Work-from-Home Essentials, According to Our Remote Team

Set yourself and your home office up for success with these WFH products and best practices.

Here, you’ll find:

• Desk enhancements that’ll take your home office to the next level
• Best-in-class product recs from our remote team
• Tips for staying focused during unexpected interruptions
• Why our team’s top must-have can’t be found in stores

A recent study shows that nearly three-fourths of professionals expect remote work to become standard.

Here at HawkSEM, we’ve been an all-remote team since long before the pandemic. 

Because of that, we’ve become well-versed in the best tools, tips, and tricks to make working from home a success.

From office must-haves to four-legged friends, these are the things the Hawk crew recommends for making work-from-home life work for you.

Adjusting to a wireless mouse and keyboard can allow your body to open up while working, helping you combat “the hunch.” (Image: Unsplash)

Tricked-out workspace upgrades

When it comes to WFH, productivity is all about your workspace. 

Of course, some people live in smaller spaces and have no choice but to post up in the kitchen or at the dining room table. But if you can, create a designated work area that lets your brain know it’s time to take care of business.

Several of our team members rave about the benefits of upgrading your desk, whether that means investing in a convertible standing desk or a treadmill desk. For the latter, you can opt for an all-in-one variety or purchase a small under-desk treadmill on its own.

Didn’t jump on the Peloton train in the last few years? Then you may be delighted to know that “desk bikes” exist. You can get this contraption as a standalone seat or with an attached desk for a work-from-home setup that helps you stay active.

It’s a great way to keep your body in motion while working, and some even say being on the move helps foster creativity when brainstorming.

Pro tip: Need to jot something down during a video call or while sharing your screen? One of our Hawks recommends this desktop dry erase board with storage for taking quick notes.

Helpful tech support

There are a ton of benefits to working from home. But it’s also true that situations can crop up and compromise your plan for the day. That could be a sick kid, nearby construction, or a dog that makes sure to (loudly) alert you when the mail carrier stops by.

That’s why we’re so grateful for noise-canceling headphones. Personally, I’m partial to the over-ear variety vs. earbuds for maximum noise-shielding. Not only does this help on calls, but it’s a great way to block out distractions and focus on the tasks at hand.

While not a requirement, of course, most of our work-from-home Hawks swear by having a second monitor. Using multiple screens has a handful of advantages, including:

• Helping to prevent too many opens tabs in one browser
• The ability to multitask better
• Being able to work on a project while monitoring the work Slack
• The option to view and test pages on screens of various sizes

If you’ve spent enough time working on a small laptop, then you may have felt the effects of hunching over to type, see the screen, and use the trackpad. While it may seem small, adjusting to a wireless mouse and keyboard can allow your body to open up while working, helping you combat “the hunch.”

These days, there are a variety of bluetooth-enabled wireless keyboard and mouse options. An ergonomic keyboard can help prevent carpal tunnel, and quiet or silent mouses (side note: Is it still “mice” even if it’s for a computer?) prevent clicks from creating a distraction during virtual meetings.

If sitting for long meetings starts to get uncomfortable, one Hawk says an ergonomic foot rest can provide some relief. (Image: Unsplash)

Self-care comforts

When you work from home, it can be difficult to create a routine start and end to your day. Since your commute is often just a few feet, it’s easy for “off” and “on” hours to blend together.

But self-care is important — part of that lies in creating a routine around your workday. Another part is taking care of yourself, whether you’re on or off the clock.

Your back and neck will be thankful for a tiered laptop stand that brings your screen to eye level. Often, these also double as organizers, keeping your must-have items in arm’s reach.

If sitting for long meetings starts to get uncomfortable, one Hawk says an ergonomic foot rest can provide some relief. 

Lastly, if you’re not the standing-desk type, our team members say it’s worth investing in a good chair that’ll keep you comfortable day after day. WIRED has a handy guide to a few office chairs that are worth looking into.

Pro tip: When offices close or move, they often get rid of their current furniture. If you find an office chair that speaks to you, it could be worth doing a quick search on local resale sites (like Nextdoor, letgo, or Facebook Marketplace) to see if you can score a secondhand deal.

Furry (or feathery, or scaly) colleagues

Funnily enough, when we posed the question of what work-from-home essentials our team swears by a few months back, the first thing that came up was pets.

It makes sense: From taking a few much-needed cuddle breaks to having a reason to go outside for a lunchtime stroll, pets can keep us calm and remind us to unglue from our desks every now and then. 

The takeaway

Data shows that working remotely can have positive effects on a person’s mental health. At Hawk, we love being able to source marketing experts from around the country to become part of our team. 

With a passion for what we do, good communication, and a few of the above items, our crew of work-from-home employees never fails to get the job done.

Interested in becoming part of the Hawk flock? Check out our open positions here.