Photographers, graphic designers, art directors—creative professionals can all attest to one thing: Your workspace plays a crucial role in your success. Imagine designing a brand’s logo on a 13-inch laptop instead of in a high-tech office with a second monitor, tablet, and digital pen.
By the same logic, it’s important to set yourself up for success in your home office. The good news is, it’s easy to customize your space for maximum efficiency—and change it as your needs evolve. Continue reading to learn about eight products that can help you achieve next-level productivity at work, ranging from SanDisk® memory cards and ergonomic chairs to kits that will finally keep your tangle of tech cords tidy.
SanDisk Professional PRO-DOCK 4
Listen up, photogs. The PRO-DOCK 4 docking station ($499.99) from Western Digital’s SanDisk Professional is a game-changer that can offload multiple memory cards at once through four dedicated reader bays (PRO-READER devices sold separately). Not only that, it’ll transfer those files super fast thanks to Thunderbolt™ technology and daisy-chaining (a.k.a. sequence wiring). In addition to connecting your computer to your displays, drives, and A/V devices through this one master dock, the device has a built-in 260W power supply to charge compatible devices—which means you’ll be ready to head out the door when the offloading is complete.
Quartet Glass Dry-Erase Desktop Computer Pad
This little number falls into the “why didn’t I think of that” category. It has an angled, tempered glass board for jotting down notes that are easy to erase. It resists stains and ghosting and hides a built-in storage tray and marker holder to help clear the clutter preventing you from staying focused. So, if your desktop is littered with random sticky notes, errant paper clips, and other odds and ends that you can never find a home for, this multi-use computer pad is about to revolutionize your workspace (and help save some trees).
SanDisk Professional PRO-READER SD and microSD™
Help keep your media safe with the SanDisk Professional PRO-READER SD and microSD™ card reader ($54.99), thanks to an integrated write-protect lock switch that prevents you from accidentally overwriting your data. The included USB-C™ cable delivers super-fast media transfers and allows you to easily connect to a tablet, external drive, or your computer. Not only does the reader’s small size make it portable, but the sleek aluminum exterior keeps cards cool to prevent them from overheating. This reader is great for the dock mentioned above.
Bellroy Tidy Tech Kit
You can’t always get rid of things that don’t spark joy—but you can organize and hide them. This tech kit helps keep cables, chargers, and headphones neatly tucked away and out of sight. There’s plenty of space for your power bank, a mouse, and various wires, and you can feel good about the fact that the pack is made from 100% recycled PET bottles.
SanDisk Extreme PRO® SDHC™ And SDXC™ UHS-I Card
Don’t let shoddy technology stifle your creativity. Instead, daring photographers and videographers can choose the powerful SanDisk Extreme PRO® SDHCTM and SDXCTM UHS-I memory cards (starting at $12.99), which provide write speeds of up to 140MB/s* and capture continuous 4K UHD video. ** With this trusty sidekick, you can confidently seek out the most action-packed shots in even the harshest conditions. (Seriously, it’s temperature-proof, waterproof, shock-proof, magnet-proof, drop-proof, wearout-proof, and even X-ray-proof.***) When paired with the SanDisk Professional PRO-READER SD and microSD covered earlier in this list (sold separately), this card saves time with quick transfer speeds of up to 200MB/s*.
FlexiSpot Comhar All-in-One Standing Desk Glass Top
It’s time to take a stand against working inefficiently. You probably already know that standing desks are lauded for their health benefits, but did you know they also increase productivity? According to one study, call centre employees who used sit-stand desks were 45 percent more productive than their seated colleagues. This option offers four programmable heights so you don’t have to adjust your desk each time you switch positions; a storage drawer to keep your workspace clear; and a tempered glass top for that sophisticated look.
Erin Condren Focused Weekly Planner
If you’re the type who gets distracted every time you pick up your phone, try jotting down your appointments, goals, and projects on paper. Within the minimalist black vegan leather cover and gold spiral binding of this datebook, you’ll find a 12-month planning layout, a goals and intentions page, a monthly productivity tracker, and dated monthly and weekly horizontal spreads. Once your brain is free of all those pesky details, you can switch your mind to creative mode.
The Ergonomic Chair
Comfort may very well be the ultimate productivity driver. If you’ve ever tried to get work done in a painful position, you know just how disruptive it is to constantly shift around in misery. Whether you work from home or in an office,this ergonomic chair is, literally, just what the doctor ordered—during its design, chiropractors were consulted for specifications on ideal lumbar and upper back support. What’s more, it’s handmade and aesthetically pleasing, with multiple wood finishes and fabric options.
