Improve your work environment
1) Desk chair
If you work in an office, you often get a randomly assigned chair that was left by your predecessor. Or maybe it was a chair from the storeroom. Sometimes all the office chairs were purchased at one time--and it was a long time ago. Sometimes the chairs were selected to match a color scheme. Rarely were the chairs selected to be ergonomically correct for Y O U.
Many home offices use desk chairs that could be described as "leftovers." If you work at home (and really, everyone does, in one way or another), you deserve a comfortable chair. Believe me, the cost of a good chair is cheap compared to the cost of back pain later.
The chair I selected for my office has adjustable
- arm rests,
- seat height and
- back tilt.
--and it is just plain comfortable. I had to try out all the chairs in person (I bought mine from Office Depot), and you should too. This Office Star leather chair
is similar to the one I have.
You deserve to be comfortable when you are working--so get a comfortable chair if you don't have one. I mean it.
2) Big stapler
Do you ever have a large document you need to staple, and you have to staple it from the front, then turn it over and staple it from the back? You need a big stapler that can staple, say, 50 pages.
I don't use it that much, but it seems to come in handy, and I don't have to struggle with documents not staying stapled or having to use bulky binder clips.
And yes, you do have to buy special staples for this Swingline high-capacity stapler, but I don't use it for all my stapling so they last a long time. It is super smooth to operate, and frankly the best stapler I have ever owned.
And it's even endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation--what more could you ask for?
3) Wireless mouse
I didn't realize how much that pesky mouse cord was bothering me until I got a wireless mouse. Once you use one, you'll never go back!
I do have to replace my two "AA" batteries about every six months, but it is a small price to pay for love.
4) New keyboard
Why not go all out? I use the Microsoft Natural keyboard, which is the odd-looking split keyboard. I have been using it for over 15 years, so I can't remember that well--but I think it didn't take long to get used to it (and it is a lot more comfortable!)
I bought a wireless keyboard/mouse combination.
The new keyboard has several new features that my old keyboard didn't have. I often use the buttons for the:
- pop-up calculator and
- volume control for music speakers.
There are several other shortcut buttons that would be handy if I remembered to use them. And you gotta like eliminating some of those pesky cords.
Wireless or not, if you've had your keyboard for more than 6-7 years, they've improved!
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