5 Home Office Items You Should Never Skimp On
It’s tempting to go looking for a bargain when it comes time to stock your home office with equipment. And there’s nothing wrong with looking for a bargain in itself; if you find a high quality item on sale, by all means, get it now - don’t wait until it goes back up!
But buying certain items just because they’re cheap is a no-no. These are the items that you’ll be using every day as you begin to work at home and you need to make sure they’re top notch - or at the least, not harming you.
What I find most ironic is that the items you absolutely must not skimp on are relatively insignificant, cheap items in the grand scheme of things; you can get away with a budget computer (in most lines of work), even though it is generally considered one of the biggest expenses of a home office, but you can’t get away with the same when it comes to the following five, fairly mundane, items.
Yeah, these items may not be the things you look at in the catalogues with a smile on your face, dreaming dreams of how wonderful they must be, but that’s exactly why it’s important to remember: these things are worth your dosh.
1. Chair
When a fairly good, ergonomic office chair of mine broke at the end of last year, it was towards the end of the month. As you freelancers will know, that’s just before most of the cash for the month comes in, and I had to work; I couldn’t wait long to buy a replacement.
So what did I do? I went to K-Mart and grabbed the first mid-back chair on sale and went home. It was a decision I regretted for a long time, though I stubbornly held onto the back-killer for just a couple of months shy of a year.
You’re going to be sitting in your office chair for hours every day; anywhere between five and fifteen hours, depending on how impending your deadlines are! Unless you want to cause some serious back and posture problems, get a good chair. I’ve also noticed that a good, supporting chair increases productivity by a mile.
2. Desk
Like many people, here’s another item I skimped on. I’ll be honest, I’ve still got a cheap and dodgy desk in my home office. The design is totally unergonomic and not very sturdy to boot - after several moves of house, this desk doesn’t have much life left in it. It’ll be dead by the next move, I reckon. But it also can increase the tension in my wrist as it makes it hard to get to the mouse, and doesn’t provide a great view of the monitor either - causing eye and neck strain.
A good desk is expensive, and that’s why we skimp. But not only will a good one save you in medical bills later on, it’ll save you in the long run. One good desk that lasts ten years is much better and cheaper than a series of crappy desks that fall apart after two years of use. This general rule goes for everything listed here.
3. Mouse
My mouse is a Logitech VX Revolution. It was a bit pricey for a mouse at AU$150 (at the time, I’ve seen them for $100 now) and it’s actually meant to be a notebook mouse, but the ergonomic design has done wonders for my wrists over the years I’ve owned the device. It’s been a long time now, but I still have faint memories of cheap mice giving me wrist pain in the past.
The scroll wheel is starting to die on the ergonomic rodent. Guess what my next purchase will be? Another Logitech VX Revolution. Most people - at least almost every single person whose system I’ve seen - opt for the $10 wired mouse or its $30 wireless sibling. They’re priced that way for a reason. Steer clear.
4. Keyboard
At one stage about three years ago I was starting to develop some serious wrist pain from keyboard usage. I was waiting for it, in a sense - I am a writer, after all. And while I hadn’t cheaped out on the keyboard I was using at the time, I had been blinded by all the extra buttons and functions that would supposedly make life easier and computer use quicker (this was back when keyboards with heaps of function buttons were cool).
And despite not totally skimping, I still got a dud product. It was a dud because it had not been designed with any ergonomic thought whatsoever and the relentless need to type eventually became relentless pain.
Also, it was really hard to get the gross accumulated crumbs out of its nooks and crannies, but that’s another story.
So I went out to look for another keyboard that would not strain my wrists and I found one that worked wonders. It also happens to be the only product I own from Microsoft (and of course I’ve heard all the lame jokes about using a Microsoft keyboard on a Mac). The Natural Ergonomic 4000 brought quick relief to my wrists and can be configured in just about any position you like.
I mentioned I’d buy another Logitech ergonomic mouse when my current one dies. Well, when it comes to my keyboard, it’s not just speculation. I’m already on my second Microsoft Natural Ergonomic - exact same model and all. Just don’t spill coffee in the thing like I did and you should be fine.
5. Monitor
When most people think of spending money on a monitor, they think of bang per buck in terms of inches per buck.
Size isn’t everything, and sometimes less is more. There are a few things to consider when it comes to monitors, and again, from personal experience in less than ergonomic conditions.
The first thing to worry about: some monitors are not adjustable. You can’t change the height and you can’t change the tilt so that it more naturally lines up with your eye level. These monitors are no good.
Also, cheaper monitors - particularly CRTs but also some LEDs I’ve used - can emit a high frequency noise that can cause headaches or just become perpetually distracting and get in the way of productivity.
The final thing to consider is that some monitors are just to big for what you need. Others are too small. The point isn’t to buy the largest screen you can afford; it’s smarter to find the screen that suits your work and however much you need to see at one time without straining your eyes. I personally have found 30″ displays straining, even though I dreamed about having one for years. While 24″ took some getting used to, it’s a perfect strain-to-size compromise for me.
If you do want more real estate but don’t want the strain of trying to take in one whole large screen at once, consider getting dual monitors. You only have to focus on one at a time but still have heaps of real estate space.
Now, of course, getting a screen that is small enough is not going to cost extra - it may just save you some money. But remember that cheaping out has undesirable ergonomic effects in the monitor department, too.
Final Thoughts
So you’ve considered what you need most and purchased your items carefully. If each of the items in this list are high quality and suited to you, you’ll find a massive improvement in your comfort and productivity in the office. The little things do matter, especially when they all add up together.
Once you’ve got a great ergonomic system, you can go spend $200 on some old computer* with 256MB of RAM - who cares about the thing, you’re comfortable!
* I do not actually recommend cheaping out on your computer. If you went to someone’s MySpace profile with only 256MB of RAM these days you’d probably cause an explosion. Still, the point is about priorities.
WRITER'S BIOGRAPHY
Joel Falconer
Offering a unique perspective and insight on productivity based on his experience as a writer, musician, family man and manager, Joel Falconer has been published online and off, and brings to Lifehack's readers practical advice you can use to be more efficient and effective.
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Comments
R. Kneschke says on November 12th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Chair? Check. Monitor? Check. Mouse? I use a grafic tablet most of the time. Desk? Uhm, shoot.
Keyboard? I love these old Cherry keyboards (MY 3000), because they have a nice “keystroke feel” and are heavy, so fast tipping doesn’t let the keyboard move as many of the new one use to do.
jtimberman says on November 12th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
A cheap chair can be good. It’s a matter of developing good sitting and posture habits. It also helps to get up and move around every hour.
More importantly than a “quality” desk is one that is the right height. Your arms should rest at a comfortable angle for typing, with no upward incline from the elbow.
Ergonomic mice have been a ridiculously expensive item in my opinion. I find that a comfortable keyboard is more important as any lifehacker worth their salt will learn as many keyboard shortcuts to avoid using the mouse as much as possible. I also like the touchpad on my Macbook and tend to use it more than the mouse.
Monitor is tough. Like I mentioned, I use a Macbook and the screen isn’t at the height I’d really like or the size either. However it is a company-provided purchase and they won’t buy an external monitor (or keyboard, or mouse) for me yet, given the tough economic times.
Michael says on November 12th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I agree. - Even at my job where I work at the clients site as a consultant I bring my own keyboard and mouse (Aeron chair and decent monitor are luckily already available)
timgray says on November 12th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
audio.. get good speakers installed, you gotta have good tunes in the office.
Phone. have a good phone. that $3.95 special from walmart wont cut it get a real good office phone for your desk. If you are cellphone only get a cellphone home repeater to make sure you have good coverage and get a high end great headset.
noise abatement. even if you hang cheezy artwork it reduces sound reflection. add carpets make your office more “dead” to sound. This one kept my sanity.
Finally lighting. get good lighting that is good for you. a single 40W bulb that backlights you is not good. get track lighting installed so you can illuminate task areas and enhance natural light… Yes that means opening the shades and getting SUNLIGHT in your space. you deserve a office window.
Chris Holtz says on November 12th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I couldn’t agree more with this post. I’ve had my share of back-wrecking chairs and finally got the sense to pick up a quality ergonomic model. It wasn’t cheap - on the order of 800 dollars, but worth every penny.
I use the MS natural 4000 keyboard as well and love it. There are other more high-end keyboards out there, but this one seems to do well for me.
A thought about the desk - I don’t thing the desk size and placement matters quite so much if you have a separate adjustable keyboard tray - these you can hook up to the underside of any desk and adjust to the desired height.
One last note - many keyboards tilt upwards; this can do horrible things to your wrists. If possible, drop your keyboard to a comfortable level where you can tilt the keyboard down slightly - that is, the part of the keyboard further from your body should be slightly lower. This should keep your wrists and hands more parallel to your arms.
Carsten Hinze says on November 12th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
With increasingly flexible lifestyles and work environments I see a benefit for a lot of people to just work with one single computer – a laptop. If you move around a lot, travel for work, have changing client’s sites, occasionally work from home – I recommend ignoring the keyboard question.
Working in consulting, I am a nomad myself. What I do is carry a wireless mouse (Wireless Notebook Presenter 8000), connect my laptop to an external wide screen wherever I can (DELLs are not bad) and simply ALWAYS type on the laptop keyboard. For productivity reasons that is – because I think dealing with different keyboards in various contexts (even if it’s only two variations) is an unnecessary challenge to fluent typing (different keyboard size, layout, finger positioning).
Regarding the chair I heard from chiropractors that equipment without a backrest are best for you because it demands the back to balance itself, which in turn strengthens otherwise useless muscles.
Nicolas says on November 12th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I agree that you should get the best office furniture and equipment you can afford. This is not only true for the furniture but any other stuff which is related to your work.
For furniture every person’s needs are a little bit different. It might therefore be a good idea to go to a shop known for having knowledgeable sales people to get a good overview.
I wrote an article on office furniture on my blog if you are interested in more.
http://memytime.wordpress.com/.....an-afford/
Tumblemoose says on November 12th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Joel,
How true it is. When I decided to freelance full time my first purchase was a good chair. It makes all of the difference in the world.
Hey, how about a contest where everyone submits a video of them turning their keyboard upside down and giving it a good shake. A prize could be awarded for the largest amount/grossest stuff?
Nummy!
Cheers
George
Richard X. Thripp says on November 12th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
256MB of RAM is supposed to be plenty of temporary space. I think Windows XP / Vista manage memory very inefficiently. Firefox 3 seems a lot slower than v1. Then again, there’s also all those big pictures, videos, music, JavaScript, and other resource-heavy stuff on MySpace pages…
Jackson Edgewood says on November 12th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I have to say ergonomics are so key when it comes to office accessories. I got my keyboard and office chair at ultimatebackstore.com which turned out to be really helpful because all of their stuff is geared towards correcting postures and aiding back aches throughout the workday.
John Lacey says on November 12th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I think this is interesting… I don’t actually use a mouse. I use “Mouse keys” in windows and only very occassionally have to resort to the trackpad on the laptop itself. (I use a Logitech laptop riser to bring screen to eye level and a wireless keyboard to type and negotiate around interfaces.)
However I cannot agree with you enough about the chair. Don’t skimp. It is so important. Get something nice ergonomic AND luxurious. You’ll love working because the chair will change how you feel at the computer.
Charles says on November 13th, 2008 at 1:28 am
For right-handed typists a left-handed keyboard [1] makes a hell of a lot of sense. A left-handed keyboard allows the home keys to be centered on the screen and your mouse/tablet only a few inches to the right. One would otherwise have the home keys left of center or the mouse/tablet really far away to the right. A left-handed keyboard naturally allows the right hand to use the mouse for selecting entry fields and the left hand for punching the key pad. Give it a try.
[1] http://www.fentek-ind.com/kblhmwusb.htm
Juliet says on November 13th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Hi Joel
Thanks for all the great tips! (everybody)
I spend some time working at a company which has exceptionally fancy (and expensive) furniture, but ergonomics simply hasn’t been considered. Crazy
In fact, there is a “saying” that working for this company you will: gain 6kg, have to get glasses and develop back-problems. Chariming!
At least I’ll ensure that I have the right gear for my home-office.
Cheers
Juliet
Neil Matthews says on November 13th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I would also add adequate lighting to your top five, it makes such a huge difference if you can work by top quality natural light or a well designed lighting placement.
Vincent says on November 13th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Sometimes the need to splash the cash for an ergonomic keyboard or mouse is necessary due to the long work hours we spend in front of the computer. Thanks for the reminder.
Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger
Dan says on November 13th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
A good chair is great, but a keyboard tray with a negative tilt, monitor arm to adjust the monitor to the correct position, a footrest, ergo keyboard, might look at the switch mouse , and if you use a laptop, definately go for a docking station with seperate keyboard and mouse.
Above all, get up and walk around! Don’t sit there for 8 hours straight, every hour get up and stretch.
Michael says on November 13th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Regarding the chair, one option that has worked very well for me is to sit on a yoga ball. These are the inflatable exercise balls that are available cheap at any department store. Sitting on one of these balls forces you into a healthy posture naturally. I have had great results over the past 2 years using a yoga ball as my office chair.
LJ says on November 19th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Does anyone have any recommendations for an ergonomic *left*-handed mouse? While I can mouse with both hands, I prefer the left hand at home.
John says on November 22nd, 2008 at 9:51 pm
All good points. It basically all boils down to ergonomics.There’s all sorts of information available online.
At home I use my laptop as my desktop. I finally got around to jacking up the computer to eye level, and using an external keyboard and mouse.
The last place I worked, the previous employee had the keyboard on top of the high desk (above the keyboard tray), the monitor off to the side, and the mouse on the corner of the desk. What a disaster. I had to change it before the end of the morning.
Computer Appliances says on December 8th, 2008 at 1:04 am
We can overthrow the quality of all required office items, proper care should be taken while purchasing it and proper quality should be ensured.
Thanks for posting.
Lucy
june says on January 21st, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Are you guys familiar with preownedaerons.com? My coworker just got a chair there and its fantastic, like brand new. I usually get my accessories at Ultimatebackstore.com though. They have the coolest accessories and their prices are actually very reasonable considering their top quality.