With stores and offices shutting down in Tokyo you could too become one of the growing number of people being told to work from home. Although working from home has its merits, for the ill-prepared this transition may end up being more difficult than intended. To help you along in the transition from your office chair to your home sofa, here is a list of gadgets you may need to stay focused when working from home.

1. An Updated Laptop & High-speed WiFi

Depending on what responsibilities you have to migrate from work to home, the laptop you’ve been using for Netflix and YouTube for the last five years may not have the necessary processing power to complete those work tasks. Having a laptop already equipped with the appropriate programs and logins will stop embarrassing emails to higher-ups about forgetting the password for that work-website you’ve never logged out of, or not understanding how to access the Dropbox folder.

2. Noise-canceling Headphones

Those who find working in an office setting distracting may also have some issues working from home. Noise-canceling headphones are not only good for keeping you focused on the task in front of you, but if you are living in a Japanese apartment with thin walls it may stop any neighborhood squabbles about loud music. The headphones are super useful for anyone living in a residential area. Between screaming children, barking dogs and the occasional car screeching down the road, it’s a mystery how anyone can stay focused without a pair of good headphones. 

3. Digital timer

Staying on task from the comfort of your own home can be a challenge especially for those with flexible work schedules and deadlines. A digital timer can be the coworker you never knew you needed. Set the timer for an hour and start going down your list of tasks. Once the timer stops, take a short 10-minute break is in order and then rinse and repeat. This method keeps you working in a nice pace while stopping you from burning out while working from home.

4. Electric Coffee bean Grinder

With your favorite café miles away and Prime Minister Abe issuing a state of emergency closing most shops, how will one get an essential cup of coffee? Of course, there is instant coffee, but after years of drinking freshly grounded coffee from that store you love how can you go back to instant? An electric coffee bean grinder is an essential piece of any kitchen, especially now when most will be working from home. For those wanting a more low-tech solution, a hand grinder is equally viable but depending on your love of caffeine, an electric one may save time in the long run.

This simple coffee grinder is a good place for any coffee drinker to start their own home coffee adventures.

5. Ergonomically Correct Seat Cushion

One of those items you never think you’ll need, until you do. Working from the comfort of your home can be exactly that, comfortable. But hours bent over a computer on tables and chairs built for small talk and coffee can be murder on your back. Correctional seat cushions take the strain off your back and abs, making that dining room kitchen table and chair set a little easier to work on. There are a ton of different seat cushions to choose from. Luckily thebalancesmallbusiness did a great roundup of the best correctional seat cushions so far in 2020.

Featured Image : Sharomka / Shutterstock