indoor component. The outdoor antenna captures the initial signal and strengthens the signal before sending it to the indoor equipment. Cell signal boosters are most effective at preventing dropped calls and fixing weak cell service, making them a great safety net for people who work from home. 

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Larger Screen

If you have never worked from home before, you are likely working from a laptop. Laptops are fantastic portable computers, but the small screen size can make working from a laptop uncomfortable. Instead of hunching over or squinting to see the details on your laptop’s screen, upgrade to a 27” monitor. The larger screen lets you easily see which windows you have open, so you don’t have to search through a small screen to find the one you want. With just a few tweaks to settings and a cable, you can still use your laptop and have the 27” monitor as a second screen. 27” monitors are fairly standard now, and you can find a 1080p monitor for a reasonable price. Some tech companies have created work from home bundles with monitors, webcams, Bluetooth keyboards, and microphones to upgrade your entire desk at once. 

Working from home can be fantastic, but it is not without issues. Tune out distractions by replacing noises with audio that helps you stay focused. Ensure that your WiFi and cell signals are strong enough to handle your work and boost signals that are lacking. Upgrade from a small laptop to a proper monitor for easier and faster navigation. Use your personal blend of tactics and gadgets to maintain your productivity while working from home.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

Read more: 8 Tips to Stay Healthy While Working From Home

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