Upgrade the home office to make work easier

This has been the year in which more Australians than ever have been obliged to work from home.

While many of us are now back in the office and returning to our workplace routines, the experience has been a definite eye-opener, with lots of people realising their home set-ups aren’t particularly optimised for getting work done as easily and efficiently as we might like.

With that in mind, it’s not a bad idea to have a think about what kind of equipment might upgrade your working-from-home experience. Everybody’s situation is different, of course, and there’s no one-sizefits-all solution, but if your job calls for spending lots of time at the PC, you might want to think about an ergonomic chair, a proper monitor or a better mouse or keyboard.

There’s also wi-fi networking to think about, headsets for virtual meetings, noise-cancelling headphones ... the list goes on. Basically, if working from home doesn’t really work for you, why doesn’t it? Can it be easily fixed?

What is it? VAVA 8-in-1 USB C Hub

How much? $75.99 Pros: If you’re working from home on a tiny notebook PC with only a couple of USB-C ports, you really ought to think about expanding your connectivity options. Good-quality USB-C hubs give you additional ports to plug things into, memory card slots, an ethernet connector, and HDMI-out ports so you can connect to an external monitor.

Cons: None, but shop around for the best device to suit your particular connectivity needs.

vava.com

What is it? Logitech Combo Touch

How much? $299.95 Pros: Just as notebooks can be significantly upgraded in terms of functionality, so too can tablets. Logitech’s Combo Touch gives latest-model iPads, iPad Airs, and iPad Pros (10.5-inch) a detachable backlit keyboard with a trackpad, making full computer-style control of iPads a real thing (finally).

Cons: Much cheaper than Apple’s own Magic Keyboard, but still expensive for what you get. If you don’t need trackpad support, consider cost-effective Bluetooth keyboards.

logitech.com/en-au

What What is is it? it? Bose Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones 700

How How much? much? $495 Pros: Pros: At home you may have control over your working environment, but not necessarily control over who gets to be in it. Family members (including noisy kids) and flatmates aren’t always conducive to concentration, so if you need to block out distractions, noisecancelling headphones can enable productivity bliss.

Cons: Cons: Excellent audio and features, but pricey. If all you need is noisecancelling, you can go a lot cheaper.

bose.com.au