Optimizing the Home Office Setup for Consultants

One of the main perks of working as a public relations consultant is that my primary office is at home. Though I may occasionally work at a local coffee shop when I need a change of scenery or even a bit of background noise, my days are primarily spent working in my home office.

Though I work primarily off of a laptop and cellphone, I've found it very important to create a separate physical space that serves as my "office" – a space that is only used for work. Establishing a dedicated home office setup can provide a way to separate your work area from the personal areas of your home. Doing this was helpful in reducing the urge to let work creep into my personal time and space.

Creating a Workstation for My Home Office Setup

When creating the "office" for my consulting business, I assembled a complete workstation that took up a minimal amount of floor space. This home office setup enables me to use my MacBook Pro on the road and instantly turns it into a powerful, full-function desktop workstation at home.

Standing Desk - Get On Your Feet

If you have the space, a standing desk is an excellent platform for establishing your home office workspace. I use the FEZIBO Electrica Standing Desk with a 63" x 24" desktop that is large enough to support my entire workstation. The desk uses an electric motor with an adjustable height ranging from 27.3" to 45.5", allowing me to give the chair a rest and work standing up periodically throughout the day. 

Obviously, the hardware and accessories you choose for your home office setup will differ based on the space you have available, your need for specific features and capabilities, and your personal preferences. However, I thought I would share the setup that has allowed me to create a self-contained home office in one corner of my home.

I'd love to hear about any innovative solutions you use to increase productivity or address space or environmental challenges in your home office setup!

External Monitors Expand Your Desktop Real Estate

One of the primary reasons that I use the docking station is to connect external monitors to my laptop. I have two Samsung 27" 1080P computer monitors, which gives me a desktop workspace that extends across three screens (two external monitors and the MacBook display). This enhances my productivity greatly by allowing me to keep my email client on one screen and a source document on another screen while creating content on the third screen. (Full transparency: sometimes, while I'm working, one of the screens is dedicated to a significant sports competition!) These are HUGE productivity enhancers!

Docking Station - Extend your Laptop's Capabilities

A laptop docking station allows you to instantly connect a variety of accessories, such as input devices, USB drives, and additional monitors, to the laptop through a single laptop port. This is the component that turns the laptop into a fully functional workstation. I use the Kensington SD5780T Thunderbolt 4 Dual 4K Docking Station. I connect a USB hard drive to the docking station, a Gigabit Ethernet connection, two external monitors, a professional microphone, a professional webcam and ring light, and an audio system. Connecting the USB-C cable from the docking station to my MacBook Pro connects the laptop to the entire system, creating a complete workstation. Additionally, the docking station provides up to 100W of power to charge the laptop and power the USB devices.

Monitor Arms Get Your Monitors Off of the Desk

Monitor arms enable me to add the two external monitors to my workstation without taking any physical space on the desktop. This is key to keeping my stacks of papers, books, etc., confined to my desktop. I use two Kensington Monitor Arms that enable my external monitors to "float" above the desk and easily adjust each to a comfortable viewing height and angle. These are must-haves for saving space when using multiple monitors!

Laptop Riser Reduces Strain

When you're working on the computer for long periods of time, ergonomics becomes very important. Ensuring that your laptop screen is at the proper height is essential for reducing fatigue and muscle strain. I use a laptop stand to raise my MacBook to the same height as my two external monitors, providing me with a continuous three-screen desktop. I don't personally use the Lamicall Adjustable Laptop Stand, but the one I use is no longer being sold, and based on the reviews, I'll be purchasing this one soon!

USB Hard Drive Provides Critical Data Backup

A USB hard drive connected through the docking station enables me to archive or duplicate files from my laptop and allows the computer to run automated backups every evening. This is especially important given that if my laptop gets lost, stolen, or damaged, my business must continue uninterrupted. Having a sizeable solid-state drive is critical to ensuring that my files are duplicated and archived reliably and safely. For this, I use the 1TB Samsung SSD T7 Portable External Solid State Drive.

Trackballs Ideal for Small Desktops

Trackballs have been around forever, but many consultants I know understand the benefits of using one. Whereas a traditional mouse requires the user to physically move the mouse across the desktop to move the cursor, a trackball stays stationary, and the user instead moves the trackball. Not only is this great for desktops where you don't have a lot of space, but they're typically better for your hands and wrists from an ergonomic standpoint. I use the Kensington SlimBlade Trackball with a wide base and a large trackball for easy navigation and cursor control. Admittedly, getting used to the trackball can take a minute, but once you get the hang of it, you may find it faster and more comfortable for all-day use.

Business Mechanical Keyboard - Accuracy and Precision Typing

Typing on the MacBook keyboard is an exercise in frustration for me. The smaller keyboard with "chiclet" style keys slows me down. While it's okay when I'm working offsite, I need a full-size keyboard built for speed and accuracy when I'm in the home office. I use the Kensington Silent Mechanical Keyboard, which is made for business use. The full-sized keyboard features programmable keys, including dedicated keys for video conferencing, and connects to the laptop via Bluetooth, USB, or cable. The keyboard has a long battery life and is spill-proof, which has come in handy several times thanks to loose coffee lids!