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How to set up your perfect workspace

Go for a WFH win with our top tech advice…

what-to-buy

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Working from home? There’s no need for a massive clear out to create a room where you can be productive. All you need for the perfect workspace is the right tech…

Start with a laptop

First things first. Go for a powerful yet mobile laptop as your main computer. That gives you the flexibility of travelling somewhere for work, or just finding a nice spot in the garden. You’re working from home and it’s sunny – no judgement. Oh, and make sure it has enough battery life so you don’t have to permanently be plugged in.

Why not try…
The HP Pavilion x360 14" Intel® Core™ i5 2 in 1 laptop comes with 256GB of internal memory. That’s plenty of space for all your documents, plus a few movies for relaxing after a hard day’s work.

It’s a 2-in-1 laptop design, so you can remove the keyboard and work in tablet mode - great for entertainment and important work video calls. You’ve also got the powerful Intel® Core™ i5 keeping things smooth and connected, along with an 8.5-hour battery life. And with the anti-glare display, you’ll be able to work in the garden any time the weather plays nice.

Consider a mouse and keyboard

A good laptop is great, but using that trackpad to go from spreadsheets to email isn’t the easiest (or most efficient) way of doing things. Get a wireless mouse and you’ll feel the difference immediately. You can’t beat a mouse wheel when you’re scrolling through lots of pages.

Add a keyboard and you’ve got an even better workstation. While there’s nothing wrong with typing on your laptop keyboard, you’ll be able to do it quicker on a wireless keyboard.

Give your laptop a raise

Sitting comfortably? Not sure? Then a laptop riser could help. If you’re not going for a separate monitor, adjusting your laptop screen height means you can find an eye level position that will help you keep a good posture. Laptop risers also help with your cable management – we all love a tidy desk.

Go large with a monitor

If you need to work on several documents at once, there are times when one screen just doesn’t cut it. Getting a decent sized monitor as a second screen means you can fit more on and get more done. So on one screen you have your emails and on another you have what you’re working on.

Or maybe you just prefer to use one screen? With a large single screen, you can fit everything you need – without having to lean forward and peer at your screen. It makes all the difference when you’ve got to hit tight deadlines.

Why not try…
Check out the Samsung C34J791 Quad HD 34" Curved LED monitor. With its 34-inch screen, it’s great for multitasking. It’s super wide, so perfect for laying out projects and having different apps open at once. And, at the end of the day, you’ve got a quality screen for immersive entertainment. Game on!

Grab yourself a chair

The centre of any workstation set up is a good office chair. Why? Well, you’re going to be spending loads of time in the same place. Your best bet is to go for something fully adjustable so you can find your perfect height. It’s a good way of getting into the right frame of mind for work too - you can focus as soon as you sit down.

Why not try…
The ADX ACHAIR19 gaming chair is a solid choice. Wait. A gaming chair? Trust us on this. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never played a video game in your life, because the ADX ACHAIR19 is designed with comfort in mind It’s fully adjustable and the arms are padded. Perfect for epic gaming sessions, even better for long workdays.

Listen up

Video calls on Microsoft Teams, Skype or Zoom are becoming the standard. And while speaking at your laptop is okay, a good wireless headset will give you a much better experience – and give the rest of the house some peace too. Wireless technology offers you a tangle free experience and lets you move around when you’re on a call. And a lot of headsets give you the kind of sound quality and noise-cancelling tech you’d find in a pair of premium headphones.

Get the right lighting

If your workspace doesn’t get great natural light - or your bulbs are a bit under powered – you should think about adding proper, consistent lighting. And though there’s nothing wrong with a standard lamp, you can do a bit better with a smart lamp. It’ll light up your space just how you want it, and you can control and customise it using your smartphone.

Why not try….
The Philips Hue white & colour smart table lamp is easy to set up, and you can pair it with Google Home or Amazon Alexa to set a schedule. So, it be could bright and welcoming first thing in the morning, and then dim down when your working day is almost done - time to relax.

Get help from a smart assistant

From getting notified of upcoming meetings to controlling your smart home, investing in a smart assistant is a great shout.

Why not try…
Google’s Nest Hub Max can do everything from making video calls to putting in holiday reminders. Plus, you can control your smart home (including turning on the air conditioning or turning off the lights) with just your voice.

Need any help?

If you’re looking for more advice on the best tech for your workspace, pop in-store or chat to one of our experts on ShopLive.

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