5 Work From Home Gadgets To Increase Productivity

In recent years, more companies and employers have been hopping on the work from home bandwagon, and it's easy to see why. While this move may have been initially spurred on by a global pandemic that forced most of us to stay home regardless, it also unlocked a world of benefits for both organizations and their employees. For businesses, it drastically cuts down or even entirely eliminates the operating costs that come with running a commercial space. Employees also don't have to worry about food and travel expenses getting to and from work.

However, some might miss the benefits of a dedicated workspace, like a plethora of office supplies to make your work the most comfortable and efficient as possible. The home environment can be distracting — especially if you've got little ones running around — and having the luxury of leaving your desk anytime to make some coffee, check your phone, or reorganize your bookshelf can quickly eat into your day. Taking the time to build a remote work environment that cuts down on distractions as much as possible will go a long way in boosting your productivity. 

Along with the essential remote work home gadgets, it's worth investing in products made to help you move through the day with fewer distractions. With that said, here are five handy tools that can help you stay on track. 

Whether you're working from home or not, time management is key to success. Achieving a healthy work-life balance can be tricky but is far from impossible, especially with a helping hand from gadgets such as the TimeFlip2.

This nifty tool is made to be a physical reminder of your various tasks throughout the day. Sporting the design of 12-sided dice, the TimeFlip2 comes with a series of pre-designed stickers with symbols of various common home and work tasks such as exercising, attending meetings, checking emails, caring for pets, and more. You also receive a number of blank stickers, where you can write any additional responsibilities specific to your situation. The cube can then be connected to a free accompanying mobile or web app though Bluetooth where you can detail the layout of your specific cube, the task symbols, and the amount of time allotted to each task. 

When going about your day, have your current task facing up and flip it when it's time to start a new one. The TimeFlip2's embedded LED lights can flash to notify you when it's time to move on to a new task according to the amount of time you set in the app. The app itself comes with additional features such as calendar integration, detailed analytics, and even client billing. The product sells for between $59 and $249 depending on whether you get a single item or a pack. 

Sitting at a desk all day may be the traditional image of your typical office employee, but more and more remote workers are discovering the benefits of standing desks, too. Being stationery all day is no good for your health, so a standing desk is a smart investment for your posture and overall well-being. The right kind of standing desk can also be an unexpected tool to aid in your productivity.

There are plenty of great standing desks to choose from, but the Flexispot EN2 Electric Stand Up Desk will be an ideal, economic option for most. The desk's electric adjustable height system possesses four different presets and can reach up to 48 inches. Its steel frame is made for sturdiness and can support up to 154 pounds, while the legs can withstand up to 20,000 lift cycles. For those with extreme technology needs, the desk comes with added conveniences such as a cable management compartment, an integrated power strip for power outlets and USB ports, and a hook for your headphones.

With its sturdiness, customization, and convenience, this is a great tool for taking care of your physical and mental health which in turn will better improve your work performance. You can choose from a white, black, gray, brown mahogany, maple, or bamboo color — along with a host of different sizes to best match your space. Prices are in the $200 to near-$400 range depending on the table variation.

Even if you don't have the stress of waking up extra early for a one-hour commute every morning, there's still nothing like a hot cup of joe to get you going. But in between lengthy stretches of work, it's easy for your coffee to get cold, requiring you to go back and forth to reheat it in the microwave. This is another activity that can cut into your workday and one that can be easily solved with the aid of another handy tool.

The Vobaga Mug and Coffee Warmer offers coffee aficionados a way to enjoy their beverage throughout the day without having the need to leave their workspace. Its three-temperature system allows you to choose between having your drink be warmed to 104, 131, or 149 degrees Fahrenheit. Best of all, it will run for four hours before shutting down on its own, allowing you to focus on work without worrying about overheating or fire hazards. Even if you're not a coffee drinker, this is still ideal for tea, milk, soups, and similar food and drink items. The warmer comes in a variety of colors to better match your aesthetic, including black, white, pink, blue, and wood grain. 

Keep in mind that this is not ideal to use with double-layer insulation cups, so ensure that your cup or bowl is made out of a harder material such as ceramic or stainless steel. It ranges in price from $19.99 to $31.99 based on the color.

When you have a major task to complete or a deadline right around the corner, you want to be locked in and free of distractions, which can be tricky when living in a household bombarding you with sound. One of the best ways to achieve this is through the use of noise-cancelling headphones. As its name implies, these headphones block noises from the outside world almost entirely, with some advanced options employing a system known as active noise cancellation (ANC) that uses built-in microphones to better assess and cancel out ambient sounds. 

While there's no shortage of great noise canceling headphones to choose from, there's an argument to be made that Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling Headphones are the best around. These headphones toggle between "quiet mode," which activates Bose's built-in ANC capabilities in order to work in complete silence, or "aware mode," where you can remain in-tune to the sounds of your environment. They have a 24-hour battery life, which may be relatively short compared to some other brands but will easily meet the needs of most remote workers.

At the end of the day, these headphones are keeping Bose's stellar reputation alive, with over 4,100 Amazon shoppers giving them a 4.6-star rating, on average. On the site, the QuietComfort Noise Canceling Headphones currently go for $349.

Part of the reason remote work has become so popular is that many of the programs needed for such jobs are more available than ever before. However, the applications you need to bounce between throughout the day can quickly become overwhelming and cut down on your work potency. Maximizing your ability to get to the programs you need and working within them efficiently is key to the mission set out by the Loupedeck Live S. 

Whether you're a streamer, content creator, editor, or simply someone who goes through a number of applications during their workday, the Loupedeck Live S is designed to enhance and streamline your workflow to best suit your needs. The compact console contains 14 touchscreen pages, each with 15 customizable buttons, where you can download and plugin the software you use on a regular basis. This includes common internet programs and services such as Google Chrome, YouTube, and Spotify; editing programs such as Premiere Pro and Lightroom; and streaming tools such as Twitch and Voicemeter. Tactical side buttons allow for further customization, allowing you to open up applications and map out specific actions. On its left side are two dials that can be customized to further aid in adjusting audio inputs and outputs, scrolling, and zooming in and out. 

It has received largely positive reviews from buyers, with a 4.4-rating average on Amazon, although some users have stated that the software is not the most user-friendly. It currently costs $170.10.