11 Work From Home Essentials

Like many people, I’ve been working from home since March.

Besides a day here or there, I never worked from home for long periods of time before. The whole idea was new for me.

I am thankful because I purchased a new desk this winter and it’s been amazing to have a real desk during these last (5? 6? 100?) months.

Although I have established a Work From Home routine, it changes every couple of weeks. My desk essentials, on the other hand, have literally changed the game. It took some time to figure out what I would need to be as productive as possible at home. There are a lot more distractions than in an office setting! However, these products truly help me stay in the zone from the moment I log on to the moment I log off.

{ONE} Glasses

I betcha didn’t know I wear glasses! Or maybe you did, who knows. I should wear them more often than I do, especially when I read or look at a screen which is basically all of the time. I didn’t used to wear them during work hours but I’ve gotten into the habit of wearing them every day while working from home and it is a definite game changer. Less headaches, too, which is a win!

{TWO} Coffee, duh

I limit myself to two cups a day max. I must start my day with coffee and sometimes, I’ll make myself an iced coffee in the afternoon. In the beginning months of WFH, I was in the habit of drinking coffee way too frequently so I cut that habit QUICK before I got too addicted.

{THREE} Headphones

Technically I could go without headphones during Zoom calls and be fine, but I prefer wearing them during meetings. It helps me focus and tune out any background noise (like Lucy barking downstairs, if I’m being honest).

{FOUR} My Planner

I’m one of the lone few who have stuck with a paper planner through COVID. I mentioned last week that I’m a huge to-do list gal. I like to stay organized by writing personal to-dos in my planner and tracking habits like water intake and when I exercise. I currently use the Bloom Planners’ Vision Planner. This is the design I have, but it is currently sold out. I’ve used the pink marble one and it’s cute, too!

Here’s a code for 10% off a Bloom product if you’re interested :)

{FIVE} Work Notebook

Again, I’m a to-do list lover. I keep work to-dos and notes separate from my Vision Planner by writing them in a gold notebook. (This one is similar to the one I have.) I write down all of my to-dos, meetings, and tasks each day to keep everything straight. I typically type up meeting notes digitally, but if there are quick notes I want to remember, I jot them down in my notebook too. It helps me stay on track when I know what to expect each day.

{SIX} Erasable Pens

This is a new essential for me because COVID. Meetings get canceled, plans change, you make mistakes writing in pen, etc. Erasable pens are GENIUS. These are the ones I have and I love them. The only thing to note is that it takes a second to dry so if you write and mess up, wait a few seconds before trying to erase and start again.

{SEVEN} Stickers

Not an essential, per se, but it makes me happy. I use stickers occasionally to decorate my planner and make it look cute. These stickers from Bloom are adorable, are they not?!

{EIGHT} Month-At-A-Glance Desk Calendar

I recently purchased Bloom Planners’ Desk + Wall Calendar to track work projects, to-dos, and events. I wanted to keep them separate from my Vision Planner and thought a month-at-a-glance view would be perfect. It’s been great to keep an eye on what’s coming up, plus it’s cute and adds to my desk decor!

{NINE} Highlighters

I’m starting to realize how Type A I sound in this post, and this paragraph isn’t going to make me sound any less crazy. I use highlighters to check things off in my work notebook…and I color code the days. Yeah, I know. I’m a little OCD, I get it. Mondays are green, Tuesdays are blue, etc. There’s literally no real reason for this except I like using highlighters in pretty colors. No shame.

{TEN} Water bottle (and lemon water)

I’ve talked about my water bottle before because I love it. It’s 32oz and I aim to drink at least two of them. I also love lemon water so the handy dandy infusion insert is great!

{ELEVEN} A good Spotify playlist

And finally, WFH essentials wouldn’t be complete without some good background music to help you stay focused. I’ve been switching between the Hamilton soundtrack, Folklore by Taylor Swift, and classical musical depending on the task and my mood.