home working or homeworking

How to work from home: everything you need for remote working

Our guide to everything you need to make working from home a breeze, including the mouse, monitor, keyboard and router for you

The best mouse for working from home

The best keyboard for working from home, the best monitor for working from home, the best webcam for working from home, the best printer for working from home, the best laptop for working from home, the best network extender for working from home, best office setup for working from home, best software for working from home.

With many of us around the world continuing to work from home in 2021, you may be looking at exactly what hardware you'll need to be productive, and where to start.

In this guide, we'll walk you through all the essential kit you need to work from home successfully, as well as giving you tips and tricks on working remotely.

The need for the right equipment to make sure you're productive and happy is higher than ever given recent news, and it's not just a case of making sure you have the best laptop for working from home or a smartphone to stay in contact with your bosses, co-workers, family and friends (although this is still important) but also the multitude of other items and services that will make working from home a breeze.

If this all seems a bit overwhelming, and you don't know where to start, never fear - here's our guide to everything you need to know about the tech needed to be working from home.

If you left your trusty mouse in the office and are feeling a little disconnected, don't worry, as a new desk buddy can be yours with our best mouse and best wireless mouse guides.

Picking the best mouse for your needs when working from home is important, as it's one of the most common ways of interacting with your PC or laptop.

You can spend hours using your mouse when working from home, so you need to make sure you have one that's comfortable to hold, as well as being fast and responsive. Even if you have a laptop with a touchpad, you may find getting a mouse will make things more comfortable.

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Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

While it seems like all of our peripherals are either being fitted with unnecessary lighting or morphed into odd shapes, there are still some mice out there that you can take seriously from looks alone. 

The Microsoft Classic Intellimouse, for example, touts a classic design and appealing white lighting, and it is a breath of fresh air. It also beefs up the sensor, allowing users to ramp up the DPI to 3,200. It’s not wireless, and it’s hardly made for gaming, but if you’re in the market for a mouse that’ll help you get all your work done when working from home, the Microsoft Classic Intellimouse will be the best mouse for you.  

As with mice, having the best keyboard for working from home is also important. You'll want something nice and comfortable, as again, you'll be using it for long periods of time.

If you're looking for an external keyboard to give you a bit more flexibility, our best keyboards guide is here for you. We've also got our guide for the best gaming keyboard , if you're looking for something that can keep up with best AAA games as well as your productivity needs.

Logitech K780

With its latest keyboard, Logitech is targeting smartphone and tablet owners who prefer to use their device while sat at a desk. And, if you were a fan of the predecessor, the K380, the Logitech K780 should be right up your alley, especially with its added number pad. 

This keyboard still has the ability to pair with three devices using Bluetooth or wireless, so you can swap between all your gadgets on the fly. And, thanks to its comfortable rounded keycaps, it’s still a pleasure to type on. The keyboard’s base is the star of the show, however, as it can hold mobile devices up to 11.3mm thick in an upright position. This places them within arms’ reach to make anything from replying to WhatsApp messages or reading a digital magazine easier than ever. 

If you're one of the lucky few who enjoys a multiple-monitor set-up in the office, you may be feeling a little short-changed in home working from home has minimised your screen options. 

Luckily, adding an extra monitor is easier than ever these days, particularly if you have a docking station alongside your work laptop. Most external monitors can now be connected via HDMI, USB-C or DP ports, so if you're looking for an extra bit of screen space, check out our list of the best business monitors .

BenQ GW2270H

Again, if you've just started working from home, then you don't want to spend loads of money on a monitor. Instead, you'll want something that's affordable, yet allows you to work comfortably from home.

That's why we think the BenQ GW2270H is the best monitor for working from home. It offers the most affordable full HD monitor with an HDMI connector, and it's small and stylish that means it'll fit nicely into your home.

It has some standout features as well, to ensure you're comfortable while working from home ; one that reduces flicker (PWM technology) and a low blue light mode which may help with headaches and sleeping disorders. The stand design gives it a more expensive feel and its three ports (including two HDMI ones) are worthy of a mention, as is the two-year warranty and the VESA wall mounting option.

When working from home, you'll probably find you're holding just as many meetings – if not more – via video conferencing services like Skype and Google Hangouts. With these meetings, it's important to have a good quality webcam. Working from home can sometimes feel a little isolating, and video conferencing can give you some much needed human interaction.

While laptops usually come with webcams built-in, if you're using a desktop PC, you'll want to invest in the best webcam you can. Laptop owners may also want to buy a standalone webcam, as the one included in their machines might not be up to scratch, so let our best webcams guide help you out there.

Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000

The Microsoft LifeCam Studio is one of the best webcams out there, and ideal for home working. Aimed at pro users with large displays, it features a familiar configuration of 1080p recording and 720p live video calling. It rotates 360 degrees, and can be mounted on a tripod with autofocus. 

The wideband mic delivers crystal clear audio, and Microsoft’s TrueColor system will shift the exposure dynamically to keep you well lit, making it a great choice for business conferencing and presentations.

If you're now working from home, one of the devices you may find you miss the most is the office printer. They're not the most glamorous of devices, but if you need to print off documents or labels, you'll soon get frustrated if you don't have a printer.

The good news is that you don't need to spend a lot of money on a great printer for day-to-day work. We've listed the best value printer below, and make sure you check out our guide to the best printers for more buying advice.

HP Deskjet 2622

HP offers plenty of choice when it comes to all-in-one printers at this budget end of the market and this glossy white model is one of the cheapest. Nonetheless, it can print, scan and copy and offers both Wi-Fi and USB connectivity. There’s no auto duplex mode and printing is rather slow, but the design is quite compact and practical. Like some other low-cost inkjets, the three coloured inks are combined in the same cartridge, which is a slight disadvantage, but the black is a pigment ink which means more durable black and white printed pages. 

If you're really serious about getting the best working from home setup, then you may find you want to purchase a new laptop. After all, if you're using it all day, every day, then you'll want something that is powerful, dependable and comfortable to use.

Our best laptops for working from home guide will highlight some of the top devices you can buy right now, but when it comes to working from home we thing the laptop below is the best choice.

Acer Swift 3

Beyond the Acer Swift 3's modest exterior, you'll find an excellent laptop that boasts plenty of power for working from home. The Swift 3 is an inexpensive laptop; however, that plain chassis is all-aluminum and packed with beefy components. 

In terms of performance, it gets surprisingly close to the far more expensive Microsoft Surface Laptop. Its display is a little lower-res, but the two are otherwise strikingly similar - other than the price. 

This laptop is incredible to use as well, with its roomy trackpad as well as its backlit keyboard that offers a comfortable typing experience with decent travel. If you're going to be writing a lot as part of your day-to-day life working from home, this is a great choice.

If your home office is a bit too far away from your home router, you might benefit from a Wi-Fi extender, which can boost the signal across the rest of your house. We've selected the options of the best Wi-Fi extenders here.

These are important as when working from home, your internet connection is essential. If you struggle to get a dependable network connection where you work, then you'll soon get very frustrated. A Wi-Fi extender, or using any of the best powerline adapters , is an easy way to fix this.

• Or get one of the best wireless routers instead.

Netgear AC1200 WiFi Range Extender EX6150

Over the last couple years, Netgear has essentially turned itself into a household name in the networking world. And, they’ve put their extensive expertise to impressive use with their AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6150.

This terrific extender is a simple device that you can discreetly plug right into any electrical outlet, and definitely has our vote for one of the best Wi-Fi extenders. As an additional bonus, the EX6150 boasts quick and easy installation, free of any hassling installation software. Just follow the easy-to-read instructions and you’ll have fast and dependable Wi-Fi covering your entire home or office.

It may sound obvious, but having the right office set-up can make all the difference to your working from home productivity - and this can start with your chair and desk.

Making sure you're comfortable whilst your work isn't just a good idea for your fitness and general well-being, but will also make it less of a chore to sign in every morning - and help you stave off the temptation to slope off to the sofa after lunchtime.

We've rounded up our choice of the best office chairs in our guide, focusing on ergonomic desk chairs that should ensure you don't end up with cramps or strains - and a list of the best standing desks for those looking for something a bit different.

IKEA Markus

For those whose wallets are cowering at the price of some of the more expensive ergonomic chairs out there, IKEA’s Markus is doubtless a welcome spot of fiscal relief.

Unsurprisingly, you don’t get much in the way of fancy adjustments, but this is a sturdy chair which is well liked by many people, and offers a comfortable upright sitting position, with a long back and integrated headrest. The back is made of a mesh material to let the air through and provide better breathability.

There are some adjustments available to the user: you can adjust the seat for height, tilt, and the back can be locked in place, or it can be reclined. Other than that, this is a fairly basic chair, but well-made for the money – it costs a fraction of some of the higher-end seating options.

An unexpected bonus in this price bracket (around the £150 mark – that’s about $190) is that the Markus comes with an impressive 10-year guarantee.

• You can buy the Markus at IKEA

If you're feeling particularly active, and missing those lunchtime gym sessions, there's also the option of a standing desk, which can help bring a bit of variation into your new home office set-up. 

FlexiSpot ClassicRiser Standing Desk Converter

If you're working from home and don't want to spend a huge amount of money on a standing desk, then check out the FlexiSpot ClassicRiser . This is a manually adjustable model, which is obviously where a lot of the cost-savings come into play, but it’s still a nifty solution nonetheless, despite being considerably cheaper.

The ClassicRiser is easy enough to operate when raising or lowering the platform, which is achieved with a light squeeze on a lever at the side, and like the Uplift, it has a wide keyboard tray below the main platform (although this is removable).

You can select from different-sized platforms from the smallest 27-inch (M1) offering up to 47-inches (M3), with a range of various options available including monitor arms, anti-fatigue mats, and indeed an under-desk exercise bike. The M1 model is unsurprisingly the cheapest, but it doesn’t cost much more to ramp up the size to an M3.

Once your new hardware is all sorted, now it's time to make sure that you have all the right software and services to make working from home a breeze.

Many of you will have already been set up with online office suites, collaboration tools, videoconferencing software and the like, but for anyone working from home for the first time, you may be missing some crucial options - so here's our guide to the software you can't be without.

GoToMeeting

With employees around the world all now working from home, staying in touch is paramount to ensure all the usual company work gets done effectively and on time. With face-to-face meetings off the table, videoconferencing is now the best bet to help you all stay up to speed.

There are a number of popular tools out there today - and many of us will have used the likes of Zoom, Skype for Business or Google Meet already. But new measures may call for new tactics, so if you need a run-down of the best video conferencing software out there today.

Microsoft Office 365

It isn't just meetings that need rescheduling - everyday messaging and contact also needs a working from home makeover. Now we can't just walk over to somebody's desk to get an update or have a chat, the need for real-time collaboration tools is key. 

The likes of Slack and Asana are already popular choices, but if you want more options, check out our guide to the best online collaboration tools around.

Lastly, keeping track of all your projects is again trickier without face-to-face interaction, but luckily there are a raft of options available to help ameliorate this. 

Our best project management software guide has all the tools and services you need to keep your team up to speed with progress.

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.

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• How to work from home in 2023: 30 tips ...

How to work from home in 2023: 30 tips for success

While working from home gives you flexibility (goodbye, commute), it often means less structure and more distractions from your housemates. As such, you may have to switch up your schedule and learn new ways to succeed in a remote work setting. Get 24 tips to help you find balance—including ways to set boundaries, create productive routines, and virtually connect with your coworkers.

With the rise in both part-time and full-time remote work opportunities, you can say farewell to long commutes and office cubicles. 

Thriving in these new circumstances can be challenging, so we’re covering 30 work from home tips for boosting productivity .

Build remote communication best practices

Remote collaboration can take some getting used to, but you can overcome this hurdle by setting clear communication norms. Here’s how:

1. Set communication guidelines

To ensure everyone on your team is on the same page, establish guidelines for the frequency, timing, and means of communication. Additionally, determine how cross-departmental communication will work. 

Decide which communication medium would be best in a given situation. For example, if questions or issues can be addressed in an email or chat message, there’s no need to set up a meeting. 

Conversely, if the situation calls for frequent back-and-forths in real time, a quick call would be more ideal. 

2. Set project goals and expectations early

To account for the delays in communication, it’s best to set expectations early, especially when you’re working on highly cross-functional projects. Be clear in setting individual and team priorities. Provide detailed guidelines, goals, and dates for projects. 

After setting initial expectations and goals, be prepared to address questions or clarify things as they come up. Once projects are underway, provide regular feedback to ensure expectations are being met.

It’s also important to be flexible and prepare to shift dates around if needed.

3. Overcommunicate when working in different time zones

Work-from-home jobs may provide remote employees the flexibility to work from anywhere. However, when people work from different time zones, response times are prolonged. To avoid losing time between exchanges, be as detailed as possible in your messages or emails. 

Here are some ways to do this:

Provide as much information upfront as possible

Specify project deadlines or when you need to hear back by

Link to resources or related discussion threads 

Supplement your message with images or screenshots 

Let team members know when you’ll be away ahead of time

Getting the hang of asynchronous communication will help you avoid losing time on projects and ensure your team has everything they need to move forward on their work. 

4. Record team meetings

Larger team meetings or all-hands meetings are good opportunities to connect with other team members and get company updates. However, not everyone may be able to attend these meetings due to time zone differences or if they’re out sick or on vacation.

To ensure that all team members feel included and have access to the same information, record and share these virtual meetings with everyone. 

This also goes for training sessions or other important presentations. Make the recordings and slide decks accessible so team members can review and get up to speed at their own pace.

Create ways to stay productive at home

Just because you're not in the office doesn't mean you can't be productive. Try these strategies to boost your focus while working remotely:

5. Find your productivity window

It’s helpful to knock out high-priority tasks in the morning, but working from home gives you the freedom to do your most important work when you’re at your most productive. 

Are you a morning person who loves to knock out tasks before lunch? Do you get your energy late in the day and even into the night? As long as you’re getting enough sleep and making time for yourself, schedule your high-priority work during your best windows of productivity. Then, you can do lower-priority work whenever you want. 

Recognize when your peak production hours are and schedule that time to do uninterrupted work. If it’s outside regular working hours, talk to your manager about creating a schedule that works for you. 

6. Combine your to-do list with time blocking

It’s easy to get off track or procrastinate when you’re working from the comfort of home, so it can be helpful to use time management or task management strategies. For instance, you can use to-do list software and time blocking to schedule tasks in order of importance.

Visualizing your tasks can help you stay on track and get things done on time. If you start the day with a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, it’ll help you focus on finishing one task at a time and prevent multitasking. 

7. Limit distractions

When your personal and professional lives intertwine at home, external interruptions during work hours are inevitable—understandably so. That said, you can also take steps to limit distractions as much as possible.

Here are some things you can do to reduce distractions when working:

If you don’t need your phone, set it to silent or airplane mode

Disable app notifications during designated focus time

Wear noise-canceling headphones to block out distracting sounds 

8. Commit to heads-down time

Even when working from home, it’s necessary to tune out coworkers sometimes. If you need to commit to a project for a little while, turn off chat and email notifications so you don’t find yourself scatterbrained.

Take advantage of status updates in chat to let your team know when you’re in focus mode. Make sure you’re scheduling head-down time the same way you would a meeting.

9. Tackle high-priority tasks in the morning

As Mark Twain once said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.”

When this quote is applied to task prioritization, it’s a sound piece of advice. By eating your “frog”—or tackling the biggest or most important task—in the morning, you’ll feel more accomplished and less stressed throughout the day as you move onto less demanding or time-sensitive tasks. 

You’ll likely be able to direct more of your undivided attention to a task first thing in the morning, since there will be more distractions later on as other tasks and notifications start to come in.

Optimize your space and your life

When transitioning to work from home, it’s important to create a space and routine that will support your productivity. Try these techniques to optimize your work environment and schedule:

10. Create a morning routine

Transitioning to remote work might have thrown off your schedule, so getting back into a daily morning routine can help you feel ready to start your workday. 

Set up your own “commute” to ease into your workday. For example, get dressed like you’re going to work, take a shower, and make a cup of coffee. If you’re intentional about “going to work,” you’re also more likely to be productive . 

Similarly, you can also create a routine to wrap up your workday and decompress. For example, you could review what you finished for the day, change your clothes, and take some time to meditate or clear your mind.

11. Stick to a schedule

Telecommuting, hybrid jobs, and other home opportunities can come with the perks of flexible hours and convenience, but keep in mind that it may take longer to get things done if there are constant disruptions to your workflow. 

You don’t have to work a strict 9–5 day, but you should designate work hours and stick to them when possible to keep up a continuous workflow. 

Don’t forget to schedule breaks so you have time to recharge. Taking regular breaks lets your brain relax and refocus, helping you remain productive throughout the day.

It can also be easy to lose track of time when you’re working online, so using time-tracking software can help you follow your schedule. 

12. Define a separate physical workspace

It may be tempting to work from your bed or the kitchen, but your productivity might take a hit since there are distractions all around you. It’s better to separate your home life and work environment so there are clear boundaries. 

If you don’t have a separate room to use as an office, carve out a section of any room as your workspace. Invest in a good desk and chair so that you can work comfortably and focus. 

Having a designated workspace can get you in the right mindset for work and signal to other members of your household that you’re at work. 

13. Create your ideal office

Working from home gives you the power to create the office of your dreams. You can get the standing desk you’ve always wanted or finally play your working music out loud without distracting anyone. 

Being the architect of your own office allows you to craft a space where you’ll be happy, and therefore more productive. The most important thing is to create an office where you’ll be comfortable and focused. Limit the distractions around you but also design a space you won’t dread going to every day. 

14. Declutter your workspace

It can be hard to focus on work when your desk is messy. Research has shown that clutter can make us feel more stressed and anxious. 

To avoid this, take the time to come up with a system to organize your workspace at home. A tidy workspace will save you time in cleaning and finding things you need.

Here are some ways to stay organized:

Develop a digital or physical filing system for organization

Organize your browser’s toolbar with bookmarks and frequently used features

Declutter your desk during breaks

At the end of the day, leave your desk the way you’d like to see it the next day. 

15. Communicate expectations to your housemates

To keep everything running smoothly both at work and at home, it’s crucial to set expectations for your housemates. 

Let them know your work schedule as well as how to reach you while you’re working. 

If you’re a parent and you’re sharing caregiving responsibilities, coordinate your schedules accordingly. For example, you can divide the day into shifts, alternating working and focusing on child care.  

It’s a good idea to set expectations for your housemates on how to get your attention during work hours. For example, when your door is closed, it means they should slide a note under the door instead of knocking. 

Communicating this will help prevent conflicts at home and hopefully set clear work expectations. 

16. Align your skills with a WFH role

If your current job doesn’t let you work from home, consider exploring some roles that let you stay in your pajamas. There are a number of ways to work from home, so look for a position that matches up with your skill set. Some popular work from home jobs include: 

Blogger: One of the most popular and inexpensive work-from-home jobs, blogging truly offers the freedom to work whenever and wherever you want. However, you have to be patient, as it can take some time to build an audience and bring in revenue. 

Online educator: Online education provides an alternative for teachers who prefer to work in a virtual classroom. This profession ranges from tutors to K–12 and adult learning teachers. 

Virtual assistant: Virtual assistants handle administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and booking flights. Working largely behind the scenes, virtual assistants can perform their duties from the comfort of their homes. 

Transcriptionist : Transcriptionists transcribevoice recordings into writing. This job requires training and certification, as it demands precision and patience. 

Editor : Being an editor requires focus and precision. Editors are experts in refining written work so it reads well, speaks to the correct audience, and is free of grammatical errors. 

Website tester: Web testers gauge the performance and user experience of a website. If you have an eye for good web design and a background in computer science, you’ll likely be a good web tester. 

Bookkeeper: Bookkeepers manage financial documents and offer recommendations on spending trends. You don’t need a degree or certification to become a bookkeeper, as most gain experience and training on the job. 

Support your remote team

Even if you can't see your teammates in person, you can still connect with them virtually. Here are some ways to stay in touch with your team and make sure they feel supported:

17. Recognize your team’s successes

It’s important to recognize and celebrate team members’ contributions so they feel valued and motivated. Whether it’s through an email or a public shout-out on chat or during a meeting, find ways to show your appreciation and support.

This type of recognition is also a way to model positive behavior and performance for other team members to follow.

18. Provide opportunities for team engagement

Working remotely can get lonely since it can be harder to connect with other team members. But it doesn’t have to be that way. To keep your team engaged, create opportunities for social interaction. 

Here are some ways to engage your team:

Do virtual team-building activities

Schedule social hours

Share some team motivational quotes

Connect through virtual lunches or coffee breaks

These activities not only help team members feel connected but are also good ways to strengthen team bonds, which improves cohesiveness and collaboration.  

Configure your remote collaboration tools

When working remotely, the number of emails you send and receive will likely go up, so you need to make sure you can access your work email from home. 

In addition to emails, every team uses different tools to collaborate. Your team should decide on what tools to use for messaging and video conferencing, as well as keeping track of projects. 

Agree on the remote collaboration tools your team needs and check that all your login credentials work ahead of time. Make sure you have solid Wi-Fi so you don’t risk losing your work or cutting out of meetings.

20. Implement a team collaboration tool

Managing remote teams requires a lot of flexibility when it comes to scheduling. You might have to learn how to use a new set of tools, embrace asynchronous communication , and get creative with problem-solving. 

It’s also beneficial to set up a centralized project management platform where you can plan and track your team’s projects and tasks. You can do this by building spreadsheets, creating shared folders for each project, or using project management software to automate processes. 

With a robust project management system setup, team members will be able to find the information they need and submit deliverables in one place, reducing the number of extra emails and meetings.

21. Schedule regular check-ins

Communication is key when it comes to collaboration, and even more so when working in remote teams. 

To maintain communication, schedule regular meetings with your direct reports, whether it’s daily, weekly, or every other day. By holding these check-ins, team members will be able to address things that are hard to convey over email or chat. You’ll also be able to get more detailed updates on how your teammates are doing. 

Here are some talking points you might want to include in the meeting agenda :

Get updates on current projects

Give feedback on past or current projects

Check on teammate’s overall well-being

Discuss upcoming projects 

Provide additional resources or training

These can help create a more productive and engaging meeting. 

Prioritize your mental health

Remote work can pose challenges to our mental health—like unclear boundaries and a feeling of isolation. Here are some strategies to nurture your mental and physical well-being while working from home:

22. Reach out to other team members

The isolation of remote work can take a toll on our mental health. Having a network of people that you can reach out to can be immensely beneficial.

Find a work buddy that you can connect with and reach out to share challenges and successes, work- or non-work-related. That way, you can also continue to build work relationships even when you can’t meet each other in person. 

Additionally, bring up any concerns with your manager. They’ll be able to readjust your workload or provide mental health care resources as needed. 

If you need to rearrange your work hours or have questions about taking mental health days, reach out to your human resources team for support. 

23. Schedule time for yourself

Setting up a structured routine is important when balancing work and hobbies. How detailed you get with your plan is up to you, but in general, creating a rough schedule of daily tasks can be helpful to keep yourself accountable. 

It is especially important to make time for the things you love. It can be easy to make work your first priority, but penciling in time for yourself can decrease the likelihood of burnout in the long run. 

Your personal schedule could include tasks such as:

Take a 15-minute walk

Read a chapter of a book

Call a friend or family member

It’s a good feeling when you get to cross those activities off your list at the end of the day, and it can help fuel your passion for work the next day. 

24. Practice gratitude

Without face-to-face collaboration, it’s easy to feel like the work you’re doing is less personal, and therefore less important. 

When reviewing work or collaborating on a project, let your coworkers know that they’re doing a great job. A simple kudos or short message celebrating someone’s progress can go a long way. 

25. Be patient with yourself and those around you

This tip applies to both working parents and those without kids. Whether you have distractions around you or are merely distracting yourself, patience is key. 

You can only direct your attention to so many things at once, so at times you may need to ease up on rules. For instance, it’s OK to allow yourself to take incremental breaks. Just don’t drop the ball on work deliverables.

Balancing work, self-care, and relationships with those around you can be tough. Planning in advance is immensely helpful, but even so, unexpected things can always come up. Let your team know when that happens and figure out a backup plan. 

Above all, be patient with yourself. Accept the fact that some days will be better than others, since everyone needs time to adjust.

26. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule

As work hours become more flexible, it can be tempting to stay up later to watch Netflix or sleep in until noon. However, disrupting your circadian rhythm might leave you with varying energy levels or fatigue throughout the day.

It’s recommended that adults get seven or more hours of sleep each night. Stick to that rule of thumb so you’ll be able to feel your best at work and maximize your concentration.

27. Set work boundaries

When the boundaries are blurred between home and work life, it can feel more difficult to separate the two. In fact, 71% of workers experienced burnout in 2020. Plus, 87% of employees report working nearly two hours later every day.

To prevent burnout and achieve proper work-life balance, it’s crucial to set clear boundaries, which is where creating a schedule comes in handy. Define your work hours and when people can contact you. 

Once you’re done with your workday, leave everything work-related until the next day—even those emails that come in after work. Take time to focus on yourself, your hobbies, and your relationships. 

28. Take breaks from screens

Staring at a screen for hours on end and processing large amounts of information can be physically and mentally exhausting. 

Whenever you have a longer break, step away from the screen to give your eyes and your brain a rest.

Cut back on social media

Go on walks during breaks

Turn off work notifications until the next workday 

Put away your work equipment after work

A change in scenery can also help you get your creative juices flowing. 

29. Prioritize exercise

While working from home allows you to spend more time on the couch, it’s important to implement regular exercise into your schedule. 

Whether it’s a run before work or a walk during your lunch break, exercise gets your endorphins flowing and keeps your brain sharp throughout the day. Try starting your day with a workout or doing some midday yoga. See if these changes affect your productivity. 

30. Take time off

Just because you’re not going into an office every day doesn’t mean you don’t deserve time off. 

Time off is more important now than ever. With looser hours and fewer boundaries, it’s pivotal that you schedule time off and take mental health days. If you take a mental health day, try to stay active. You can do activities like:

Exercising 

Reading and writing

Meditating 

Catching up on tasks around the house 

Calling a family member or friend 

Doing one of your favorite hobbies 

Make sure your team is prioritizing time off and mental health days, even in the era of remote work. 

Boost your productivity at home

It takes some time to get the hang of balancing home and work life, whether you work at a startup or enterprise business. Stay flexible and communicate your needs with your team as you go.

Once you’re equipped with the right tools and home office setup , you’re ready to settle into remote and tackle working from home. Don’t forget, work-from-home jobs have their benefits, especially when you practice some of these remote work tips.

Related resources

30-60-90 day plan: How to onboard new hires with ease

What is a workcation? (And when should you take one?)

6 ways to develop adaptability in the workplace and embrace change

Return to office: 7 ways to help your team do great work

Work From Home vs. Work From Office: Which Is Actually Better?

Are you wondering whether to work from home or from the office? Here's a guide to help you decide.

Lately, a lot of companies have started asking their workforce to return to the office after enjoying work from home (WFH) ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

But which is actually better for you as an employee? Let's compare working from home and working from an office and discuss the pros and cons of each.

The Pros of Work From Home

1. more flexibility and freedom.

Being able to work in your comfy pajamas at your own pace away from scrutinous managers is a benefit that's hard to quantify. In fact, more than half of our readers prefer work from home .

Working from home is especially useful for parents with young kids since it allows them to attend to their needs without necessarily having to take leaves, contributing to a better work-life balance and increased job satisfaction.

2. No More Commute to Work

In the US, the average one-way commute to work is a little under 30 minutes according to Zippia . That's roughly an hour of round-trip commute a day or 260 hours a year assuming you work five days a week.

The average hourly wage as of July 2023 is $33.74 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . So that's $8,772 you're losing each year in lost wages. Note that we haven't even accounted for costs like fuel, car maintenance, and depreciation yet!

3. It's Better for the Environment

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , transportation accounted for 28% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, making it the biggest contributor to climate change.

That means working from home is not just better for you, but also for the environment since you're reducing your carbon footprint by not driving your car to work, for example.

4. It Can Lower Your Expenses

Aside from not having to commute, you can also save money working from home by not having to spend on childcare, buying lunch at work, and updating your wardrobe every year.

Also, since rent is much higher in commercial areas than in residential areas, you can move to a cheaper place that's further away from your workplace without having to switch jobs.

The Cons of Work From Home

1. it's easier to procrastinate at home.

Although it's less stressful, working at home makes it easier to procrastinate since the working hours are not clearly defined, and you don't have a direct manager supervising you. For people who lack self-control and a good work ethic, working from home can invite laziness.

2. It Can Be More Distracting

In an office, everyone has a mutual understanding that work is the main objective. But at home, there are a number of things that can distract you like important errands, housework, loud neighbors, visitors, your kids, or even just doomscrolling social media .

3. It Can Get Lonely and Isolating

Water cooler chats at work may seem trivial, but they do admittedly fulfill your social needs. Working from home has the tendency to feel isolating after a while. After all, Zoom meetings are not a substitute for rich, in-person conversations.

4. It Can Subject You to Bias During Appraisals

If you're working from home, but your colleagues aren't, you might be perceived as less committed or loyal to the company. This in turn can subject you to bias during appraisals as those who worked in the office may be able to negotiate a higher pay raise .

The Pros of Work From Office

1. faster communication with your team.

A verbal discussion with a colleague sitting next to you about a presentation due next week, for example, is way faster than texting them on Slack and waiting for their reply.

Working in an office with your team also fosters creativity, problem-solving, and rapport-building since you can brainstorm together and bounce ideas off each other.

2. It Teaches You Hard and Soft Skills

If you're new to the industry, it's better to work in an office than to work at home. Why? Because learning new skills and getting hands-on experience are more important priorities to you for now, and those things are harder to come when working from home.

3. It Makes Planning Your Day Easier

Planning your day becomes easier when you have a fixed schedule. Sure, it's not very convenient, but once you're done with your working hours in the office, how you use the rest of your day is totally up to you. But when working from home, employees are often expected to be available well past their normal schedule.

4. It's Better for Career Growth

Working on-site can also prove to be better for your career growth since it grants you deeper industry exposure, builds your network, and helps advance to higher positions. When working from home, those opportunities are easier to miss.

The Cons of Work From Office

1. lack of privacy.

Micromanaging superiors and overly friendly colleagues can encroach on your personal space at work and make you unable to concentrate. Such is not the case at home, although remote workers do have to deal with employee surveillance software .

2. Encourages a Sedentary Lifestyle

One lesser-discussed con of working from an office is the extreme lack of mobility. Sure, you might have the comfiest chair in the world, but we don't need to remind you how unhealthy it can be to sit in one place for eight hours in a row almost every day.

3. More Stressful and Demanding

There's no sugarcoating it—some offices are terrible places to work. Unless you're someone who has high stress tolerance or works in a company with a rather laid-back culture, working from an office is usually much more stressful and can be anxiety-inducing, especially in certain industries and high-profile jobs.

4. You Can't Work at Your Own Pace

Some people are naturally more productive in the evening or at night, but if your workplace is like most others, you're expected to come to work every morning at the exact same time. This can be ineffective because you're not allowed—let alone encouraged—to work when you're at your peak energy level.

More People Prefer Working From Home

Study after study concludes the same thing: more people prefer working from home than on-site. It's becoming increasingly more common for job seekers today to look for remote work opportunities and prioritize flexibility alongside pay.

Of course, WFH isn't ideal for all industries, and not everyone prefers it. And if you're new to the industry, it definitely helps to get some hands-on experience and industry exposure first before you go hunting for remote work.

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8 Tips for Working from Home Effectively

• 12 Mar 2020

Organizations are continuing to find ways to protect workers from the threat of coronavirus (COVID-19) . Many businesses are encouraging employees to work from home to try ebbing the spread of germs and keep staff safe.

Prior to the global health crisis, remote work was more common than ever, with 43 percent of Americans working from home at least occasionally, according to Gallup . A recent survey by PwC found that even after COVID-19 is no longer a concern, 55 percent of executives anticipate most of their employees will work from home at least one day per week.

That may sound like a dream for those with a long commute or for people who crave a more flexible schedule, but if you’re not used to it, it could be daunting—and it may take time to adjust.

Are you concerned you'll have trouble staying focused or worried you'll miss out on team collaboration and regular interaction with your colleagues? To help you make a smooth transition and stay engaged, here are eight steps you can take to start working from home more effectively.

How to Work from Home

1. create a dedicated space.

One of the most important ways to make sure your time at home is productive is to create a defined space that can serve as your office. In an ideal world, you’ll have a spare or guest room that can double as a home office, but even a small corner of your kitchen table will suffice.

Once you identify the space, turn it into a work-like environment. Proper furniture and lighting can make a difference. A desk and office chair are optimal, but any table or counter will work—especially temporarily. If work-from-home is more than just a passing phase, you might want to invest in actual office furniture. No matter what, working from a bed or couch—which you likely equate with relaxation and leisure—could be a productivity killer.

Related: Are Online Classes Worth It? 12 Pros & Cons of Online Learning

2. Have the Proper Technology

If your work computer is a laptop, it should be easy enough to get up-and-running. Yet if you’re typically on your computer all day, you may want to invest in an additional monitor and keyboard. Your employer may supply or cover the cost of necessary equipment, but if it’s your choice to work from home, you might have to pay for it yourself.

Other equipment and technology to consider:

• High-speed internet access
• Landline for dependable phone connections
• Camera for FaceTime, Skype, or Zoom meetings

3. Establish Firm Office Hours and Set Boundaries

It can be easy for people who work from home to get distracted and start tidying around the house or surfing social media. To make sure you stay on task, establish firm office hours and do your best to stick to a defined schedule.

It’s a good idea to set ground rules for other people in your household and make it clear that just because you’re home doesn’t mean you’re free to run errands or provide rides.

One potential pitfall of working from home is allowing your work time to bleed into home time. By setting specific work hours and making a point to shut down at night, you’ll be fresh and ready for the next day.

4. Dress for Work

One trick for getting in the right mindset for at-home work is to groom and dress as if you’re going to the office. It may be tempting to skip a shower or stay in your pajamas, but that’s ill-advised.

“If you’re dressed for bed, your brain will think it’s bedtime,” writes The Guardian's fashion expert Hadley Freeman . “Putting on a suit or smart dress gets them...in the work mindset. I have a friend who likes to work from home in party dresses, as they make her feel like she is a) on it and b) having fun, even though she is sitting in her living room and knocking out more advertising copy.”

A party dress may be taking it too far, but, by waking up, eating breakfast, and getting dressed, it may be easier to transition into a work state of mind.

5. Make “Work” Friends

One possible loss you may experience when you start working from home is collaboration, teamwork, or, simply, human contact. As you’re adjusting, schedule meetings with colleagues to brainstorm or just catch up by phone or FaceTime.

Some remote workers enjoy spending their time at a local coffee shop or library, simply to have contact with other people. You could reach out to neighbors who work from home and meet for coffee to get the social time you may miss from being in the office.

6. Stay Connected with Your Team

While it’s important to maintain a healthy social life in general while working from home, it’s also important to stay connected with your team.

If you’re in a supervisory role, you may be facing new challenges when it comes to managing remote employees . With a dispersed team, it can be difficult to encourage collaboration, foster engagement , and ensure productivity. Keep the line of communication open between yourself and your teammates throughout the workday so you can effectively work together toward common goals.

As an individual contributor, it’s also important to regularly communicate with your boss and coworkers to keep progress flowing smoothly. Using an instant messenger like Microsoft Teams or Slack can help you stay in touch throughout the day.

7. Limit Distractions

Working from home can bring multiple distractions that you don’t typically encounter in an office setting. It may be tempting to leave the television on in the background or wash a load of laundry while you’re on the clock, but doing so can hinder your productivity.

Take steps to limit distractions and create an effective work environment. Remember that the added comfort of telecommuting shouldn’t come as a sacrifice to your job performance.

8. Coordinate with Others in the Home

If your household has more than one person working from home, it’s important to be respectful of each other.

Coordinating schedules ahead of a busy day can help you avoid disruptions and unnecessary stress in your relationships. If you know you have video calls throughout the day, for example, let others know in advance so they can plan ahead. If you expect others to be quiet while you’re working, be sure to return the courtesy when they have meetings.

Related: How to Work from Home When Your Kids Are Home, Too

Working from Home Effectively

There are many benefits to working from home, like less time sitting and more time for exercise or spending time with loved ones. With a bit of planning, and by following these simple steps, you should be able to be productive and focused while working from home and have more time for things you enjoy.

If you find you have extra time that you might otherwise have spent commuting, consider sharpening your skills by downloading our free business essentials e-book and taking an online course. Check out our course catalog for a variety of engaging and interactive courses on business fundamentals.

This post was updated on September 4, 2020. It was originally published on March 12, 2020.

About the Author

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Home Working

At HomeWorkingClub, we discuss every type of home working. From full-time remote jobs to freelancing, and from big money-makers to side gigs.

Here’s a list of some of our most popular recent content:

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More From Forbes

If you work from home, here’s 6 tips to create the perfect wfh office.

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The right workspace is comfortable, personal, and ergonomic.

The widespread work from home movement was born of necessity during COVID-19. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , between 2019 and 2021, the number of people primarily working from home tripled — from 9 million to 27.6 million. Years later, working from home continues to be a way of life with some still at home on a full-time basis, and millions more engaging in a hybrid model, dividing their time between home and office work.

Working remotely provides the opportunity to live almost anywhere, allowing renters and homeowners alike to move out of expensive cities and into more affordable regions — and some buyers are even rejecting suburban McMansions in favor of minimalist, simple-sized homes that require less upkeep and provide more peace and quiet.

Another advantage of working from home: commute time savings. A report by the National Bureau of Economic Research reveals that globally, people who work from save an average of 72 minutes a day that would have been spent commuting (in the U.S. the average daily commute time is 55 minutes). Working from home also results in less wear and tear on vehicles, and reduces clothing costs – and this extra money will come in handy now that they need a six-figure salary to comfortably afford a home .

Admittedly, some companies are beckoning their employees back to work, even though a report by Hubstaff reveals that remote workers experience fewer interruptions and spend more time on focused tasks, compared to office workers (22.75 hours/week versus 18.6 hours/week).

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A home office, or a space that can be used for a home office, is now a feature that both homeowners and potential buyers consider an advantage. I previously covered the most popular home projects , according to the 2024 Houzz and Home Study, and in 2023, homeowners spent 6.6 months planning how they would renovate their home offices, and an additional 3 months on actual home office construction/remodeling. On average, survey respondents spent $2,000 renovating a space to convert it into a home office.

“Working from home can be super relaxing — sometimes even a little too relaxing,” says New York City interior designer Emma Beryl . However, she tells me that creating the perfect WFH space can help you stay motivated and get your work done.

But this entails more than just a cool design and stylish items to make your home office look good. “Proper home ergonomics can help prevent degenerative disc problems at L5 from prolonged sitting with a poor work setup" explains Dr. Allen Conrad at the Montgomery County Chiropractic Center in North Wales, Pennsylvania. "With a proper ergonomic home workspace setup, you can help prevent degenerative spine conditions which could lead to painful sciatica,” he says.

Whether you want to renovate, or just furnish and decorate your office space, these are some helpful tips to create the perfect WFH environment.

If you’re building or renovating your home, Jay Kallos, SVP of architecture at Ashton Woods in Atlanta, Georgia, recommends putting the home office in a quiet, remote part of your home. “In new construction, you can add sound insulation to aid in creating a quiet sanctuary,” he says. However, Kallos advises against using a barn door if you need to keep noise out of the office (although it’s fine if noise is not a problem).

One of his personal preferences is to use daylight to help keep track of time, but window placement is crucial. “If your office is in the front of your home, I recommend a window on the side or rear of the office – but not in the front, because you could be distracted by what is going on in front of your house.”

Ariana Lovato, owner and principal designer at Honeycomb Home Design in Arroyo Grande, California, agrees that distractions should be kept to a minimum. “The best case scenario would be to dedicate a spare bedroom to your work space so you can close the doors and have privacy for phone calls and meetings, but for most, space is limited, and usually work from home happens in a small corner of a living room.”

Design Look

But if you have space to create separation, Leigh Spicher, Orlando, Florida-based national director of design studios for Ashton Woods , tells me that similar to the concept that bedrooms are for sleeping (and other stuff) only, home office spaces are for work only.

“Thoughtful design can ensure this space is free from the stress of mixing work with family time,” she says. “Move the home office out of a secondary bedroom or the dining room into a dedicated space that is for work only.” And Spicher likes a space with doors that you can close either when you’re working or when you’ve closed up shop for the day.

Christopher Grubb is an interior designer and the founder of Beverly Hills-based Arch-Interiors Design Group. “The majority of the time, we approach the design of a workspace to have a much different look from the home to create the psychological effect that you have ‘gone to work,’” he tells me.

Before the pandemic, Grubb says the emphasis in a workspace was to create as little clutter as possible, based on the theory that without a lot of stuff, people could focus and not be distracted. “But now, we have exceptions of the clients that want dramatic wallpaper that they say gives them energy for the workday, and an appreciation of accessories they can look at while on calls, which make them feel happy and more relaxed.”

Also, during the pandemic, some people worked outdoors in the fresh air and post-pandemic, exterior workspaces are still popular. “For them, we install in-deck waterproof power and data outlets underneath an outdoor dining table used as a desk,” Grubb says. “We also install outdoor waterproof outlets with USB connections at outdoor cooking areas or seating zones, which are also ideal for a guest who wants to charge a device.” In fact, his firm has even used motorized outdoor umbrellas that include lighting and heat at the dining table ‘desks.’

Functionality

You want a stylish office, but functionality is also important. “The Europeans included it for years, but the American market now appreciates efficient and versatile organizational details in drawers and in cabinetry,” Grubb says. For example, he says printers and shredders can be hidden in furniture with slide-out shelves.

“If you do have a built-in, make sure to get extra shelves, which provides the possibility to store smaller items, instead of having objects stacked awkwardly high because of fewer shelves.” And if you don’t use the extra shelves, Grubb says you can just put them in the bottom of the cabinet, but this is much easier than trying to order additional shelves later.

Beryl also likes the idea of furniture as storage. “I recommend a cabinet or credenza for storage options to keep clutter off your work surface so it can remain stylish and organized,” she says.

Interior designer Tama Bell in Sebastopol, CA, tells me that she likes to use a large desk or table with beautiful lines for the main work station. “There is nothing that makes working from home harder than not enough space to spread out.” Bell often uses an L-shaped configuration with some type of console with file storage. “I find that when it is easy to file as one works, it helps to keep things looking tidy and functioning well, and it also allows for a second surface for your computer or laptop.”

In addition, she likes a pair of tall bookcases, within easy access of the desk area. “This is used to store all the necessary working items that one needs, but to also decorate or style with photos, books and accessories.” Bell says that having a space that is personal and beautiful makes working from home a happy necessity.

According to Grubb (and confirmed by many awful virtual meetings), most workspaces are not conducive for audio and video calls and they also tend to have an echo. “A go-to is an area rug on tile or wood floors, which provides one layer that absorbs sound.” He’s also using more decorative acoustical panels with a thick felt-like quality, and they’re available in solids, shapes or a material that looks like it’s woven, and other dramatic effects. “The panels come in a variety of colors, and the acoustical paint is white, and any color can be painted over it.” Grubb explains that blue tones tend to work best behind the person on a call. “It is a peaceful color, gender-neutral, and gives the viewer a nicer feeling than a cold gray.”

Here’s another tip: Grubb reveals that the more soft surfaces you have (including upholstered furniture or drapery), the more sound absorption in the room. “One client even opens closet doors that have clothes hanging in them to absorb noise when they are on calls,” he says.

Lighting is also an important WHF office component, as the right light can help to prevent eye strain. “Light rings are a must, and most rooms have downlights or a chandelier as the light source,” Grubb says. “Put all of your lighting in a room on a dimmer to control the intensity and avoid a ‘hotspot’ on top of your head during a video call.” If you have windows, he says the natural light is excellent for its wellness quality. “And we like using motorized shades that are on a remote control and operate from a battery pack to give you additional control of the natural lighting coming in.”

Beryl recommends placing the home office in a space by a natural light source if possible. “You want to be able to choose if you close the curtains or blinds to limit light, or keep them open to let the sunlight in,” she says. “If you work in a dark space, the second you step out into a room with sunlight, your eyes are going to feel tired.”

Lovato adds that it’s important to invest in a comfortable chair and a large monitor so you can work comfortably. Dr. Allen Conrad at the Montgomery County Chiropractic Center in North Wales, Pennsylvania agrees, noting that the right ergonomic workspace can lead to reduced pain and less eye strain headaches.

“Many of these problems arise from a poor WFH ergonomic computer workspace — which may have begun out of necessity, but if working from home is something that will be part of your regular routine, then it’s time for proper ergonomics.”

For example, if you’re sitting in a chair that’s too low, Conrad says it will cause you to lean forward more than usual. “This can lead to neck or back strain, and limit how long you can be on the computer doing work.” Depending on your height, if you have a taller chair, he says you may need a shorter desk, and if you have a shorter chair, he says you may need to raise the monitor to accommodate it.

“When you can sit longer without pain, you can get more done, since less strain on the back and shoulders will allow you to sit for longer periods of time and not lose your train of thought,” Conrad explains.

Dr. Sapna Sriram, chiropractor and injury expert at Integra Health Centre in Toronto, Ontario, recommends using adjustable standing desks or standing desk converters, as they offer a range of benefits:

Improved Posture: “Standing encourages better posture as it reduces the likelihood of slouching and promotes a more upright position, reducing strain on the spine,” Sriram says.

Enhanced Ergonomics: The ability to adjust the height of an adjustable standing desk or standing desk converter lets you customize your workspace for optimal ergonomic comfort, and Sriram says this reduces the risk of musculoskeletal problems.

Increased Energy and Productivity: “Standing can boost blood circulation and energy levels, potentially leading to increased productivity and focus during work hours,” Sriram explains,

Reduced Health Risks: “Prolonged sitting has been associated with various health risks, including obesity, cardiovascular issues, and back pain,” Sriram warns. However, she says that using a standing desk or standing desk converter can help mitigate these risks by reducing sedentary behavior.

These are some of the items that can help you create a stylish, comfortable, and ergonomic office space.

Adjustable Standing Desk

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The Eureka Ergonomic Two-Drawer Electric Standing Desk has a genuine leather finish. The quiet dual-motor lift system can increase the desk’s height from 34 to 52 inches. The desktop is 55 inches in length by 23.6 inches wide and has a maximum weight capacity of 220 pounds. It includes a built-in outlet, built-in USB port, wireless charger, two drawers, and a movable monitor shelf.

If you’re looking for a smaller option, the Burrow Copilot Standing Desk is 27 inches in length and 43 inches in width, and has a height range of 28.5 to 48 inches. The desk drawer is large enough to hold a 17-inche laptop, keyboard, and mouse, and the desk also has a cord organization compartment on top, as well as a 6-inch monitor mount opening on the back. The solid beech desk, which has a weight capacity of 300 pounds, is available in walnut and oak.

Ergonomic Chair

The Humanscale Freedom Task Chair is unique in that it doesn’t need a lot of levers or dials. It has a dynamic headrest, self-adjusting recline, and synchronous arms attached to the back of the chair. Everything works together to automatically adjust to body weight and seated position. The one lever on the chair is used to adjust the height from 34.6 inches to 41.7 inches. The chair, which has a weight capacity of 400 pounds, is available in leather, woven upholstery, and knit, and in several textile colors.

The X4 Leather Executive Chair is available with or without an headrest, and it also includes optional massage options, such as a heat and massage insert, or a cooling, heat and massage insert. The chair comes standard with 4D arms, but you can choose 360-degree rotating arms instead. The seat’s height can be adjusted from 18.5 to 22.5 inches and the seat depth can be adjusted as well. Maximum weight capacity is 275 pounds. Leather color options include cognac, black, brown, red, and white.

Available in mesh, digital knit or leather, the Haworth Zody Office Chair has a dual posture option that supports you whether sitting down or in a perch position (partially-standing and partially sitting), which is common with adjustable standing desks. It comes with an optional lumbar adjustment system. Both the seat height and seat depth can be adjusted, and the chair also has a forward tilt, tilt tension, and back stop. It has a weight limit of 400 pounds.

The Serene Executive Napa Leather Office Chair is made of full-grain Napa leather, available in black, off-white, black/red, and orange. The headrest has an arc-shape that gently supports the neck and head while relieving pressure. Also, the three-dimensional lumbar pillow supports the spine and eases lower back fatigue. The chair reclines from 90 to 135 degrees, and the seat height and depth are adjustable as well. The weight limit is 300 pounds.

External Monitor

If you like to keep dozens of folders open on your desktop, the Innocn 34” OLED Curved Ultrawide Monitor has plenty of screen real estate and is also large enough to keep you from having to squint. The WQHD monitor has a 175Hz refresh rate, and it can tilt, swivel, and includes a height-adjustable stand — although it can also be wall mounted. There are several inputs, including two HDMI 2.0, DP1.4, two USB-A 3.0, USB-B 3.0, Type-C 65W, and audio out. The monitor also has a 15W phone charging pad.

Another option is the QHD MSI 27" Gaming Monitor , which has a 16:9 aspect ratio, and a LCD panel with LED backlight. It also has a 165Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time, which makes it a good choice for gaming as well. The curved monitor also has a tilt adjustment feature. Hardware interface includes HDMI, and DisplayPort.

Portable Monitor

Portable monitors are an alternative to external monitors. They provide the advantage of being easy to transport, so you can also toss them in your laptop bag when traveling. The FHD ASUS ZenScreen Ink 14" Portable Monitor is a touch screen monitor with a stylus pen (with 4096 level pressure sensitivity). It has an integrated stand, along with two USB-C and one micro-HDMI input.

The generous size of the Espresso 17 Pro Portable Monitor and Stand can make it easy to add a second screen to your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. The touch screen monitor has 4K resolution, 450 nits of brightness, and 1.07 billion colors. It’s also ultra-light, weighing 2.4 pounds and is only 0.35 inches thick. The monitor includes a USB-C cable, but also has ports for HDMI, and mini DisplayPort. The display stand, which attaches magnetically, can be adjusted as needed.

Dual Portable Monitor

Dual monitors are a way to extend your laptop screen even more. The 1080p KYY 14" Dual Monitor attaches on both sides of your laptop (and has a built-in kickstand), for a total of three screens. In addition to extended mode, the dual monitor setup can be used in portrait or presentation mode. The IPS LCD monitor is compatible with 12-inch to 16-inch laptops and has a low blue light feature. It comes with a Type-C to Type-C/USB-A Cable and a Type-C to USB-A cable.

Another dual monitor option, The Portable Monitor Flex 14” has two 14-inch LED screens (1920 x 1080), 300 nits of brightness, and a 60Hz refresh rate. The thin and feather-light monitor is easy to swivel 180 degrees and it can be used in both portrait and vertical mode, as well as in presentation mode. The integrated stand is also adjustable to 90 degrees. The monitor includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, and a USB-C to USB 3.0/2.0 cable.

Standing Desk Converter/Portable Table

In lieu of an adjustable standing desk, you can use your existing desk and put the Flexispot Standing Desk Converter on top of it. Available in a variety of sizes ranging from 32 inches to 42 inches, it can be used on standard, L-shaped, and compact desks. The desk converter can adjust in height from 5.7 inches to 19.7 inches, and has room for your laptop and monitor(s) on top, and your keyboard on the second shelf.

For those times when you want to sit on the sofa, the Haworth Elements 4-Function Table can be used to hold your laptop — either horizontally as a lap table, or vertically as an end table (and you can also use it as a standing desk converter to make your desk taller, or as an ottoman for your feet). It’s made of laser-cut solid steel with a powder coat-finish, available in charcoal, smooth plaster, desert rose, terra cotta, moss, and stone. The table in 24.5 inches in height, 15.5 inches, and 11.74 inches in depth.

To bring your monitor to eye level, the Vari Desk Shelf is a modern desk riser that’s 4 inches tall. It’s also 40 inches wide, with enough space to hold two monitors. The matte black shelf, which has a 50-pound weight capacity, can also hold other desk accessories neatly and out of the way.

If you prefer more color choices, Grovemade Desk Shelf is available in matte black, solid walnut, solid maple, solid oak, matte blue, blackened walnut, oak plywood, walnut plywood, maple plywood, and matte white. The desk shelf comes in small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes, and with and without a desk tray. Each shelf supports monitors up to 50 pounds.

The Energy Star-certified Humanscale Nova Task Light has a customized optical lens to reduce glare, and counterbalance arms that rotate 180 degrees. It uses only 7 watts to produce a 3000k (warm) to 4000k (cool) temperature range. The light has touch dimming and occupancy sensor to turn off 15 minutes after no presence has been detected. Color choices include jet black, light gray, and arctic white.

If you prefer a floor standing option, the Dyson Solarcycle Floor Lamp can be used as a task light at your desk to reduce eye strain, but you can also rotate the optional head when soft background light is preferred. It can also be used to create indirect light, and feature lighting. In addition, the magnetic docking system can emit a soft, orange glow when you want ambient light. The lamp, which has a light output of 850 lumens, can be controlled manually or via the MyDyson app. It’s available in black, black/brass, and white/silver

Mouse/Keyboard

The Logitech MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse has an ergonomic silhouette that’s designed to provide support for your fingers and palm, and the tilt angle creates a more natural posture. It’s wireless, and a full charge can last for 70 days, while a 1-minute charge lasts for 3 hours. Color choices are graphite, pale gray, and black.

The Logitech MX Keys S Keyboard is an ergonomically-design wireless keyboard with spherically-dished keys for an efficient and comfortable typing experience. A full charge lasts for 10 days, and the ambient light sensors can adjust the brightness of the backlighting. The keyboard comes in three colors: black, graphite, and pale gray.

A desk pad can instantly make your desk look better, and also protect it from scratches and spills. The Harber London Leather Desk Mat is made of 100% full-grain leather on one side, and has 100% natural wool felt padding on the other side (although you can also choose a microfiber padding instead). The desk mat has a cut-through cable pass to help corral all of your cables. Color choices include tan, black, and navy, and in several sizes.

Another option, with a natural cork backing, is the Grovemade Leather Desk Pad , which is made of a premium vegetable-tanned leather. It comes in various sizes, including small, small plus, medium, medium plus, large, and extra-large. Color choices are black and tan.

Listening to the right music can increase your work performance. The Klipsch Nashville Portable Bluetooth Speaker is small enough that it won’t take up much space on your desk. However, it has dual woofers and dual tweeters for rich, 360-degree sound. One charge powers the speaker for up to 24 hours, and the speaker itself can also recharge a phone. Also, the built-in microphone lets you take hands-free phone calls.

If you prefer a speaker that looks like a work of art, Balmuda The Speaker has a glass display with three tubes containing LED lights that synchronize with the music. The cylindrical structure has a 77mm speaker, and a 3D sound driver that diffuses sounds upwardly for an omnidirectional experience. The speaker is lightweight (weighing 2.2 pounds) and provides 7 hours of listening time on a single charge.

Working from home can create a more sedentary lifestyle, and a smartwatch helps to monitor your health. The Polar Grit X2 Pro Watch can track how many steps you take, monitor your heart rate, and provide reminders to drink more water. The guided breathing exercise helps to relax your body and calm your mind when you’re stressed, and the sleep features can track the length and quality of your sleep and identify factors that negatively impact sleep quality. The touchscreen watch has an AMOLED display, over 150 sport profiles, dual-frequency GPSm and offline maps. Battery life is up to 10 days, and color choices are night black and stone gray.

If you prefer a more elegant choice, the Withings Scanwatch Nova Smartwatch has an oyster metal bracelet (and also a fluoroelastomer sport band). It provides smartphone notifications, health heart tracking (including average heart rate and atrial fibrillation), respiratory insights such as blood oxygen levels and breathing disturbances, menstrual cycle tracking, and 24/7 temperature tracking. The watch also tracks movement in over 40 activities, and provides a sleep quality score. Battery life is 30 days.

The Motorola Razr+ Flip Phone has a 3.6-inch pOLED display, which makes it easy to look at photos and videos, access the built-in keyboard, and view notifications without having to open the phone. The sleek design of the lightweight phone also unfolds to a 6.9-inch screen, and has a 165Hz refresh rate for playing games. Dolby Atmos audio with Bluetooth experiences optimized by Snapdragon Sound combine to create all-around sound, and Ultrawide Macro Vision lens can captures everything from wide-angle shots to close ups.

The OnePlus 12R Smartphone , which is available with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of storage, or 16GB RAM and 256GB of storage, can charge from 1% to 100% in just 31 minutes, and the 5500mAh battery is long-lasting. Powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the phone is designed to be powerful, and the Dual Cryo-velocity cooling system keeps the device cool when gaming or during other types of graphics-intensive activities. The phone has a triple camera system, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and a fingerprint sensor.

A portable projector can be used for virtual presentations and also for entertaining. The FHD XGIMI Halo+ Projector has 700 ISO lumens of brightness, along with auto focus, auto keystone correction, intelligent screen alignment, and intelligent obstacle avoidance, to adjust the display as needed for clear and sharp images. And those images can be cast in sizes ranging from 60 inches to 120 inches. Audio consists of two 5W Harman/Kardon speakers with Dolby Audio for distortion-free Hi-Fi sound. The projector has a 2.5-hour battery life and Android TV is built in.

Another option is the ASUS ZenBeam L2 Smart Portable Projector , which has 960 LED lumens. The projector has FHD resolution as well as 4K compatibility. It projects images from 40 inches to 120 inches. Autofocus, four corner correction, and auto geometric correction features are also included in the projector, which has a 3.5-hour built-in battery, and built-in 10W Harman/Kardon speaker. Also included is a Google-certified Android TV box, and preloaded Netflix. The leather carrying handle makes the projector easy to transport.

Headphones And Earbuds

If you work from home, noise-cancelling headphones are a must. However, some people prefer earbuds instead. The Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 Earbuds feature active noise cancellation to block unwanted sounds and also provide clear phone calls. The hi-res earbuds also have two-way drive units in each of the earbuds to create sound that is rich and full. The app also lets you stream and browse songs, and control your headphones. Battery life is 5 hours with ANC off, and the charging case provides an additional 16 hours. Color choices are midnight blue, satin black, and canvas white.

For a longer battery life, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 Earbuds can provide up to 30 hours of playtime. Using adaptive noise cancellation, the earbuds, which have a 6-microphone system, automatically adjust to noise based on your surroundings. The TrueResponse transducer system is designed to transmit all of the fine sound quality details and multipoint connectivity lets you switch between two connected devices. The app can be used to manage connections, control noise cancellation, and customize other features. Color choices are black graphite, black copper, and white silver.

Docking Station/Power Bank

Whether you use a Mac or a PC, the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dock has enough inputs to handle everything. The 16 ports include 2 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Thunderbolt 4 (host), USB-C 3.2 10Gbps, 3 USB-A 3.2 10Gbps, 2 USB-A 3.2 5Gbps, USB 2.0 (charge), SD and micro SD, ethernet, and audio jack. The dock can support laptops, phones, tablets, monitors, keyboards, mice, and other devices.

If you don’t need as many ports, the UGREEN 145W Charging Bank is a portable charger with three ports:, USB-A, USB-C1, and USB-C2. Capable of charging a 13” MacBook Air in 90 minutes, it easily charges other devices as well. The charging bank helps to free up your wall outlets, and the last-longing battery makes it ideal for tossing in your backpack or laptop bag and using it at the airport, café, or even when camping.

Portable Power Station

If the power goes out at home, you can continue to work with the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Solar Generator , which has a 2042.8Wh capacity, and can, for example, power a desktop PC for 12 hours, a refrigerator for 3.1 hours, a projector for 14 hours, and a microwave for 1.5 hours. It’s more than capable of powering a laptop, monitor, tablet, smartphone, and other WFH items as well. While you can charge the solar generator using six 200-watt solar panels in 2 hours, you can also charge it via an AC outlet in 2 hours as well – and it can also be charged via the car auxiliary port.

For even more power, the 6,000 Wh Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station can power, for example, a Wi-Fi router for 40.1 hours, TV for 20.1 hours, refrigerator for 14.9 hours, and microwave for 4.3 hours. It can power a projector for 24.3 hours, and provide 454.4 phone charges and 61.6 laptop charges. The portable power station can be charged via AC outlet, solar panels, or car auxiliary port.

Working from home, you may miss the free and endless supply of bottled water. However, with the Breville InFuzz Fusion , you can add some pizazz to your tap water, and also add fizz to soda, juice, tea, cocktails, and wine. The carbonator doesn’t require batteries or power – just use the fusion cap. And the 34-ounce bottle allows you to carbonate and then store your favorite beverage in the refrigerator. The stainless-steel carbonator is available in brushed stainless steel, black truffle, sea salt, damson blue, and olive tapenade.

Depending on how far you are from the kitchen, it may be inconvenient to go back and forth from the home office. However, this Hamilton Beach Wine Cooler Fridge is compact enough to store in your office, and it can hold 43 bottles of wine – but can also be used to store bottled water, soft drinks, energy drinks, and fruit. The stylish appliance is 5 cubic feet, and has wooden shelves and interior lights, in addition to the touch control temperature display.

Backpack/Tote/Briefcase

For those occasions when you need to go to the office, Expressions NYC makes a variety of stylish backpack options, including the tan vegan leather Lenox Ave Backpack , which has adjustable shoulder straps and can also be converted to a cross body bag. The backpack has a top zipper, two exterior front zipper pockets, and an exterior zipper pocket on the back. The black Upper West Side Backpack , also made of vegan leather, has a detachable top handle and adjustable back shoulder straps. It also features a zipper pocket and a slide-in pocket.

The black Harber London TotePack is made of recycled plastic bottles fabric combined with full grain leather. It has a padded compartment that can fit up to a 16-inch laptop, and another padded compartment that fits up to a 13-inch tablet. The totepack has a zippered main compartment, zippered inner compartment, and 2 inner side pockets, along with a trolley sleeve. The tan Everyday Leather Briefcase has a padded laptop compartment, padded tablet compartment, dedicated charger pocket, dedicated slots for pens and cords, pockets for notepads and passports, detachable magnetic key chair, trolley sleeve, and carry strap.

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Homeworking sounds good – until your job takes over your life

Some may want an escape from the office grind, but remote working could eat into downtime and increase inequality

T he supposedly looming return to normality – whatever that is – may have almost squashed the hopes of a more equal, mutual-aiding, communitarian country that briefly flared to life during the first lockdown. But for those lucky enough to have a job that can just about be done without leaving the house, perhaps one alleged source of optimism still burns bright.

Big companies seem more open than ever to the idea of homeworking arrangements staying in place even after the worst of the pandemic is over and restrictions are lifted, and for some people the old grind of commuting and congregating in offices may at least partially be over. What this could mean for the smaller businesses that depend on the presence of large employers is clear from our emptied-out city centres, but “hybrid working” is the season’s most fashionable corporate concept, often talked up in the same la-di-da tones as all those lockdown-based articles about Zoom fatigue and the trials of baking bread.

In more sober tones, the Financial Times recently reported that some of Britain’s largest employers are in the midst of “reviews of working practices” and that most of the companies its journalists had contacted said they expected to soon introduce employment models split between the office and home. They included the professional services company PricewaterhouseCoopers, NatWest, HSBC (which apparently expects to cut its “property footprint” by 40%), Virgin Media and the online retail giant Very, whose “chief people officer” sounded less like a bringer of good news than someone cracking the whip: “We want our colleagues to be hyperproductive at home and hypercollaborative in the office.”

The current push for homeworking is tangled up with such genuinely liberating possibilities as the four-day week, but the differences between them are obvious. Long before the arrival of Covid-19, technology was blurring the distinctions between leisure and work, as demands on people’s time poured into their homes via laptops and smartphones, and ambitious twentysomethings were sold a new dream of apartment blocks that come with state-of-the-art workspaces.

In Europe, there is rising noise about the so-called “right to disconnect”, whereby workers can enforce the separation of work and downtime. But the pandemic also seems to have created the perfect pretext for the two becoming fatally blurred: if your home now doubles as your workplace, you should not be surprised if your job seems to have taken over even more of your life.

In September last year, researchers at New York University and Harvard Business School published their analysis of the emails and online meetings of 3.1 million remote workers in such cities as Chicago, New York, London, Tel Aviv and Brussels, in the very early phases of their countries’ first lockdowns. They found that the length of the average working day had increased by 8.2%, or nearly 50 minutes, “largely due to writing emails and attending meetings beyond office hours”.

The researchers acknowledged the possibility that longer days might sometimes be the result of people having “freedom over their own schedule”, but also talked about a possible “blurred distinction between work and personal life, in which it becomes easy to overwork due to the lack of clear delineation between the office and home”. Here, perhaps, is the key to the widely held belief that homeworking makes people more productive: it may well do, but only because it makes them put in more hours. A subsequent report by the British thinktank Autonomy saw in the research something insidious and perhaps unstoppable, “society’s shift away from synchronous to asynchronous work, where hours are put in at any time, and the week expands bit by bit”.

If this happens, the negative consequences will snowball. Recent UK reports have found that more than a quarter of people working from home do so from either a sofa or a bedroom, and that more than a third have developed musculoskeletal problems. And what of the psychological effects of technology that enables companies to monitor homeworkers’ activity, or the lack of it? Tracking software is becoming a common feature of remote-working setups, and the names of the apps on offer are often less than subtle – one package offering “work time tracking, productivity measurement, all activity tracking [and] absence monitoring” is called StaffCop .

It is not exactly a revelation that the stresses and pressures of homeworking fall disproportionately on women, who are often faced with an impossible pile-up of childcare, home schooling and the demand to be constantly on call. Again, research from the US is instructive here, showing that men are far more likely than women to experience homeworking as a boost to their productivity and career prospects (and if you want to instantly understand the gender politics of this crisis, consider that 3 million women have dropped out of the American workforce in the past year). To those privileged and self-confident enough to embrace the idea of a life without them, workplaces might be bywords for tedium and anxiety, but they are also where efforts to tackle inequalities acquire coherent shape. If employees are scattered, these things will often either founder, or not start in the first place.

Clearly, the rising prevalence of working from home also threatens new dimensions to class inequality. The daily commute and eight or so hours spent in a workplace at least denoted some kind of universal experience. Now, we seem to be on the cusp of a new economic model that splits people between those allowed – or positively encouraged – to work from home, and others who simply can’t. Moreover, those supposedly able to embrace homeworking will have drastically different experiences according to their domestic environment.

Space and quiet are likely to become new determinants of status, which will surely further increase the disadvantages piled on to the young: there is, after all, a big difference between labouring in a shared house and creating a home office in some expansive residence in the suburbs or countryside. We also need to think about the way that weakened ties to the office might dilute employers’ obligations to some of their staff – today’s homeworker could easily become tomorrow’s freelancer, with the loss of rights that usually implies.

Freedom and flexibility are nice words to put on motivational posters, but no one should overlook the eternal tensions between those old adversaries capital and labour – and how people are likely to accept demands from their employers in the midst of raised unemployment and difficult post-pandemic times. After-hours Zoom sessions and endless emails might eat into time once kept free of work, but if the alternative is either universal credit or the gig economy, will anyone want to complain? This, I fear, is the perfect way to lay a path to a future that would be hellish: phones trilling long into the evening, surveillance software following our every domestic move, and the barrier between work and leisure dissolving into nothing.

John Harris is a Guardian columnist

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About a third of U.S. workers who can work from home now do so all the time

Roughly three years after the COVID-19 pandemic upended U.S. workplaces, about a third (35%) of workers with jobs that can be done remotely are working from home all of the time, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. This is down from 43% in January 2022 and 55% in October 2020 – but up from only 7% before the pandemic.

While the share working from home all the time has fallen off somewhat as the pandemic has gone on, many workers have settled into hybrid work. The new survey finds that 41% of those with jobs that can be done remotely are working a hybrid schedule – that is, working from home some days and from the office, workplace or job site other days. This is up from 35% in January 2022.

Among hybrid workers who are not self-employed, most (63%) say their employer requires them to work in person a certain number of days per week or month. About six-in-ten hybrid workers (59%) say they work from home three or more days in a typical week, while 41% say they do so two days or fewer.

Related: How Americans View Their Jobs

Many hybrid workers would prefer to spend more time working from home than they currently do. About a third (34%) of those who are currently working from home most of the time say, if they had the choice, they’d like to work from home all the time. And among those who are working from home some of the time, half say they’d like to do so all (18%) or most (32%) of the time.

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to study how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the workplace and specifically how workers with jobs that can be done from home have adapted their work schedules. To do this, we surveyed 5,775 U.S. adults who are working part time or full time and who have only one job or who have more than one job but consider one of them to be their primary job. All the workers who took part are members of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses.

Address-based sampling ensures that nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and the survey’s methodology .

The majority of U.S. workers overall (61%) do not have jobs that can be done from home. Workers with lower incomes and those without a four-year college degree are more likely to fall into this category. Among those who do have teleworkable jobs, Hispanic adults and those without a college degree are among the most likely to say they rarely or never work from home.

When looking at all employed adults ages 18 and older in the United States, Pew Research Center estimates that about 14% – or roughly 22 million people – are currently working from home all the time.

The advantages and disadvantages of working from home

Workers who are not self-employed and who are teleworking at least some of the time see one clear advantage – and relatively few downsides – to working from home. By far the biggest perceived upside to working from home is the balance it provides: 71% of those who work from home all, most or some of the time say doing so helps them balance their work and personal lives. That includes 52% who say it helps them a lot with this.

About one-in-ten (12%) of those who are at least occasionally working from home say it hurts their ability to strike the right work-life balance, and 17% say it neither helps nor hurts. There is no significant gender difference in these views. However, parents with children younger than 18 are somewhat more likely than workers without children in that age range to say working from home is helpful in this regard (76% vs. 69%).

A majority of those who are working from home at least some of the time (56%) say this arrangement helps them get their work done and meet deadlines. Only 7% say working from home hurts their ability to do these things, and 37% say it neither helps nor hurts.

There are other aspects of work – some of them related to career advancement – where the impact of working from home seems minimal:

• When asked how working from home affects whether they are given important assignments, 77% of those who are at least sometimes working from home say it neither helps nor hurts, while 14% say it helps and 9% say it hurts.
• When it comes to their chances of getting ahead at work, 63% of teleworkers say working from home neither helps or hurts, while 18% say it helps and 19% say it hurts.
• A narrow majority of teleworkers (54%) say working from home neither helps nor hurts with opportunities to be mentored at work. Among those who do see an impact, it’s perceived to be more negative than positive: 36% say working from home hurts opportunities to be mentored and 10% say it helps.

One aspect of work that many remote workers say working from home makes more challenging is connecting with co-workers: 53% of those who work from home at least some of the time say working from home hurts their ability to feel connected with co-workers, while 37% say it neither helps nor hurts. Only 10% say it helps them feel connected.

In spite of this, those who work from home all the time or occasionally are no less satisfied with their relationship with co-workers than those who never work from home. Roughly two-thirds of workers – whether they are working exclusively from home, follow a hybrid schedule or don’t work from home at all – say they are extremely or very satisfied with these relationships. In addition, among those with teleworkable jobs, employed adults who work from home all the time are about as likely as hybrid workers to say they have at least one close friend at work.

Feeling connected with co-workers is one area where many workers who rarely or never work from home see an advantage in their setup. About four-in-ten of these workers (41%) say the fact that they rarely or never work from home helps in how connected they feel to their co-workers. A similar share (42%) say it neither helps nor hurts, and 17% say it hurts.

At the same time, those who rarely or never work from home are less likely than teleworkers to say their current arrangement helps them achieve work-life balance. A third of these workers say the fact that they rarely or never work from home hurts their ability to balance their work and personal lives, while 40% say it neither helps nor hurts and 27% say it helps.

When it comes to other aspects of work, many of those who rarely or never work from home say their arrangement is neither helpful nor hurtful. This is true when it comes to opportunities to be mentored (53% say this), their ability to get work done and meet deadlines (57%), their chances of getting ahead in their job (68%) and whether they are given important assignments (74%).

Most adults with teleworkable jobs who work from home at least some of the time (71%) say their manager or supervisor trusts them a great deal to get their work done when they’re doing so. Those who work from home all the time are the most likely to feel trusted: 79% of these workers say their manager trusts them a great deal, compared with 64% of hybrid workers.

Hybrid workers feel about as trusted when they’re not working from home: 68% say their manager or supervisor trusts them a great deal to get their work done when they’re not teleworking.

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and the survey’s methodology .

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Kim Parker is director of social trends research at Pew Research Center

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ME 274: Basic Mechanics II

Homework h6.k - sp24.

DISCUSSION THREAD

Any questions?? Please ask/answer questions regarding this homework problem through the "Leave a Comment" link above.

24 thoughts on “Homework H6.K - Sp24”

In order to solve this problem, it would be useful to review base excitation which can be found on page 416 in the book. It would also be helpful to look at problem 6.C.4 which we covered in class.

For this question, its important to consider the moment from the no slip point in order to cancel out the effects of friction in the moment equation.

This problem is almost identical to Example 6.C.4 from the lecturebook. It is important to remember the usage of kinematics to relate the x coordinate and its derivatives to theta and its derivatives. When dealing with the sum of moments around a no-slip point, make sure to use the parallel axis theorem to find the moment of inertia around that point.

It can be nice in the problem to take the moment about the bottom of the disk to avoid having friction as a force that effects it. We have done this many other homework's.

Based on the FBD, it is smart to sum up moments about the no slip point, which allows you to ignore the friction force at that point. For my kinematics equation, related the no slip point to O in order to relate the theta and x variables and their derivatives to each other.

Converting the x-components of the differential equation to theta using x = R*theta helps derive the EOM in terms of theta which helps when proceeding to theta_p in the particular solution.

A good way to make sure the direction of the base extension spring force is correct is to once again draw a system where displacement in x_b is larger than x. Once this is done, it is easy to tell the force will be to the right.

Is the base B able to move in the y direction? The problem doesn't say it has any vertical motion but the diagram makes it look like it's not being supported in the y direction.

The base B is assumed to not move in the y direction as there are no forces in the y while also not having an equation of motion in the y direction.

The base B is more of an idea than a real object in the system. The rectangle represents a displacement of the spring due to some other factor which is not known within the context of the problem. You could think of this as another body that is infinitely larger than the bodies in the system, so much that this body's motion is unaffected by the spring force.

I appreciate what you are saying; however, the base B is actually a body. That body "B" is given a prescribed displacement in time of x_B(t). The actual size or mass of the body is not relevant in terms of the motion of disk. The size does matter in terms of the force that must be applied to B to get this prescribed displacement vs. time. Typically, the more mass that B has, the larger the force that must be applied to it in order get that motion.

In the Kinetics, it can be helpful to sum the moments about the no slip point. This is useful since it allows for friction to be ignored.

In order to solve this problem, I applied the techniques used to solve 6.C.4, the most important of which was taking the sum of the moments around the no-slip point, as this removed many of the troublesome factors.

As stated above this problem is very similar to 6.C.4 from the lecture book. One thing to keep in mind is that x_b(t) is already given and the particular solution is given in the form of Asin(omega t) so we can easily point out that there is no cosine term in the answer.

When solving this problem, the moment is considered about the no-slip point. Due to this, it is important to use the parallel axis theorem to find the value of I.

When drawing the Free Body Diagram for this problem, it is not important whether you draw the friction force to the left or the right.

Yes I agree with this, because later on you will take the moments around the no-slip point which will eliminate the frictional forces. That being said this is not universally applicable and in future problems care should be taken to make sure it is set up correctly based on the direction of motion of the desired object.

The plot for the excitation frequency has a notable remark as there is a change in the plot at the solved for frequency of the problem in part (d). Revealing, the significance of the natural frequency of the system.

For this problem it helps if you take the moment about the contact point to get rid of the friction term and also remember to use the parallel axis theorem for calculating I

For this problem, solving using the moment about O will also work as long as you also sum forces in the x direction to eliminate the friction force.

In class, we have been told that the Euler equation only works when taken at fixed points. In this problem, it is possible, although harder, to take the moment instead around the center of mass, O. This is not a fixed point of rotation of course, but why does it still work? Is it just a convenient situation?

In class, we have discussed THREE possibilities, in general, for the reference point in Euler's equation: 1) the center of mass; 2) a non-accelerating point; and, 3) a point whose acceleration vector points in the direction of the center of mass.

For this problem, you have options 1) and 3) possible: the center of mass O, and point C (note that the acceleration of point C points toward the center of mass O).

Let me know if this is not clear.

Similar to the example done in class, taking the moment about the where the disk touches the ground will allow you to avoid friction.

This problem is very similar to problem 6.C.4 that was done in class. After drawing FBDs, take the moment about the no-slip point to negate the friction force acting there. Make sure to then use the parallel axis theorem when find the moment of inertia. Use kinematics to relate x values and theta values to find the EOM.

Comments are closed.

Purdue University

Police officer gunned down, car taken as he drove home from work: Officials

A Chicago police officer heading home from his shift early Sunday was shot and killed, the "victim of the type of crime he was working against," the Chicago police superintendent said.

The slain 30-year-old officer was shot multiple times and had his car taken, Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling said during a news conference Sunday morning.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson identified the slain officer as Luis M. Huesca, saying his death was the result of "an act of unconscionable gun violence in our city."

"I met with Officer Huesca’s mother and uncle this morning and assured them that they have my full support as they deal with this unspeakable loss. Our city is grieving, and our condolences go out to their entire family as well as Luis’ fellow officers and community," Johnson said in a post Sunday on X.

The mayor said Huesca worked in the police department's 5th District as a member of the Priority Response Team.

Huesca was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Snelling said detectives are working to determine if the officer was gunned down during a carjacking.

"We can't confirm that right now, but detectives are working through it. What we do know is that the officer's vehicle was taken," Snelling said. "But to get to the total motive of what happened, we need more information and the detective division is working on that."

No arrests were announced.

The shooting unfolded around 2:53 a.m. on West 56th Street near South Kedzie Avenue in the Gage Park neighborhood, according to a police statement. Officers responding to a gunshot detection alert found the mortally wounded officer lying outside on the ground suffering from several gunshot wounds, according to the statement.

Snell said the officer, a six-year veteran of the CPD, was in his uniform, but with a jacket over it at the time he was shot.

"Our officer was headed home after his tour of duty," Snelling said. "While returning home, the officer was shot multiple times."

CPD said the shooting happened in the 8th Police District on the Southwest Side of the city.

"He was working hard out there to keep communities and to keep people safe, and today that officer was a victim of the type of crime that he was working against to keep people safe in this city," Snelling said. "There's a lot of violent crime out here and there are people who are brazen and cowardly in the way they go about their days and carry out these violent acts against the decent hardworking people of this city, who are just trying to live their lives the right way. It has to stop."

Snelling said the officer is survived by his mother and an uncle.

"He was just a great officer, a great human being and his family is dealing with a lot right now. My condolences go out to the family. We really need to keep the family, his mother in our prayers," Snelling said. "These are senseless, senseless crimes that are taking the lives of our community members. Today, one of our officers."