We’re going to assume that you have a laptop or desktop computer, whether it’s for work or for home. If not, check out our buying guides for the best laptops, cheap laptops, Chromebooks, and MacBooks. You might also find our guide to buying a laptop helpful. If you’re thinking about buying a desktop PC, our suggestions and tips about prebuilt gaming PCs may be helpful. You could also make one yourself. Here are a few that we like:
Working from home is not a new idea, but many office and knowledge workers need to do it now because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if the coronavirus outbreak ends, many companies will have learned that they don’t need huge office buildings, and many employees will have learned that they don’t have to be in the office every day or spend hours commuting.
Put a lamp far away from a monitor to avoid having too much light or glare. You may need more light, but try to put it somewhere that it doesn’t shine on the screen and isn’t in your line of sight when you’re using the computer.
To keep your work life separate from your home life, you should choose a small room with a door that can be shut that can hold a desk and computer equipment.
But because of the pandemic, a lot of people have set up temporary home offices that won’t last for long. The ergonomics of a workspace are just as important as having the right tools, especially when it comes to preventing repetitive stress injuries caused by a bad layout. I had the same RSI problems 20 years ago and came dangerously close to having them again a year ago, so I know what it takes to get back to and stay in a position that works.
After two years of the COVID pandemic, six out of ten Americans now regularly work from home. The success of the move has been helped by the fact that these employees’ home offices have all the tools they need. If your potential job only lets you work from a desk in a spare bedroom, you’ll need to meet many computer and office conditions for people who work from home. Even though working from home shouldn’t cost too much, what computer equipment should you think about?
When you work from home, your computer is the center of your home office. There are many different ways to set up a computer, from netbooks to servers and everything in between. Most PCs are good enough for simple home office tasks like using word processing or web-based software.