Stay Focussed While Working from Home: 10 Work from Home Must-Have Office Essentials to Make Your Home Office More Productive (2021)

There is no black and white answer to this question. What work environment is suitable varies from individual to individual. Some might consider a special workplace (like an office) as unnecessary especially for work that can be done remotely and doesn’t require the employee to network. Others might consider that a home is too comfortable to do any type of work. A home is a place to rest and relax. How can it possibly provide an environment that motivates you to get work done?


On top that, there is psychological conditioning among us that work can only be done in a special official space while wearing formal clothes. This conditioning has been developed over years of observing our elders ‘going to’ work after donning their formal attires. We have not yet been able to detach official work from many of its nuances like travelling to work, separate official space and formal attire. There is also a lack of data to support whether work from home is possible. We need more examples of people in diverse professional fields getting the job done in their pyjamas before we can answer the titular question with certainty. Before that happens, we simply cannot know whether homes can provide a work environment or not.

This pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has brought about a sea change in the work culture across the world. Out of necessity, we have started doing most of the work remotely and have discovered that certain jobs can be accomplished in the home setup which we have erstwhile not thought possible. This has given a huge boost to the work from home ecosystem but whether a home is a sustainable work environment is yet to be seen. Much data is required regarding the productivity of employees in the home environment and whether it is feasible to do a particular job from home.

As of now, we can say with certainty that there are marked differences in our home environment and work environment. The most obvious difference is the design; our office spaces look austere and professional while our homes are designed to look more casual and relaxing. There are pros and cons of both the workplace environment and home environment. Let us have a look at them:

You need certain objects to turn your home into an office space. Follow this BP Guide for work from home must-haves that will make your home office a better one:

This laptop from HP features Intel i3 10th gen processor, 8 GB RAM, Intel integrated graphics processor, 256 GB SSD and comes with Windows 10 OS 64 bit and MS Office pre-installed in it. These specifications will allow you to run any low to medium demanding applications and almost all work-related applications smoothly. The screen size is 14 inches and it has HD display and HD webcam, the design is sleek and the total weight is around 1.50 kilograms. So it is not a cumbersome product. The laptop has one type-A USB port and one Type C USB port, an HDMI port and a 3 in 1 card reader slot. It lacks an optical disk drive but it is not a disadvantage as CDs and DVDs are near extinction. You can buy this laptop from Flipkart for Rs. 39,039.

This foldable laptop desk is of the dimensions 60 cm x 40 cm x 27.5 cm and is made of high quality engineered wood top board supported by powder-coated metal tubes. It is equipped with a cup holder, a tablet holder and a drawer thus you can not only place your laptop on it for work but also other essentials to get your work done like USB cords, pen drives, paper files, ledgers etc. The rounded edges ensure safety and you can put this laptop desk on your bed and work from there. This laptop desk can be bought from Amazon for Rs. 1,999.

This rectangular-shaped memory foam cushion is ideal for office chairs. It provides superior comfort, gives you a healthy posture, improves blood circulation in your back and relieves back pain which is the result of prolonged sitting. It is made from anti-flattening memory foam and is designed to suit the contours of your back perfectly to maximize comfort. The cover of the cushion is made from an air mesh fabric which keeps your back cool and it is washable. There are two straps attached with the cushion to secure it with the back of the chair to prevent slippage. Get this cushion for Rs. 1,990.

This anti-glare screen is a must-have for anyone who spends a considerable amount of time staring at the screen. The screen is magnetic and hence can be attached and detached from your laptop screen. You need not stick it like a screen guard. The size of the screen is 14 inches. It reduces strain on the eyes by 70% and you can buy it for Rs. 4,500.

This creative gadget ensures that your tea remains hot during your busy work hours so that when you finally get the time amidst your business to sip your tea, it is not a cold or lukewarm liquid. It is a plugged gadget that uses conduction method for heating and touch technology for operation. You can set the temperature anywhere between 40 degree Celsius to 65 degrees Celcius. The heating platform is made from the industrial plate and has a diameter of 9.5 cm. It is easy to clean as well; just wipe it with a cloth. The cord length is 62 cm and it is of Type M. This gadget can be bought for Rs. 2,699.

An indoor plant set is required to give a calm atmosphere to the room. Such an atmosphere will help reduce your stress levels. This set of indoor plants consists of 4 different types of plants each of which is embedded in a plastic pot. They are one money plant, one Syngonium plant, one Jade plant and one Sansevieria plant. They are potted in green, black, white and red coloured pots respectively. Each plant is of 6 to 8 inches in height and the pots measure 3 x 3 inches each. You can but this plant set for Rs. 1,399.

Those of you who live in homes where privacy is a myth need this poster before anything else. You do not want any family member to barge in the room while you are amidst an important discussion with a client. Vistaprint is an online one-stop-shop for anything you want to print. They have a user-friendly interface and with the tools available on their website, you can design a Do Not Disturb Poster all on your own. Or if you are good with Photoshop or similar applications, then you can design a poster in them and have it printed in your preferred poster size on Vistaprint. Paste that poster on the door of the room you are working in and make sure everyone respects it without fail. Price ranges from Rs. 140 to Rs 320.

Our necks and backs bear most of the brunt of working at a desk and a good massage at the end of the day are what we need to relieve ourselves of the sore necks and backs. This massager cushion has 4 nodes that rotate in a kneading fashion and relieves muscle knots, tensions and aches. The nodes also have a heating feature that improves blood circulation and adds to the feeling of relief. It is designed in such a way that it fits perfectly with the nape of your neck and back. You can recharge this cushion with the household power adapter that comes with it. You can buy this cushion for Rs. 3,500.

This earphone with mic is compatible with both computer and phone. It has a noise cancellation feature and buttons to control the volume when on-call or when listening to music. It is comfortable to wear and is a welcome alternative to those large headphones with mic. Besides, it is sweat proof. Extra earbuds and ear hooks are attached with the package. You can buy this earphone for a price of Rs. 1,490.

This cushioned swivel chair is of the dimensions 37 inches x 19 inches x 19 inches. The seating height of this chair is adjustable and can go up to 18 inches from the floor. The seat and back are made of cushioned grey coloured fabric ensuring maximum comfort. There are no armrests in this chair. This swivel chair is priced at Rs. 10,199.