The Daily Tip Jar

The internet is rife with things for sale that you’ll probably never want, (pssst, I’m talking to you, gold plated, digital shower head) but that doesn’t mean you can’t find things you didn’t know you were missing out on. Working from home is a new concept for a lot of people, and thankfully, the internet has some products that may help you to adapt your office for comfort and function.

Keyboard Tray

In order for your desk setup to be ergonomic and best suited to your stature, your feet should touch the floor when sitting up straight, shoulders back, your arms not raised high to reach the mouse or keyboard, and your head looking forward, not bent sharply up or down. If your desk doesn’t have a keyboard tray that slides out from beneath it, you’re likely putting strain on your neck and shoulders as you type. Luckily, you can buy trays that clamp onto your desk to make your setup more user friendly.

Sitting

You can upgrade your desk chair without spending a fortune to buy a new one. This honeycomb gel cushion sells for under $30 on Amazon, and claims to help relieve back pain and sciatica. This memory foam cushion has similar claims, and over 44,000 reviews on Amazon. It sells for $39.95. If you’re feeling spendy, Melanie Pinola tested and listed her favorite office chair picks here.  

Phone stand

If you do a lot of work on both your phone or tablet and your laptop, a phone stand may be a good option for you. This adjustable angle stand is a good choice if you have a lot of room on your desk and retails on Amazon for $9.99. The Gooseneck Mount option puts your phone on an arm so you can move the camera all around and switch up angles. It’s a little more expensive at $19.99.

Monitor stands

To keep pressure off your neck muscles, your monitor should be positioned so that it falls comfortably at eye view, without you craning your head. If you notice you’re tilting your chin upward, you may want to consider adjusting the height of your monitor. This monitor stand riser has 3 adjustable heights and retails for $15.98 on Amazon. If you want to go the distance, you can purchase a double monitor riser that turns your sitting desk into a standing desk.

Extra monitors

If you’re struggling to sort through open pages on your computer, or often find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the need to look at two pages at once, it may be time to invest in another monitor or two. Doing this is fairly easy to setup, and may be as simple as an HDMI cord and changing a couple of display settings.  If you’re looking to expand your viewing on a budget, Amazon sells this Acer for under $95 and this Sceptre 20″ has a 4.5 star Amazon rating and sells for $76.98.

You may be in this working from home thing for the long haul. Adapt your office to best suit your comfort and productivity.

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