Working remotely was a growing trend even before it became a necessity. That’s because it has some obvious advantages. You save time and money because there’s no commute, your boss isn’t there breathing down your neck, and it makes dealing with annoying co-workers so much easier.

However, working from home is a skill. It may be challenging at first because it’s harder to separate your personal life from your professional life. You have more freedom, but if you’re used to working in a formal office, that freedom can lead to a slump in productivity.

You’ll need to create the sort of environment that helps you focus and stay motivated. When you start setting up your home office, one of two things can happen. You’ll either underestimate or overestimate the number of things you need. But don’t worry! We’ve made a list of 7 work from home essential to create the perfect home office, only a few feet away from where you sleep.

First things first. You’ll need a computer. There are very few jobs you could do from home without one. Even more important than a computer is a laptop. Depending on the work you do, the performance provided by a laptop could be more than enough, so you won’t need a desktop computer as well.

A laptop gives you more flexibility. You can take it with you when meeting with clients, and you can use it to work while traveling. Since ultraportable, high-performance laptops can be quite expensive, you’ll want to make sure you choose one that can meet the needs of your workday, so we recommend you do some research online and watch some in-depth review videos once you’re narrowed down your list.

If you’re going to use a desktop computer, you’ll need a monitor. However, even if you plan on using only your laptop, it’s still better to set up a work station with a monitor or even dual monitors if needed. You’ll be spending a lot of time staring at your screen and working with multiple programs. Having to constantly switch between them can get very annoying and lead to mistakes.

A monitor or dual monitors can save you a lot of time and frustration, plus it’s easier on the neck. If you’re not particularly tech-savvy, choosing one can get a bit confusing because there’s an overwhelming amount of options. You’ll want to make sure it’s compatible with your laptop and take advantage of Staples Black Friday offers to stay within budget.

Again, even if you use your laptop instead of a desktop computer, you will still need a keyboard and a mouse. Laptop keyboards and trackpads can get very uncomfortable when you use them for long hours, causing strain and damage to your wrists. It’s better to look for a mouse and keyboard with the kind of angles and curvature that allow your wrists to rest in a comfortable position.

As you can imagine, you’ll have tons of options to choose from. The wired ones can be annoying because the wires can tangle, and it looks messier. With wireless alternatives, you don’t have to worry about that, but you’ll need to make sure you have batteries on hand.

Now that you have a basic set-up, you’ll need a desk to put it on. Before you choose your desk, take measurements of your home office to make sure it fits properly. When it’s empty, a room can look a lot larger. You don’t want to buy a desk and realize it takes up almost half of the space, and you can barely move around it.

It should also have some storage options, so you don’t have to pile everything on top. This makes your work look cluttered and makes it harder to focus. The style mostly depends on your preferences, but as a general rule, you should always choose comfort and functionality over aesthetics. If you can afford to splurge, you may want to consider getting a motorized standing desk so you can alternate between sitting and standing.

Your chair is even more important than your desk. You’ll be sitting on it for hours and hours every day. Don’t go on looks alone. A lot of those elegant office chairs you see in catalogs are not very comfortable. It’s better to go to a physical store and test it yourself.

There are a few things you should pay attention to:

● Adjustable height and armrests

● Lumbar support

● Whether the chair rolls

● Swivel base

● Sufficient seat depth and width

● Breathable materials

An uncomfortable chair is not only bad for your back, but it can be very distracting, making it hard to get your work done.

You probably have internet at home, but you want to make sure it’s fast enough to accommodate your work-from-home needs. Perhaps your family members will still be surfing the net or watching movies while you’re working and have to video conference with clients or colleagues.

You’ll probably also have to send and receive large files. You want these things to go smoothly, so see if you need to contact your provider to upgrade to a faster package. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to get your work done when your computer is running much slower than your brain.

You may also need a new router to make sure your connection is stable and reliable. You don’t need to get the most expensive one. It depends on your needs. You definitely don’t want to pay for features you won’t be using. Consider the size of the area the router has to cover and how many devices will be connected.

Although we live in an increasingly paperless world, you’ll probably still need to print something from time to time. Plus, you may need to scan or fax documents and make copies. You don’t want to have to go to the library or a copy and print store every time. That takes a lot of time, and reliable printer-scanner devices are not that expensive.

You’ll have plenty of options to choose from, and there’s always a special offer. Obviously, the price depends on how much it can do and how economical it is. This will depend on how often you need to print documents. If it’s just once in a while, you can opt for something inexpensive.