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For those that have ever built a home office – or considered doing so – it is easy to become overwhelmed with the number of available gadgets and accessories.

Creating a home office that prioritizes both health and productivity is crucial for sustainable remote work.  Ergonomically designed furniture, such as chairs and keyboards, support good posture and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal issues, while monitors designed to reduce eye strain can prevent fatigue and vision problems.  Then there are a variety of ancillary tools that can further enhance productivity in addition to helping maintain focus.  Together, such considerations create a workspace that not only enhances efficiency and output but also promotes physical well-being and reduces the risk of work-related health issues.

By investing in a healthy and productive home office, you’re investing in your own well-being and career longevity.  While it may be tempting to start purchasing novelty items like the Hushme, first consider the following list.

1. Ergonomic Chair – Steelcase Leap

A highly customizable and well-built office chair should be at the top of everyone’s list.  Thankfully, there are various quality options on the market that take posture and productivity into mind.  Our top pick is the Steelcase Leap.

Source: steelcase.com

Notably, Steelcase is a United States-based company that was founded as the Metal Office Furniture Company in 1912 and subsequently rebranded to Steelcase in 1954.

As previously mentioned, the Steelcase Leap office chair is an investment in not only your comfort but also your health and productivity.  The company notes that its design is grounded in extensive research and user-driven insights and offers a modern blend of style, ergonomics, and functionality.

From the perspective of maintaining good health, the standout feature is Leap’s LiveBack technology.  This design allows the chair to adjust dynamically, mirroring the natural movement of your spine. This facilitates better posture and reduces the risk of back pain, a common ailment in deskbound jobs.  The chair’s flexible seat edge relieves pressure on the back of the thighs, promoting blood circulation and reducing fatigue.

Source: steelcase.com

On to productivity, the Leap offers features such as adjustable arms, which ensure optimal alignment with your desk, reducing strain on your shoulders and neck.  From seat depth to lower back firmness, the chair’s overall adjustability means you can tailor it to your specific needs, resulting in fewer distractions and increased focus.

Despite these features, the Leap chair does not compromise on aesthetics. Its modern, sleek design complements any office decor, and the use of recyclable materials demonstrates a commitment to sustainability on behalf of Steelcase.  It should be noted that when custom building your Steelcase Leap, selections including leather finishing result in large increases in price.

While it may be hard to justify spending such a large amount of money on a chair, remember that this is an item that addresses not only your physical health but increased productivity as well.  Sitting on a cheap chair? After a short period of time, you will be constantly readjusting as your 8-hour day now feels like 12.  The Steelcase Leap changes this.

In conclusion, the Steelcase Leap office chair is more than just a seat—it’s a tool for better health and higher productivity. Its ergonomic design, adjustability, and modern aesthetic make it a valuable addition to any workspace.

Click HERE to purchase a Steelcase Leap.

2. Noise Cancelling Headphones – Sony WH-1000XM5

This entry is all about productivity.  A set of nice active noise-canceling headphones will allow you to cut out many of the everyday distractions in a home environment that can pull you away from your work.  Our choice here is the Sony WH-1000XM5.

Source: Sony.com

While these are premium headphones, they are by no means the most expensive on the market.  What they offer is arguably the best all-around package that includes features like speech detection to intelligently swap to passthrough mode, multipoint connection to easily swap audio between devices, 8 mics for market-leading voice pickup and isolation alongside active noise canceling, and a lightweight package that make them extremely comfortable for wearing hours at a time.

Basically, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are a sound investment for anyone seeking to boost productivity in a home office setting.  Each of the aforementioned features allows for these headphones to facilitate an environment that is conducive to focus and efficiency.  Of all the features on offer, it is the comfort and nearly unrivaled noise cancellation that are the key productivity enhancers of the WH-1000XM5.  Sony’s technology effectively silences household distractions, from the hum of household appliances to the droning of street noise.

When viewed solely as headphones for music, the audio quality, as expected from Sony, is exceptional. This means that whether you’re in a virtual meeting, listening to a podcast, or indulging in some music during a break, the clarity and depth of sound provide a rich and immersive experience when tuned correctly.  Conveniently, the WH-1000XM5 also does well on the battery life front, boasting a 30hr battery life.

As a whole, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones offer a blend of noise cancellation, audio quality, and user-friendly features that very few competitors can match.  As such, they are an excellent tool for enhancing productivity in a home office.

Click HERE to purchase a Sony WH-1000XM5.

3. Curved Ultrawide Monitor – Lenovo P40w-20

What will probably be the most expensive entry on this list is a curved ultrawide monitor.  Our monitor of choice that fits the bill is the ThinkVision P40W-20.

Source: Lenovo.com

There are a few reasons why such a product is a joy to own.  By opting for an ultrawide monitor, you are essentially utilizing two screens at once without anything separating them.  This means working with multiple tabs open, limiting the time spent cycling between programs and pages.  By opting specifically for a curved ultrawide, you benefit from a few things.

• Less eye strain
• Fewer reflections

When dealing with either an ultrawide monitor or a secondary monitor, you are constantly forcing your eyes to re-focus as the center of your screen will be a different distance than the edges.  By curving the screen so that all points are near equidistant to your eyes, this need to re-focus is greatly decreased.

The Lenovo P40W-20, in particular, is a game-changer for anyone looking to enhance productivity in a home office environment. As a productivity powerhouse, the P40W-20 boasts a 39.7″ ultra-wide screen with a 5120 x 2160 resolution, offering ample space to multitask efficiently. With the ability to comfortably have multiple windows open, you can streamline your workflow, reduce the time spent toggling between tabs, and stay organized with ease.

Equally important is Lenovo’s attention to eye health. The P40W-20 features TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort certification, which means you can expect a flicker-free display and reduced blue light exposure. This helps mitigate eye strain and fatigue, which is crucial for those spending long hours in front of the screen.

Naturally, as it is built with work in mind, the monitor also offers a versatile range of connectivity options that allow for fast data transfer and the ability to both power and connect multiple devices with a single cable.

Aesthetically, the P40W-20’s sleek, minimalist design means that it won’t be an eyesore in your home.  Instead, it remains understated and sleek.  Notably, the adjustable stand ensures you can set the monitor at both the optimal height and angle for your comfort.

Overall, the Lenovo P40W-20 balances productivity-enhancing features with conscious design elements to reduce eye strain, making it a thoughtful and valuable addition to any home office.

Click HERE to purchase a Lenovo ThinkVision P40W-20.

4. Customizable Mouse – Logitech MX Master 3S

So far, we have discussed items that are based primarily on what they offer as hardware.  There is a device, however, that remains critical to how we interact with software – the computer mouse.  To that end, we think the Logitech MX Master 3S is about as good as it gets.

The Logitech MX Master 3S is a powerful tool that elevates productivity in a home office setting by combining an ergonomic design with advanced technology – greatly improving what a traditional mouse can do.

Key to its productivity prowess is the customizable button layout. You can tailor the functions of each button to your needs, optimizing your workflow. This could be navigating between tabs, switching applications, controlling media, or even copying/pasting for those repetitive tasks.

Another standout feature is the MagSpeed scroll wheel. It’s precise enough to scroll one line at a time but fast enough to zoom through thousands of lines in a second, saving you time and effort during large-scale navigation tasks.  The MX Master 3S boasts cross-computer control, allowing you to control and transfer files between up to three devices. This feature is a boon for multitaskers working across multiple devices.

As mentioned, ergonomics has not been overlooked. The sculpted shape fits in your hand comfortably, supporting your hand and wrist – an important factor for those who spend long hours at the computer.

As a whole, the Logitech MX Master 3S is more than just a mouse. It’s a productivity-enhancing device that provides comfort, control, and customization, making it an excellent choice for a home office.

Click HERE to purchase a Logitech MX Master 3S.

5. Uninterruptable Power Supply – Tripp Lite SMART1500LCDT

Finally, there is the uninterruptible power supply or ‘UPS’.  You’re in the middle of writing a document or processing a trade, and your power goes out.  Rather than being left in the dark with potentially lost content, a UPS acts as a backup power supply that clicks on so seamlessly that your devices remain active – hence the ‘uninterruptible’.  To fill this need, we turn to the Tripp Lite SMART1500LCDT.

Source: tripplite.eaton.com

A UPS such as the Tripp Lite SMART1500LCDT offers an invaluable layer of protection against power disturbances and outages, ensuring the continuity of your work and the safety of your equipment.

One of its key features is the 1500VA/900W power capacity, providing ample backup power to keep your devices running during a power outage. This ensures that you have sufficient time to save your work and safely shut down your equipment, preventing data loss and hardware damage.

The SMART1500LCDT also comes equipped with Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR). This feature corrects minor power fluctuations without switching to battery power, prolonging the life of the battery and enhancing the overall performance of the UPS.

The unit offers ten outlets, five of which provide both battery backup and surge protection, making it versatile enough to support multiple devices, from computers to networking equipment.  In addition, the illuminated LCD screen provides clear, real-time information about the power conditions, battery status, and runtime.

Productivity means nothing if all of your work can be lost in an instant, and a UPS can ease that concern.  A device such as the Tripp Lite SMART1500LCDT is a safeguard for your home office, providing dependable power backup and surge protection.

Click HERE to purchase a Tripp Lite SMART1500LCDT UPS.

Final Word

Health, comfort, and productivity – that is what this list addresses.  By outfitting your home office with products like those listed above, you can rest assured that you have put your best foot forward toward protecting your eyes and spine, all the while being more efficient than ever.