Your room is usually where you spend the most time doing school and/or personal work; especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic limiting our in-person experiences. Therefore, it is important as a student, we are able to finish our school work effectively, comfortably, and without unnecessary hassle. However, without a good room work setup, you may find it difficult to do so. In this blog, we will be looking at some items that can definitely upgrade your room’s work setup and boost your productivity, while maintaining aesthetics!
1: A proper desk and chair
Although this may be a given to many, there are others who do not work on a proper desk and table. For example, many people commonly decide to do work on their bed. However, doctors and studies have stated that working on a bed reduces the person’s sleep quality, quality of posture, hygiene, mood, and can even increase the strain on your eyes! Furthermore, a desk allows for you to have all of your materials spread out in front of you, in an organized manner, without creating unnecessary hassle. If possible, my personal recommendation is a corner desk, as it has lots of spread-out space, allowing for expert multitasking and storage/organization as well. If you are unable to get a personal desk, you may even find that working on a dining table or other desk-like surface (ex: kitchen countertop) is much, much more beneficial than any other alternative!
2: Monitor - Have you ever felt like your screen was too limiting?
Many students use a laptop to do their schoolwork. Although it is portable and easy-to-use, it is also limited in size and hard to multitask on; you can only see so much in your display. Therefore, it may be a great idea to invest in a monitor! A monitor allows you to not only get a bigger screen size, but multitask like never before! This is because you can connect your monitor to your laptop via an “HDMI Cable”; duplication and/or extending your laptop’s usable space to your monitor! For example, we’ve all got those assignments where we have to watch a video and answer some questions at the same time. Instead of constantly switching through the tabs, you could have the video open on your monitor, and answer the questions through your laptop screen at the same time! As well, if you have a desktop computer with a singular monitor, it may be a good idea for you to invest in a secondary monitor to reap the same benefits!
Monitor’s aren’t always cheap, but there are definitely some budget options (slightly smaller screen size or quality) if the cost is an issue; a great idea is to purchase on sale days (such as Black Friday)!
3: Bluetooth (Wireless) Keyboard and Mouse - Cut the wires!
Have you ever found yourself slouching or curling up just to type on your keyboard or use the mouse/trackpad - especially when on a laptop? Or have you ever felt like you wanted to work further away from your screen, but couldn’t, since you wouldn’t be able to access the computer’s buttons? Try investing in a wireless keyboard and/or mouse (they come in combo packages and separately!). Wireless keyboards, as the name suggests, have no wires whatsoever but still connect to your computer (or even tablets and phones)! This means that you can move far away from your screen, or even have the keyboard on your lap, while still being able to actually use your device. As a result, you may not only find that you are able to work more efficiently, but you can also be in a much more comfortable sitting position. Going wireless also reduces the clutter and wires on your table, making your workspace much more aesthetic!
The great thing about wireless keyboards and mouses, are that they are not very expensive! You can even get high-quality office-style ones for about $30 (more or less), although the gaming and LED-coloured options may cost more. I recommend checking Bestbuy, Amazon, and Walmart for this product.
4: Headphones with Mic - Go Professional!
Given the current pandemic, most of our school and personal work is over the internet. As a result, the frequency of us using video-call applications such as Zoom and Google Meet has significantly increased. Additionally, students often have to watch videos or listen to others (ex: their teachers in video calls) for their school work. As a result, our need for a good mic and headphones have increased! Furthermore, many students use their computer’s inbuilt speakers and microphones; these can create an echo if used together, often have poor quality sound (both mic and speakers), and also lack privacy (speakers play out loud for everyone to hear). Therefore, it is a good idea to invest in a good headset. Not only this, but a good headset can be crucial for everyday computer use (ex: listening to music, listening to something privately) and any other kind of digital work (ex: mic for recording a speech)! Furthermore, similar to the wireless keyboard/mouse, there are wireless headset options as well; lessening the amount of clutter in your workspace!
Again, good headsets aren't always cheap. However, with some research, you would be able to find good mic-included headphones around the 30 dollars range; maybe a bit extra if you opt for the wireless option. I recommend checking Bestbuy, Amazon, and Walmart for this product.
Works Cited
Hubbard, Ashley. “6 Reasons Working from Bed Isn't Doing You Any Favors.” Edited by Debra Sullivan, Healthline, Healthline, 11 Sept. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/working-from-bed-isnt-doing-you-favors#hygiene.
Definitely taking some of these tips!!
Such a helpful post! Thanks for sharing 👍
Omg this was so helpful! I need a major upgrade! 😗