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!

+ + +

Where to shop If you want to buy from Office Depot, you can sometimes find the chair you want on sale, and get more off by ordering online and using a coupon code from my favorite bargain blog morestuff4less.com which I discussed in newsletter #02. Also check the prices at Amazon, which is sometimes less expensive.