2020 will be a year we will all remember for the rest of our lives, the year of COVID-19 and the sudden rise in working from home. No one could have predicted that enjoying a meal at our favourite restaurant would go away, and that hanging out with friends would become a thing of the past, but humanity has stood strong in the face of adversity and we’ve learned to adapt.
One of the biggest challenges many have had to face has been the almost immediate transition from business as usual working in the office, to having to work from home. For many this will be the first sustained period of working from home ever, and new day-to-day challenges not usually faced in the office will start to rear their heads.
A great example of this is not having the tools you’re used to having at hand, tools you need to be efficient and effective while doing your job, such as a hard drive, laptop or printer. Another could be that you’re getting a sore back from sitting on a chair from the kitchen table all day rather than on your usual comfy, ergonomic work chair.
With tax time fast approaching, what you might not know, however, is that if you’re working from home in a dedicated office space , you may be eligible to claim items that you genuinely need to do your job. Check out our article here for more information.
These items must be purchased from out of your own pocket up to $300; any item over $300 needs to be depreciated and you can’t claim the costs in full. As uncertainty remains about just how long these social restrictions will last, if you require any of the products below in order to work from home, now is definitely the time to stock up!
Computers and monitors
Making the switch from your usual office set-up to working from home can be quite difficult, especially if you don’t have the same tech accessories at your disposal. This can lead to a serious drop in productivity levels and the quality of your work.
If you’re used to working with a laptop and two monitors in the office or whatever your set-up, creating the same one at home will make it easier for you to adjust to your new environment.
Furniture
Is your home office chair on its last legs, or are you using an uncomfortable chair from another room in the house? If you’re going to be working from home for an extended period, it’s probably worth investing in a proper ergonomic office chair, as well as making sure that your home office furniture is ergonomically sound.
Sit-stand desks have also been proven to reduce back pain, lower your risk of heart disease and improve productivity levels. If you don’t mind the idea of being on your feet periodically throughout the day, a sit-stand desk might be just what you need.
Headsets
Working from home means a tonne of video conferences, and the most important tool for a successful video call is an effective headset. Furthermore, if your job involves being on the phone all day, it’s more than likely you use a headset to make and receive calls when you’re at work. Now that you’re working from home, having to talk on your mobile all-day could be pretty painful.
Purchasing a headset will free up your hands to use the computer or take notes and you’ll be able to stretch your legs and walk around the house whilst on a call, all unbeknownst to the person on the other end.
Tech Accessories
Your workplace probably provides you with all the tech accessories you need to produce great work, so moving from the office to your home office means you’ll be without a few of your favourite tools.
This could include a keyboard, wireless mouse, portable hard drive, multi-function printer or docking station. If you relied on these items to get the job done before you started working from home, purchasing them to keep in your home office will make the job feel far more seamless.
To be at your most productive you will need to have the correct tools, not just the tools needed to do your job, but also the tools that will take care of your health & wellbeing. This includes a comfortable chair, and an ergonomically sound set up. Things are stressful enough at the moment without you having to worry about back and neck pain. Make sure to take care of you!
