With working at home so common how do you set up your home office and work area?
One or two monitors with docking station?
Ideas on the brand and cost?
With working at home so common how do you set up your home office and work area?
One or two monitors with docking station?
Ideas on the brand and cost?
Big Blue Mist Will Consume You
I just ordered 150 units for our employees to go mobile. I'll try to send you the dock and monitor price on Tuesday.
I suffered through one monitor while working from home but if it ever became permenant I would want two monitors.
Brands...we go with Dell at work just because their enterprise level customer service is great. But generally speaking I'm not a brand snob. Just avoid the to " good to be true" walmart deals if you want it to last.
I'm not going to get into the specifics of brand, because I don't think that's it relevant as the processor speed, solid state drive, etc. My setup is this:
1. Laptop, elevated on a monitor stand to eye level
2. External (blue key?) keyboard. Full-sized, and loud, but for a 90 or 100 wpm typist, it works wonderfully. I took typing I in high school to learn how to type. I took typing II in high school to meet girls since I was the only boy in the class. Instead of getting dates, I became an outstanding typist.
3. External 27" monitor
4. External hard drives for local backup
5. I don't have a huge need for cloud-based backup, but I do have a 200gb Google Suite plan. I also have Dropbox and Box.
6. Wired headset. I do Zoom video conferences with clients, Zoom classes that I teach synchronously with my classes and record later by uploading to YouTube, and occasional court hearings. It is cheap, nobody hears what it said by the other person other than me so it keeps private, and the sound is superior to using the built-in microphone. If you do any of this, I highly recommend spending 25 bucks or so to get something like this. Of course, you can get more pricey as well but I'm telling you it works well.
7. Custom-made backdrop for video conferences. I have a professionally-designed backdrop with my company logo, website URL, etc. behind me. I actually do not use that very much, but it is available and it's portable so I can take it with me if I need.
8. I have 4 light sources, beyond the general room light. One is a regular desk lamp, one is a floor lamp, one is a ring light that can be used portable with a power bank and has a cell phone clamp so that you can do video conferences with your cell phone if need be, and the last one is my best one, which is a desk lamp with many different settings and extends four feet high. I use it a sort of room lighting. I really need that because my lighting sucks in my at home area.
9. Portable green screen. I bought it from one of those places like Ali - Express that takes forever to come in but eventually gets there. I paid less than $30 for mine. That stays behind me 99% of the time, and I use virtual backgrounds for my zoom video conferences. I have one of an enlarged business card, one of a bookshelf that looks real, and other desk settings. For my classes, I usually change it up and I have one that shows me in a beach condo, which looks like you're sitting at a table with the balcony and the ocean right behind you. The students generally think I'm on vacation when I use that one. One of my favorites is a virtual background I have with Julia Roberts in the background, sitting at a study carrel at the old Tulane law school library, where I spent many hours in the three years I was there. When the pandemic hit, I actually spoke to the current Tulane law librarian try to get a general picture of the old law school library, with the stacks in the background, but struck out and I was fine finding this one as a substitute.
10. Scanner. I have a very upgraded scanner, but I have specific needs for it that most people don't.
11. VOIP telephone number. I have had a number for years that I did not use from Google (local number, with "1040" as the last 4 digits to sort of highlight my tax practice). I receive calls and make calls from that number from my computer, using that headset that I mentioned earlier.
12. I wasn't going to mention the software, but I am going to mention one thing in case it is relevant for anyone else. I have dragon nuance professional 15 voice dictation software. This isn't the home version, but the better professional version. Not only can I dictate using the headset, but if I am away from my computer, I can record and then upload it and dragon will transcribe it. It is not a tremendous need for me, but it is an insurance policy in case I have a hand injury or something like that. I have always been paranoid, so I wanted a good backup plan. This is not the same quality you get when you dictate to your phone, or on Google, or something like that. It is much, much better. It also allows you to dictate in anything. If I send an email, I can voice dictate with it. If I post on Kentucky Sports Report, I can dictate with it. It also allows you to do commands such as searches on the internet and whatever. I have not used it for that kind of thing but I do use it for voice dictation.
13. Voice recorder, or Dictaphone. I have one with a slide switch so that you can constantly dictate, stop your dictation, rewinded, etc. with the same switch. They used to be super expensive, but when I left the firm I was with I took a look on eBay and found the exact model I was using for less than $50 used. They are not hard to find, and if you do voice dictation for someone else to type your documents, or if you use voice dictation software, you will be very glad you have this.
As a side note, it is hard for me to fathom why any law firm doesn't use Dragon nuance Legal Professional software. I used to dictate, then put my voice recorder on a stand to upload to my Legal Assistant, who would then type everything I dictated. If we had Dragon Nuance professional or Dragon Nuance legal professional, 99% of what I typed would already be typed when it reached her, and she would only have to proofread it, put it in letterhead, format it, Etc. Anyway, I won't make that mistake again. And just if you are curious, unless you do a lot of litigation where you are typing briefs, using case citations, Etc., Dragon professional and dragon legal are identical.
14. Laser printer. The one caveat I would mention on buying this is to try to do some advance research and see if it can use generic toner cartridges fairly well. I have literally bought dozens of generic toner cartridges for about $10 each, whereas my OEM would be about $60, so it has saved me a ton of money over the years.
15. You guys are going to think this is weird, but my desk chair is a doctor's stool. I tried several different things overtime, and this really works well for me. First, my space is fairly small and this tucks away beautifully. Second, it swivels very easily, so I can reach the printer on my right side all the way to the scanner on my left side very easily. It is not the most comfortable, but it is comfortable enough, and forces me to keep good posture while typing or doing video conferences or whatever. It is all so easy to swivel and get up from my desk which I tried to do at least once an hour if not more.
16. I just thought of one more thing that might help some. I have several of the wall hanging folders. They actually fold up like an accordion if you wanted to take them with you, but otherwise you can hang them with a hook and there are 6 or 8 folder slots where you can put small manila folders. I mean, the manila folders are regular size, but they can't be too thick.
I am spending at least 90% of my time these days in this home environment, so I am trying to make it is useful, productive, and comfortable as possible. The only thing that I think I need is the Logitech webcam to replace the built-in webcam from my laptop. With my lighting, my webcam video is fine, but probably could be just a little better. In addition, since I usually headphone, I will not see any benefit from the Improvement in microphones the webcam will have over my laptop, except in rare situations. Every once in awhile, I will have to have someone with me on my end, and obviously I had to disconnect my headphones when I do that. On those occasions, it will be nice to have better audio.
EDIT...two other items I thought I'd mention.
17. Small portable fan. I don't use it normally, but when my A/C went on the blink, it made it comfortable enough to keep working. All of it goes to pot if the electricity goes out, but with a small fan (mine was plastic, 6", with a clamp that fit on a stand so you could use it either way), it made it very tolerable even when the temperature in the house was in the mid 80's. When it got warmer than that, it was uncomfortable, though.
18. Electric tea kettle. Just thinking of my normal day to day activities. I keep it plugged up all the time in the kitchen, and generally fill it with water. I click the switch, and in a few minutes, boiling water. The reason I include it is that I just use it all day for various things. I drink hot tea; makes it super easy. Daily I eat steel cut oats oatmeal, and I put the oatmeal in a mug, and pour the boiling water in it and lit it sit for about 5 minutes or so. Occasionally for a treat, I'll make ramen noodles (I like chicken flavor, and sprinkle cayenne pepper in it), and again, just pour the water over it. I run outside and often have sinus issues, and use a Neti-pot...yes, the boiled water is used for it (obviously, well after it has cooled. Anyway, just thinking of things that make it easier for me to work from home.
Last edited by Darrell KSR; 09-06-2020 at 02:51 PM.
Thanks, I worry about the back with the stool but get the swivel.
Here's a good article on choosing an office chair. You might be surprised to see that backless options are among the most preferred for your health.
https://www.outsideonline.com/218213...-wont-kill-you
But I get it. Not having something to lean back against from time to time just seems wrong. And I think a quality ergonomic desk chair would be my first choice if I had plenty of space anyway.
I also have a portable folding chair that I bought from Home Depot that was recommended on a work-from-home article as one of the most comfortable chairs for a tiny space. If I really want a back, I can use it but I find I don't. I think it was only like $18.
Here's that article.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.apa...736916%3famp=1
I don't think this substitutes for a good quality ergonomic desk chair, but for my purposes it has worked well. I have used it for 3-hour Zoom classes and seminars that I have watched on my computer where I don't have to do any typing, but can just lean back.
Did you happen to set up?
Originally Posted by KentuckyWildcat
First, you have to get a decent mini-fridge. One that keeps beer cold enough but doesn't ruin the limes, and the ice and vodka is good and cold in the freezer. If you have the room a dedicated fridge and then freezer works best.
Second, a good chair. Preferably one with a seat belt.
People keep asking if I'm back and I haven't really had an answer. But now, yeah, I'm thinkin' I'm back.
Have had a mini fridge or full cooler fridge for 25 years.
Doesn't have to be stocked with ice and vodka.
But it helps.
Dual monitors with one rotated 90 degrees is amazing if you code or work with documents a lot.
Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
that's my setup. Sitting here right now with it. Sometimes I'll have them side by side if I'm doing a close compare, but most of the time they're between 45 and 90.
People keep asking if I'm back and I haven't really had an answer. But now, yeah, I'm thinkin' I'm back.
I tried it, and just never got used to it. I have to have both monitors horizontal. When I'm comparing documents, which I do a great deal, the symmetry is lost if pages appear differently for me.
For me that's like doing a code compare, and when I do that kind of thing I have them right next to each other.
A lot of the time if I don't need 2nd monitor I have it running videos and such, and I don't want them right in front of me. I listen as much as watch.
People keep asking if I'm back and I haven't really had an answer. But now, yeah, I'm thinkin' I'm back.
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