Overcome creative blocks and challenges with these essential office gadgets and tools to inspire creativity and boost productivity.
More and more people are working from home. With this change in environment, creating a creative workspace is more important than ever. There are many benefits to working from home that boost productivity, but also new challenges. To stay productive and creative, learn how to optimize your creative space and add tools to support the creative process.
Productivity Chair
Investing in a good chair carries many benefits not just for health but also for creativity. Besides supporting comfort, it’s important to pick a chair that supports the lower back and overall posture. Keeping these elements in mind can boost focus, flow, and of course, productivity. Research even shows improving posture can boost productivity by up to 50%.
How to Choose a Chair for Productivity:
- Choose a chair with a tall back
- Adjustable lumbar support
- Adjustability for personalization
- Breathable fabric material to manage temperature
Best Chairs for Productivity
- Gaiam Backless Chair – $
- Modway Articulate Ergonomic Chair – $
- DRAGONN Ergonomic Kneeling Chair – $
- Ikea Markus Swivel Chair – $$
- Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Series – $$$
- Knoll ReGeneration – $$$
- HAG Capisco Chair – $$$
- Herman Miller Aeron Chair – $$$$
Smart Desk
A good desk is essential for any creative space, and having the option to adjust the height can support one’s health and creative productivity. Changing perspective can have a positive effect on creative thinking. That’s why creatives like Ernest Hemmingway and other famous creative minds would change their surroundings during their creative process or even have a standing desk to support their creative process.
There are many types of smart and adjustable desks starting around $200 (US) and going up to over $1000 (US). If those are out of your price range, consider getting creative with what you have available to mix up your creative space to support creative thinking and productivity.
How to Choose a Desk for Productivity:
- Enough space for creative work
- Adjustability for personalization
- Organization and minimalism for flow
- Durable and quality materials to withstand creative work and time
Best Smart Desks for Productivity
- SHW Adjustable Standing Desk – $$
- Flexispot EC1 Standing Desk – $$
- Seville Tempered Glass Workstation Desk – $$
- FEZIBO Adjustable Standing Desk with Double Drawer – $$
- Uplift v2 Commercial Standing Desk – $$$
Have you ever been in a creative flow only to reach over for your coffee or tea to find it’s gone cold?
With the Ember smart mug, you can keep your drink perfectly hot for up to 1.5 hours on a single charge and not have the distracting cold throw you out of the flow. This smart mug lets you choose the exact temperature you prefer (between 120°F – 145°F), and you can even control it with your smartphone through an app.
TimeFlip2 is a dice and productivity app designed to make time-tracking effortless and enjoyable.
Described as a human-friendly tracker, this productivity gadget is an interactive time tracker that requires physical touch to help support and build habits. Instead of just having an app, you have a physical device to remind you and help keep you on track.
reMarkable 2 isn’t your typical digital tablet. This productivity tool is great for creatives looking to support a zero-waste lifestyle and creative work.
This next-generation paper-like tablet can help you replace your notebooks and stop wasting paper. Whether you’re brainstorming, researching, or working on a creative project, this tablet has a long-lasting battery life to support your creative process.
Convert your handwritten notes into text and easily integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, and more for better organization and accessibility.
TimeChi is a smart productivity tool designed to stop burnout and help people experience deep work. Listed on Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2021, this productivity gadget is great for creative individuals and teams.
Described as a Fitbit for productivity, TimeChi is a companion tool based on proven timeboxing methods and connects with a TimeChi app to track progress and reports to help make further improvements.
Do your meetings get interrupted by family or co-workers? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a visual cue that shows when you’re busy?
MuteMe is an illuminated mute button that does just that. There are plenty of distractions in the workspace, and with an increase in remote workers, this is even more true. This gadget can help you increase productivity, boost confidence, and decrease interruptions in the workspace and home office.
MuteMe works with Zoom, Webex, Teams, Skype, Google Meet, and other workplace apps.
Nothing says creative productivity like multiple screens. Whether you’re a writer, photographer, digital artist, or practice other forms of creativity, one screen just isn’t enough. It even can break the flow, especially when you’re in the zone.
With the TRIO – Portable Dual & Triple Screen Laptop Monitor, you can easily add more screens to your laptop so you can stay productive and creative even when you’re on the go.
Physical activity can do wonders for the creative process. That’s why so many famous creative minds have some form of exercise involved in their creative process, particularly with brainstorming.
The Cubii JR1 Seated Desk Elliptical Machine is both a productivity and health gadget that can aid your creative process and help you get in shape at the same time. Are you stuck on a creative problem? Get ideas flowing with some exercise while still at your desk. Improve circulation, boost energy, and burn calories while you work.
This is also great for the active creative recovering from an injury to rehab in the comforts of home.
If you spend a lot of your creative time working on a computer, you’ve probably experienced the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome. Not only can this break creative flow and productivity, but also create other health issues. Symptoms include eyestrain, headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision, and neck and shoulder pain.
One way to reduce these negative effects is to use Gunnar Blue Light Glasses. This productivity tool is designed to block/filter the blue light from digital screens. Other features include decreased glare and screen reflections, increased contrast and detail, and improved focus, productivity, and performance.
It’s important to note that experts are still studying the effectiveness of blue light glasses. Current studies prefer to recommend blinking more, having an ergonomic setup, using eye drops, and taking breaks.
Zach is an international writer, photographer, filmmaker, martial artist, and creator of Creative Enso, the Zen art of creative living. His goal is to empower and inspire creatives to live healthier, happier, and more creative lifestyles.
