My WFH Set Up
By @edent
· gadgets wfh work · 3 comments · 750 words · read ~1,343 times.
Inspired by my friend Meri's WFH Setup Tips, I thought I'd share my home-working setup.
We've moved house recently, so I'm still finding my feet - but as I work from home fairly often, and have a bit of RSI, I thought I'd show you what I've got and how I use it.
The desk is just a plain IKEA table. Supplemented with a cheap Argos desk which didn't quite fit all my kit - so it becomes a side desk.
Floor
Much like Alec Guinness, I start with the the shoes. I don't wear any at home, and my floor is cold wood laminate. So I use a toilet mat!
Look, I know it sounds daft, but scrunching up my toes on a bit of carpet is relaxing. The mat was part of a set, and has never been used in the bathroom.
Power
Nothing gets done without electricity. I use a Meross smart surge protector.
Each socket can be switched using an app, and the 4 USB ports can supply 2.4 Amps. Good for charging all the gadgets I have.
I also use a powered USB hub. So many problems with a MacBook's accessories are due to weird power requirements.
Input
The MicroSoft 4000 is the best ergonomic keyboard in the world.
The mouse is a ridiculously expensive Evoluent Vertical Mouse. 
I'm using an older one - I have several - because I left my best one at work. The shut-down order came in a hurry, so I didn't have time to pick it up.
Display
A new addition! My work has generously given me a small budget for a screen. It's the Iiyama ProLite B2482HS-B1 24". 
I read lots of long documents - so a vertical monitor is an absolute necessity.
I've been using multiple monitors since 2001 - and I've never lost the habit. 
Lighting
This is so important - especially if you're doing an important presentation. Webcams look shit in low light.
It's just a standard lamp with a WiFi controlled LIFX bulb. I can change the colour to match my mood. I've only once had to switch it to BRIGHT RED when on a video call.
Ideally, I'd have one of those fancy circular lights - like proper YouTubers.
Phone
I've upcycled an old car dashboard phone holder into a desk phone holder. 
It's like a really inefficient third monitor. Having it at eye level is useful - for glancing at Twitter and WhatsApp video calls.
Sound
I finally found some USB-C powered Bluetooth Headphones - the Life Q10 from Anker.
I tend to use those for listening to music when working. I normally use my laptop's built in speaker and mic for calls.
Occasionally, I do strap on a headset. I hate the way they make me look like a cheap pilot.
It's a Plantronic's Mono. The best thing about it is the physical mute button. Handy for making sure no-one can hear you howling.
Seating
A decent chair is the cornerstone of any home working setup.
Got mine from Office Furniture Online. I really wanted something with a bit of head support. It reclines and spins - useful on interminable conference calls.
Wrist Support
To stop my hands breaking so much, I use wrist guards. 
And a padded mousemat. 
Laptop and Stand
Work provide me with a MacBook Air. Although soon I'll be getting a Linux machine.
I've no idea where I picked up the desktop riser. But it mostly hides the mess of cables.
What's next?
The MacBook's webcam is a bit crap. Something with higher definition would be good - although it might overload my colleagues' bandwidth.
Microphones are a tricky one. Bluetooth is never quite reliable enough, and flimsy headsets are usually low quality. I keep thinking about getting a decent mic with a pop-shield for a bit of light podcasting. Perhaps it would improve my calls?
A phone holder with wireless charging would make life easier, but I'd also need a phone which supports it.
There are a bunch of cheap-ish standing desks 
Might be nice?
So, go on then, rate my rig! Or, share yours!
This has really inspired me to get my act together - I am miles away from a setup like this!
Dave Cridland says:
So... Ikea desk, yep. I've been considering getting one of their sit/stand adjustable desks, but so far not yet. Chair - I went for a 24x7 "operator" chair, made in Barry, not far from here. A good chair and proper desk is an essential start point.
Monitors - I use three 2.5K screens, one in a portrait orientation. The Iiyama screens are lovely (I had a 17" CRT from them years ago), but I've used Dell ones for a decade and a half (and the two I started with - 20" 4x3 panels - still work perfectly although I don't use them at my desk anymore). For what it's worth, I think I started on multiple monitors about the same time you did, but my portrait addiction I borrowed from Dave Baggett after watching him work that way.
A big difference from your setup is that my screens all live on monitor arms that clamp on the desk - makes a huge difference to placement and desk space. Monitor arms are quite cheap, and well worth it. I use a fixed dual for two screens, plus a gas-arm that's easy to reposition for the monitor with the webcam balanced on it.
Which reminds me - yes, even a cheap standalone webcam is infinitely better - and better positioned - than whatever is built into whatever laptop you have, and a decent (ideally wireless) headset is a must, both for you to hear your calls with appropriate confidentiality, and for your callers to hear you. I really hate having calls with people who don't bother with a headset. Look for a headset with a noise-cancelling microphone, or just buy a Logitech G533 like everyone else. If you're buying a wireless headset, note that you can buy cheap magnetic-coupling USB cables to charge them with, which saves an amazing amount of fiddling. Bandwidth isn't really a concern, as your callers have much more downstream than you have upstream, and in most systems the SFU will send them a suitably-scaled stream.
I've used a Linux desktop for years, and it remains my primary development platform. When I'm on the road - clearly not much these days - I use a Dell XPS 2-in-1 running Windows, and rely on WSL 2 for any development I urgently need to do. I used to run it as dual boot with Ubuntu, but I found it just a bit fiddly on a touchscreen laptop. Meanwhile, for reviewing long documents, Legacy Edge and One Note with the pen are the best tools I've found on the same device.
One of these + bluetooth keyboard and mouse has been great for being mobile with my setup (hotdesk, coffee shop, garden). I bought the much more expensive Roost stand, but this looks much more reasonable, and only 2.5 oz heavier.
amazon.co.uk/NEXSTAND-K2-Ad…