Looking to take your remote work career to the next level? It all starts with your home office. The more you invest in the best tech for this space, the more you’re creating the conditions in which you can be productive and flourish.
There are many proven products for creating the optimal home office environment. You can buy these yourself or use a service like Anyplace Select where they’ll be included in your rental apartment. These include some obvious upgrades like a height-adjustable desk and an ergonomic desk chair. But what if you’re looking for more unique suggestions? Here are seven alternative ways you can upgrade your home office.
Use a Collapsible Green Screen
It can be hard to create a suitable background environment for your video conference calls. You might be in a small apartment, perhaps working from your bedroom or kitchen. You might have a mess behind you or the potential for a co-inhabitant to accidentally walk into the shot. When you’re trying to stay professional, this is never good.
Remove any chance of this happening with a collapsible green screen. These aren’t just for Hollywood movies. Anyone can buy a green screen for a relatively low price. Then, you have a clean green background that can be transformed into just about anything. Make it look like you’re working from a high-end office to raise your credibility.
Raise Your Laptop
Most digital nomads work with laptops because of their portability. However, they’re generally not ergonomic and can lead to poor posture. If you’re looking to stay fit and healthy while you travel, then improving your posture while at your desk can help with this. Aside from using a height-adjustable desk, a laptop stand is the best way to do this.
It will raise your laptop so that the screen is at eye level. You won’t be hunched over trying to see your work. Instead, you’ll be able to sit up straight and keep a posture that lowers tension and maintains your energy levels throughout the day. Also, you’ll be at the right height to look good on video calls. Our favorite: The Roost Laptop Stand.
Upgrade Your Webcam
All laptops come with a built-in webcam these days and some are pretty good. However, if you’re looking to take your professional life to the next level, then investing in a high-quality webcam is essential. This will help you create a crisp and clear image as you connect with colleagues, clients, and customers.
For all the benefits that come with remote work, it can lead to a loss of human connection. Networking and sales rely on creating a personal bond. An HD webcam allows this because it helps the other person see your facial expressions more clearly. This makes a remote meeting feel more like an in-person meeting by generating empathy.
Focus on Better Lighting
Another way to improve how you look during video calls is to improve the lighting. Many homes simply don’t have adequate lighting and some people just always appear dark during calls. This isn’t good because humans are naturally fearful of darkness. Shedding light on your face helps it to become more clear. This, in turn, puts the other person at ease and builds trust.
Look online for a key light that can be attached to your laptop. This guarantees you perfect lighting every time. You won’t have to worry about a bulb blowing out or the clouds blocking out ideal sunlight. No matter where you are, you’ll always look great by upgrading your office lighting.
Dock Your Tech
Remote workers need plenty of tech to stay productive. However, this can damage your productivity if you’re overwhelmed by the number of wires. Keep your days stress-free by ensuring your tech is always organized. The best way to do this is by investing in a docking station.
These are devices with a number of different ports into which you can plug your other equipment, whether that’s a light, a camera, a microphone, or anything else. Most laptops won’t come with enough ports, meaning you’re constantly switching wires. Lighter laptops, in particular, are even ditching standard USB ports. Overcome this with a docking station that’s capable of keeping all your wires and devices organized.
Invest in a Monitor Light
Even if you’re not a night owl, working in the dark can be unavoidable. On cold, dark winter days, anyone can find themselves working in a pitch-black environment. If you don’t want to turn on all the lights in your office, then a monitor light is a perfect solution. It just lights up your laptop and desk, allowing you to zone in on the task at hand.
The other benefit of a monitor light is that it’s created specifically for computers. While regular house lights generate glare and increase eye strain, a monitor light gives you the light you need, without reflecting off the monitor. If you’re looking to be productive in dark environments, then this upgrade is essential.
Switch to a Professional Microphone
A good camera and lighting make a huge difference to video calls but have you considered your audio quality? Of course, for basic calls, your laptop’s built-in microphone will be adequate. However, if you’re looking to give off a truly professional vibe, then connecting a high-quality external mic makes all the difference.
This will make your voice sound crisp and clear so that your colleagues and customers can understand you more easily. You should consider this option if you’re looking to record any special material, such as a podcast or training video. This will help take your brand from being amateur to being professional.
There are many ways to design your office to optimize productivity and help you reach the next step in your professional life. Above are just a few of the more unique options that you might not have thought of before. These can help give you an edge over your competitors so you can see more success in your career. If you’re looking for an easy way to achieve all of the upgrades listed above and more, consider booking an apartment with Anyplace Select.
Where to next? Find flexible month-to-month rentals across the globe on Anyplace.
