Having the best office gadgets at your disposal transforms your personal space into a luxe working environment.
Working is rarely more enjoyable than free time, but the best office gadgets can make it significantly less of a drag.
They’re usually the kind of thing you don’t give much of a thought about when you’re in the office proper, but once you’re home and attempting to create your work area, you begin to notice their absence. The big items — a desk, a chair, a laptop — are obvious, but they’re just the starting point.

1.reMarkable 2 digital Tablet

Despite the digitization of everything, there are sometimes it’s easier (and more satisfying) to simply jot something down in a notebook. The problem is when you must convert those analog notes into digital form, thus negating whatever efficiency advantage you gained in the first place. Enter the reMarkable, a tablet and stylus that mimics the feel of writing on paper with remarkable accuracy.

2. Stream Deck Mini

The typical knowledge worker has certain sites, documents, and apps they must access frequently enough to make them bookmarkable — or even just constantly open in a browser tab.
The Stream Deck Mini is an elegant, satisfying, and fun replacement for those methods. Originally designed for streamers who need to access many kinds of tools without breaking the flow of their show, the Stream Deck is a collection of hotkeys that does whatever you need it to do. Rather than hunt through folders for that client’s information or simply always leave Photoshop open, poke one of the Stream Deck’s chunky buttons to get what you need.

3. JCREN wireless charging mouse pad

Leaving your phone plugged in all day is a sure way to avoid the constant war with a draining battery, but it’s also very inconvenient. A charging pad is a more user-friendly option, but it’s tough to give precious desk or office space over to something that only serves one function, and only some of the time. Enter the phone charging mouse pad, which justifies its footprint by serving two ongoing needs. If your phone needs a boost, just drop it next to your mouse while you work.

4. CyberPower CP1000AVRLCD battery backup

A sudden power outage can destroy hours of work with one swift zap and depending on the nature of the outage, it can fry your equipment, too. You likely already have your electrical devices plugged into a surge protector of some sort (and if you don’t, you should) but taking that one step further with a backup battery gives you the protection you need to save everything before shutting down.

5. Fujitsu Happy Hacking Keyboard Classic

This entry could easily go either in productivity or comfort because a good keyboard provides both. Your computer came with a keyboard, of course, but a mechanical or semi-mechanical keyboard provides options you may not have realized exist. With customizable key mapping that works with either PC or Macs, keyboards like the Fujitsu HHKB ease pressure on key joints, placing high-usage keys and shortcuts within immediate reach.

The best office gadgets help define your workspace as being for work, while the rest of your home is for non-work. Maybe that’ll get you to stop checking your email at 10 pm (don’t do that, anymore please!).

Project management software is a force multiplier. You can organize your time and resource management, create reports about business and employee performance, and get a better idea of what’s working and what isn’t. Project management software can also make team collaboration easier and more seamless than ever before.

These three options can streamline your business workflow:

1.Monday

Is a flexible platform to manage all your team’s projects, processes, and workflows in one place. While the platform is intuitive and visually stunning, it’s robust enough for large organizations to manage all their work across departments.

• Easy, visual & intuitive dashboard
• Fully customizable—make it your own
• Get started in 5 simple steps
• Fits any size business
• Free 14-day trial

2. Smartsheet

Is the enterprise platform for dynamic work. A leading cloud-based platform for work management; Smartsheet empowers organizations and teams to dynamically plan, execute, and report on work at scale, resulting in more efficient processes, innovative solutions, and better business outcomes.

• End-to-end platform with myriad planning and tracking tools
• Choose between grid, card, Gantt, and calendar views
• Easy drag-and-drop dashboard
• Real-time status views and live data charts
• 30-day free trial

3. Asana

Is a project management software designed to help keep your business on track. The software makes it easy to break down projects into tasks, and then assign those tasks to individual team members. Asana offers lists, Kanban boards, and Gantt charts, which together, give employees and managers both a macro and micro view of the work that needs to be done.

• Multiple ways to view projects and tasks
• Integrates with 100+ business software platforms
• Orchestrates work across teams via projects
• Automates manual tasks and repeatable processes
• Powerful free plan

These programs shouldn’t take long for employees to master, and should have a straightforward, intuitive interface for carrying out tasks and communicating with teammates.

Some aspects must be developed or learned to make the business trajectory turn out as planned.

Whoever runs a company must be able to inspire and persuade the people around them and communicate their passion and vision. Being an effective communicator isn’t just about how eloquent you are, although that’s important; it’s also about how well you connect with people and the relationships you’re able to form.

Being a people person doesn’t come naturally to many entrepreneurs, and attracting the right people can’t be easy either. Fortunately, “being good to people” is a skill that you can learn (and is necessary) if you want to be successful.

Here are some of the interpersonal skills you probably need to improve:

Effective listening

Maybe our ideas, goals, visions, and enthusiasm are the topics we talk about all the time without having listened in the same proportion.
Listening to customers or associates in charge of customer service can indicate what works. From that, it’s possible to modify strategies and systems.
Poor listeners focus on the response they plan to give, rather than what the other person is expressing. Being a good listener is striving to fully understand a message instead of reacting immediately. They are not interrupting the speaker or doing other things while someone is speaking. Rather, they focus their attention on what the other person is saying.
This type of listening requires patience and time, but in turn, is a satisfying practice.

Relationship building

When we put ourselves in the shoes of another person and let them see that we understand them, it marks the beginning of a good relationship. This aspect of negotiation is staying “on the same side” as the other person.
A good relationship with collaborators and suppliers translates into an understanding of strengths, weaknesses, and needs, since everyone is working towards a common goal and in search of the same results.
The beginning is listening well. Then it’s advisable to enter the world of the other person subtly. As a result, you’ll feel comfortable seeing the similarity between the two of you, and you will develop trust.

Assume the best

Studies have shown that if you have low expectations of someone, they will perform poorly. On the contrary, if expectations are high, performance will be better.
If we assume the best of our collaborators, they’ll be motivated to give their best. By assuming the sincerity of those around us, we can be useful if they need our support for any reason; It’s a way of offering respect and being respected.

These skills can be applied to everyone around us: family, partners, clients, and work teams.

If we practice these skills in all areas of life, everyone around us will be eager to support us on the road to success.

Most remote workers choose to work while listening to music, as it’s proven to help focus and create a pleasant sensation in the brain. We suggest three of each options:

1. Music to activate the week!

On Mondays, it’s hard to get up, no matter how much coffee you drink. For this reason, music becomes an essential companion on those days when it is necessary to lift your spirits or even lacks a little help to wake up:

• Can´t stop the feeling! Justin Timberlake
• Sugar – Maroon 5
• Heart Attack – Demi Lovato

2. Music to get inspired and be more creative

One of the main concerns of remote workers is being creative enough in their specialties, be it writing, designing, or programming. Therefore, they need music that keeps them entertained and at the same time serves as an inspiration to be more efficient and successful:

• Coming over – James Hersey
• Love is all I got – Feed Me
• Beaches – Gone in the sun

3. Music to be more productive

Although it depends on each personality, in general, remote workers are more productive and creative with music that is functional, upbeat, and fun, but not too loud:

• Happy – Pharrell Williams
• Here comes the sun – Abbey Road
• You can´t hurry love – Phil Collins

4. Music that will make you dance

Few activities are as relaxing and happy as dancing. So why not combine it with working from home? Pure Latin American rhythm to help you keep moving!

• Vivir mi vida – Marc Anthony
• Suavemente – Elvis Crespo
• Hips don’t lie – Shakira

5. Music to work and enjoy your day

Music is not only a companion to have in the background. Music is more enjoyable when it’s felt, when it’s enjoyed, and even when it’s understood. Of course, all while the remote worker gets inspired by instrumental jazz:

• I fall to pieces
• Heartbreak hotel
• Please release me

6. Music to sing to while working

Although instrumental music is usually very relaxing and ideal for concentration, many times, and depending on the mood, those songs that bring out the deepest part of our heart are needed. Those that are sung loudly! To work and sing at the same time:

• Humanos a Marte – Chayanne
• Caraluna – Bacilos
• Corazón partío – Alejandro Sanz

7. Music for maximum concentration

There are times or certain types of work that require the strictest concentration, because an error could cause everything achieved so far, to be lost. This is very calming music, by artists from all over the world and mostly instrumental songs, so as not to lose sight of any detail of your work:

• Next – Emily Rubye
• At last, sunrise – Maree Docia
• Borrowed Peace – Peter Sandberg

8. Music for ‘rocking’ remote workers

Rock is the perfect injection of energy to start remote workdays and add extra points to your productivity:

• Highway to hell – AC/DC
• Sex on fire – Kings of Leon
• Whole lotta love – Led Zeppelin

9. Music for all moods

You can have a bad day, and that affects the work we do. Other times, you want to be alone and focused on your task with music that gives you a little bit of everything: rhythm, artists from all over the world, slow songs, and other more cheerful ones, for those situations in which work calls for it. These options condense all those factors:

• Amici – Sean Oban
• Once upon a time – Fredrik Lundberg
• River running free – Miriam Raye

Enjoy!

The increase in remote work has made millions of people around the world adopt this modality to carry out their work and maintain productivity. However, the emotional and mental effects of a home office can cause stress, anxiety, and depression, which have also been on the rise.

Here are 11 ways to reduce anxiety when remote work is taking a toll on us physically and mentally:

• Monitor your sleeping hours. Establish fixed times for sleeping and waking up, resting between seven and nine hours.
• Do not use your bed for anything other than to rest. It is recommended not to work, watch television, eat, or read in your sleeping space.
• Sunlight. Go out and get exposure, “sunbathe” or mentally clear yourself outside for at least 20 minutes a day. It also synchronizes our biological rhythms.
• Avoid using screens or stimulating activities one hour before bedtime.
• Establish fixed times for eating and physical activity.
• Set fixed hours for work and family life. It includes placing limits on the interaction of messages on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).
• Have your own space to rest and clear your mind alone.
• Have a stipulated space to work and use it only for that. If possible, the work area should be organized in a similar way to your office.
• Use an ergonomic chair or comfortable office chair when sitting for long periods.
• Complete work and take rest cycles during the working day. They can start with cycles of 20 minutes of work and three to five minutes of rest and extend them to average periods of 50 minutes of work and 10 minutes of rest.
• Don’t avoid doing jobs that are “lazy” or uncomfortable. This can help you avoid procrastination or leaving everything to the very end.

Gradually and with discipline, your anxiety will begin to decrease, and will become a much more tolerable inconvenience.

Work routines have changed significantly, if not radically, over the past 2 years. That happened with numerous companies in all fields and places, and there was no other option but to adapt.

From this new way of working, we can highlight 6 advantages:

1. Talent loyalty.

Remote work has become a benefit that company collaborators appreciate. Their working conditions allow them to maintain both their employment and their attention to personal detail, which is fundamental. This benefit generates a sense of belonging and strengthens ties with the company they work for.

2. Staff training.

The advantages of virtuality have been put to the test and demonstrated with the maximum use of collaborators’ optimization of time, offering them tools for the best performance for their activities. This is learning without the obligation to move to a specific place, something comfortable and convenient.

3. Opening of job opportunities.

Companies can have “elements” located hundreds or thousands of kilometers away on their teams with this new way of working. On the part of collaborators, it is easier to have a profile that “fits” in the position offered in a distant place, but that represents professional growth.

4. Optimization of resources.

The demands in many businesses have changed, and getting the most out of resources by optimizing time and space is a factor that fosters and promotes productivity. Try it!

5. Flexibility and harmony.

The new schemes avoid time-wasting and encourage the search or approach of results. With remote work, collaborators feel somewhat autonomous and more productive. This small-big change promotes a balance between work and personal life that translates into better well-being.

6. Care for the economy.

Operating costs for companies (in many cases) have been reduced and have generated more convenient options. The impact on your finances is less when working from places designed for it.

Business E Suites allows you to enhance remote work. In addition, it offers what is necessary for the operation of your company with the new trends and facilities.

Advantages of virtual meetings

The multiple advantages offered by video conferences have attracted the attention of many companies for years, in many cases SMEs, which communicate with clients and other professionals without leaving the office. In addition to this benefit, we find other great potentials of this type of technology that are interesting to analyze.

Cost reduction

One of the obvious benefits of using video conferencing and virtual meetings is the reduction in travel and travel costs. Undoubtedly, many meetings can be held remotely without the need to spend time or money traveling, something that any company values ​​positively and contributes directly to the income statement and productivity.

Greater number of communications

The convenience of using some of the video conferencing tools on the market means that any company can communicate with clients, partners, or suppliers in a very agile way. In turn, this allows the number of communications to be increased whenever necessary.

Better monitoring of projects with the client

Clients always value the follow-up we do on their projects or the professional relationships we have.
With virtual meetings, distance is not a problem to speak face to face frequently, with the client providing adequate follow-up and transmitting much proximity through virtual meetings. Without a doubt, it can become a great tool to build customer loyalty and improve customer satisfaction.

Better monitoring of projects with collaborators/employees

The same happens with the projects we carry out with company professionals relocated to places other than headquarters.
The possibility of meeting virtually with them through video conferencing solutions allows for a better relationship with the professional, a more adequate follow-up of the project, and a feeling of greater closeness to the project.

Greater agility in decision making

Usually, decision-making in a company takes place in a face-to-face meeting, since several people, partners, etc. must intervene.
The use of video calls and virtual meetings means business decisions can also be made.
The possibility of bringing together the executives or people involved in the decision in the same space is essential, so a firm agreement can be reached in an agile way than if we had to find a face-to-face meeting of all members, with displacements/trips, and more associated scheduling difficulties.

Main tools and functionalities

Year after year, the market offers better video conferencing tools and a greater number of functionalities for professional use. The best-known and longest-running program is Skype, which since 2003 has experienced exponential growth. Is widely used both at a private and business level.

The options have multiplied lately, and there is one for every need.

By reserving a conference room, the benefits are potentiated, and the development of the meetings flows better.

Many of us have a list of things to do (to-do list), but just because it’s on the list, it doesn’t mean it will get done. Ideally, you do it all at once. David Allen in “The Two-Minute Rule,” suggests anything that can be done in less than two minutes should be done all at once, rather than added to the to-do list.

There are 5 basic decisions to be made when something new arrives:

• Do your homework on the task as soon as it arrives
• Delegate this task to someone more prepared or with more time
• Put it on schedule to do it later
• Archive it to get to this at another time
• Delete it and forget about it

Other things we can do to be more productive are:

• Eliminate distractions
• Combine the same tasks to do them all at once. You can’t be productive if you switch from task to task all day. It is most convenient to group the tasks.
• Identify priorities
• Learn to say no

To get tasks done, there are several tools we can use to help us be more productive:

1) Wunderlist: It’s synchronized on all devices (computer, iPad, cell phone) and you have access to everything everywhere. It can be a notepad and organizer where completed tasks are marked. It helps to know the degree of productivity in a day.

2) Evernote: You can save everything digitally and have quick access. Saves time searching for annotations.

3) Text Expander: This is another tool that can save you a lot of time because it gives you instant access to your resources.

4) Alarm: This tool can give you a period to perform tasks and assign the appropriate time for each one.