I have a sitting/standing desk to avoid sitting all day. I also bought a decent microphone and webcam for video calls. Most importantly, I have dual monitors so I can keep emails on one screen and work on another screen.
I also have a good set of headphones, although I wish they were better for phone calls — I have to take them off when a call comes in, which can be annoying.
I tucked a yoga mat under my desk for mid-day stretching but, honestly, I haven’t gotten into a good habit with using it.
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A good cushion for your chair for when you are sitting. Even if you have a good office chair, add a little extra.
My buddy and I both started WFH jobs around the same time, coming from stand-all-day jobs, and we couldn’t figure out how we were ending up with so much pain. Extra cushioning did the trick (he used a hemorrhoid donut, I bought one of those car seat cushions).
I got a lot of stick from my other half about the amount I spent on my desk and chair. I got a adjustable Friska desk for £800 and then spent £400 on a renovated pre-owned Herman miller chair.
I sit often for 15 hours of my day and these upgrades have paid for themselves and more.
I stand at my desk and an anti-fatigue mat helps with comfort there. I use speakers for music and a headset for calls. Good mouse and keyboard. Cable management to keep things tidy. Wrist rests for keyboard and mouse ergonomics.
Something to exercise with while on calls or reading, like a [hand grip](https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224240526164?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28) or [small wooden sword](https://www.playwell.co.uk/weapons/wooden-weapons/wooden-swords-tantos-shotos/wooden-shoto-with-roped-handle?gclid=CjwKCAjwquWVBhBrEiwAt1KmwrjO-eGjjaf5lDUccOf190ylVZiK40LcQbHN9LBxG3vM6irCCfU1khoCNJMQAvD_BwE) which keeps you active, burning calories and helps focus the mind.
I also have a small fridge nearby with beer, water and alcohol free beer which allows me to open a can at 5pm and not be drunk by 9pm.
I use a whiteboard for drawings, notes and I can zoom the HD camera onto it for presenting or sharing what I am drawing/writing.
I also have a [desktop whiteboard and storage[(https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/914763307/desktop-dry-erase-office-whiteboard-and?gpla=1&gao=1&😉 which serves for quick notes, to do lists and I can have pens or adaptors/dongles in there.
Good lighting is important and arranges to fit the camera (illuminate your face, don’t have lighting behind you) and the monitors (the dimmer the light, the dimmer your monitors can be, saving power, emissions and better for your eyesight). Consider using dark mode colour themes for dark winter days or if you work until late, and remember to set your screen warmth to more amber after 6~7 PM.
Lastly, start and end your day with some ritual, such as morning shower and coffee, and evening tea or beer, so your body, mind, conscious and unconscious, and the people around you respect your working day limitations, wherever you think they should be at. For the same reason I advise against eating at your desk at home.
Get a Herman miller – signed your back
I counter the sitting/standing desk by walking away for 5-10 minutes every hour. I wander around my house or outside (not in June in Georgia though…). Gets me out of the chair but also away from work to rest my eyes and contemplate either work or life.
The big thing I haven’t seen anyone mention is a dedicated space you don’t use for much else.
your setup is way better than what I have . maybe invest in better keyboard and make sure your chair has proper height. also 20 sec look for after every 20 minutes works for me.
When standing, I use a wobble balance board with cushioned top. Helps me to keep wiggling rather than just stand static on an anti-fatigue mat.
Working right now from a treatmill. Mostly for the winter & summer when it’s too cold or hot to exercise outside. Ours is an old Sole F80. The important parts are a large flat control panel to set the laptop and flat arms. I set a small rectangular board across them with a bluetooth keyboard & mouse on top. I can walk at 1.4-1.8 mph without messing with typing or mouse control.
Coworkers with kids swear by an actual door to close when daddy or mommy are working and can’t be disturbed.
Shut down & close up the computer setup & office when I’m done for the day. Evening & weekend support is not in my contract. I refuse to be one of my coworkers who checks & responds to stuff all night long.
I’m an exempt salary employee who needs to work more to task list than hours online. I take an hour lunch every day and cook or prepare something then eat it. Completely breaking myself out of the mental space of work and doing something creative & enjoyable goes a long way towards preventing burnout.
If you already have a dslr, you might be able to set it up as a webcam for professional looking video quality for webcam calls. I know Sony made a software that works for PC and Mac OS, takes a little time to figure out but it makes you look legit.
Coffee machine, good chair, green screen (for me) with OBS software virtual camera and chroma key for video calls. Means I dont have to have a clean room behind me. Fidget toys. Mini fridge?
Everyone else already covered most of it but one important thing seems to be missing:
Get a wireless gaming headset.
Gaming = sweaty nerds using the thing for 10 hours at a time, which means it should also be comfy to wear for most of a work day. Wireless means you can move around while on a call, and especially in a large meeting where you’re just listening in you can do chores or light exercise and nobody would know – if you keep teams/slack unmuted and use the mute button on the headset, you won’t be caught off guard if you’re unexpectedly required to speak.
A first rate wireless color laser multifuntion (printer, copier, scanner, fax).
In addition to the sitting/standing desk, my partner insisted on buying the HAG Capisco chair. It wasn’t cheap but the fact you cannot get truly comfortable on it means you don’t get lazy on it and keep changing positions. It’s impossible to truly slouch.
Get a good wireless headset for calls. When you’re on a meeting where you don’t really need to look at the screen, take advantage of it to get up and walk around, refill your coffee, etc. I use a Jabra Evolve 75.
Edit: I also really like using an ultrawide monitor, I have a Samsung 49″ Odyssey G9 curved monitor. It isn’t necessarily night and day better than dual monitors, but having the flexibility to put windows wherever you want to in the screen space is wonderful, and it’s less desk clutter.
Try not to work in bedroom
If you can, have a totally separate office. Work is contained to your office and it’s much easier mentally to disconnect from if it has its own area that doesn’t bleed into your personal space.
Currently I’m using a Xbox Wireless headset. The headset can connect to your PC and Phone at the same time. So I’m able to play games or watch videos and make a phone call at the same time. For just $100 it comes in clutch.
Probably any dual channel wireless headset will do but I can vouch for this one.
Get one of those massage+heating covers for your seat
I work 8 hours on my feet and when I sit down to game I’m still in pain and those seems to help loosen up my back alot, I also like the option of an office desk than reclines and has leg rests just like a recliner
Same as any other office. Pay attention to the ergonomics of your workspace, put some money into the things you spend lots of your time with, and be sure to set strong boundaries between work and home life.
How that translates to one’s specific situation will vary.
Don’t forget to pay attention to your indoor air quality! In addition to temperature and humidity control, keep an eye on the carbon dioxide level. High CO2 will make the space feel stuffy and impacts your mood and ability to think effectively. It’s a decent proxy for other undesirable contaminants too (but watch out for pollens, dust and other outdoor contaminants that open windows can allow in. You might want a filtered ERV/HRV for air exchange depending on the outdoor conditions in your area).