Many of us transitioned from the classic office to a hybrid model. This provides a great opportunity to look at some easy improvements to reduce a few of those daily steps when transitioning between workspaces.
1. Get a USB switch
A simple, cheap tool but saves you a lot of extra daily chores. You probably already have at least an external keyboard and mouse at home, maybe even a nice extra webcam or microphone. Plugging this off from your private laptop or desktop computer to your work PC can be tiresome. Get a USB switch and you just need to plug it into all your devices and you’re good to go. However, ideally, pair this with the next item on the list:
2. Get an extra docking station
If you’re strictly working on laptops you can probably skip this one. But for those of us relying on external monitors and keyboards, the constant switching between offices leads to many cables in need of unplugging (especially if you still have a desktop PC). The USB switch already covers your mechanical keyboard and an external mouse, but what about those monitors? Getting an extra docking station usually solves that very nicely, since most displays have multiple connectors. Set it up correctly and all you need to do is snap in your laptop at home and you’re good to go.
3. Get an external monitor
You probably saw that one coming. Since you already prepared everything in the previous tips, you might as well get a nice external display for your home office. Working only on a laptop screen might be feasible if you want to camp all day at a coffee shop, but not for long extended work at home. You should also consider getting a model with a higher resolution, depending on what field you’re working, and of course, why not get two? Well maybe let’s not overdo it.
Easy improvements
The home office is here to stay, if it’s not at your current company, your next job could be fully remote. Investing in those little tools does not cost you much but highly improves your daily comfort level: Do you enjoy searching for USB connectors that much? Having a docking station additionally helps with any external devices and opens the possibility to get a nice monitor at home. Of course, it’s also worth investing in nice (home) office furniture, but this is rather something for a different article.
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