Hybrid work is here to stay. Many organizations have closed their offices or have opted to downsize. A couple of years ago a grainy webcam and spotty voice quality were accepted. Now, there is an expectation to level up your work from home environment. One of the reasons jobseekers have prioritized remote work is to avoid the long commutes in order to spend more time with their families or things they care about outside of work. At one point, I was commuting three hours per day which unsustainable. Six months later I found myself burning both ends of the candle. I think those days are a foregone conclusion, but here are some tools I’ve found to help be more productive when working from remote.

The modular desk shelf by ModWood Fluorescent Work Jacket

ModWood desk shelf with drawer and knick knack for accessories

I’ve had a bamboo standing desk from Fully for several years. While it’s spacious being 60 inches in length, the challenge is a lack of storage and my workspace can get cluttered in no time.

Enter ModWood — think of it like buying a sofa for an empty apartment. The desk is the room and you want to tailor your furniture to fit your space. Like furniture, ModWood transforms your desk and provides more function, storage, and it blends in with your workspace. I’ve thrown out my back a few times putting together IKEA furniture (never seem to learn my lesson). What’s remarkable about ModWood is its magnetic and modular design. Co-founder, David Tyler, explained how they iterated the design until the were able to incorporate magnets that worked well enough for consumer use. I didn’t need any tools, I literally just opened the box and like the Magna-Tiles my kids use I placed the drawer on the left and the magnets snapped in place.

I now have a way more storage for my Kindle, notebooks, and chargers and everything feels like it has a place. The units have a premium finish to them so it feels like it came with my desk. ModWood has been the game changer in the last year to level up my office environment in the place where I spend the most time — being my desk.

MW75 Active Noise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones by Master & Dynamic

A solid pair of headphones should be a staple on everyone’s list. Master & Dynamic is the Mercedes-Benz of build and sound quality. Even outside of work when I was watching Netflix on my MacBook the sound quality felt like I was in a movie theater. One of the challenges with finding the right pair of headphones is that you have to wear them for a few hours to see if they’re still comfortable. Thankfully these have felt comfortable for all day wear. The headband and ear pads are made of lambskin and have a smooth feel to them. The build includes a solid aluminum and the ear cups are made of tempered glass. It includes a 3.5mm jack in case you need to plug in and they’ve even created an app to adjust the EQ. They’ve thought through all the details. Even the case is made with a soft felt material that has a shelled exterior which makes it easy to travel with. If the SHURE SM7B is the king of podcast microphones, the Master & Dynamic MW75 is the king of noise-cancelling wireless headphones.

Productivity tools for your to-dos

I stumbled on a beautiful weekly planner in a stationary store somewhere in Portland, OR. After an internet search, I discovered the additional productivity tools the company designed. I love the simplicity and intentionality of them. I’ve used something similar it the past but I prefer these for day to day use.

I begin my Monday mornings with the Weekly Overview Notepad which where I’ll take a look at my personal and Outlook calendar for work — and begin to decipher and jot down what’s most important. While my calendar may be stacked with meetings that are important to other people, the planner gives me the space to distill the essential.

Kim Burks, founder of Ramona & Ruth, shared her perspective of why it’s so important to be intentional with your time and her strategy around prioritization:

“I approach productivity with intentionality. A beautiful life demands having enough margin in our days to actually live, not just get through. I find that if you don’t take the time to be intentional & determine what’s most important to you in your daily life, then your to-do lists, work, and others will determine it for you.

I like to sit down at the start of my day, or even the evening before, and determine what is most important for that day - is it my fitness routine? A healthy, quiet lunch break? Finally completing the big project that’s weighing on me? Connecting with a friend or family member? Determine what is most important to you, and arrange your day around that - not the other way around.

I am a big believer in prioritization. What I have finally realized over the years is that it will never all get done. The to-do list will never be completely crossed off, there will always be more to do. If you don’t prioritize and ultimately come to peace with the fact that it will always be unfinished, you will always feel overwhelmed and unaccomplished.

When you center your week around your own wellness, the game truly changes. When you first approach your week with ‘how will I take care of myself this week?’ and ‘what will my intentions be?’, you subconsciously show yourself that you are the priority here, not your never-ending to-dos.”

Kim also shared that the Daily Overview Notepad is actually their best-seller. I use them in tandem — thinking of the Weekly Overview Planner as the birds eye view in the beginning of each week and the Daily Overview Notepad to keep me on track each day.

The most versatile piece in my wardrobe that I wear working from home is a cardigan from one of the most progressive apparel brands on the planet. Launched by three Argentinian brothers, Industry of All Nations is the gold standard of intentionally developing apparel that is sustainable and environmentally safe.

Alpaca Cardigan made of 100% undyed Alpaca fiber

The cardigan wears well over a t-shirt and it’s hypoallergenic and while the medium weight keeps you warm it does not over heat. It’s made from 100% Alpaca fiber by a Bolivian co-op of farmers and manufacturers.

Bolivian farmer co-op includes 1,200 families

This cardigan and all of their Alpaca products are completely undyed, meaning they are better for the environment and your skin. When they need to dye, they try to use natural dyes from plants and minerals in most cases.

Co-founder Juan Gerscovich was quoted saying that purchasing apparel is like voting with your wallet.

“I always tell people to ask questions before buying anything: ask how is it made, who made it, where is it made, in that order. Don't get too frustrated if you don’t get an answer, that question will hopefully start to reach heads of companies and answers will start to arrive, but only if we remember and don’t get shy or tired of asking.”

Clean Crewneck T-shirt by IOAN

My favorite piece from IOAN to wear under the cardigan is this soft and light weight t-shirt coined the Clean Crewneck T-shirt. It’s made with organic cotton which is locally grown in Tmil Nadu, India and is colored with a fermented natural indigo dye. It’s so comfortable I could live in these all day.

Dialing-in your rest and recovery

One of the most important lesson I learned completing P90X was that I needed to be more intentional about getting good, quality sleep — and enough of it. Some nights I’d sleep 5 hours and would have to sludge through the workout the following day. Sleep expert, Dr. Michael Breus, explained that the number one indicator of good sleep is not actually how many hours you sleep, but the consistency of time you wake up. Additionally, having enough time in the deep sleep stage is crucial for muscle recovery.

One of the best investments you can make to impact the quality of your sleep is a heating and cooling pad. I’ve tried the alternatives, but what I like about the Pod 3 Cover by Eight Sleep is that it’s the most advanced technology on the market. You slide the encasement over your current mattress and there is a hub that you place near your bed. You can set the temperature to automatically be set when you get into bed and to adjust throughout the night. In other words, you can set it and forget it, but also have the flexibility to change the temperature through their app. I’ve read that the optimal sleep temperature is around 67 degrees but that is too cool for my liking. The Pod 3 ranges from 55 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Personally, I like to crank it to 110 degrees when I get into bed and then I dial it down to 78 degrees which allows me to get into a warm bed and adjust for the night.

Eight Sleep app showing sleep report

The Pod 3 Cover also tracks your sleep time including the different stages of sleep. The app has a dashboard that includes information about how much time it takes you to sleep on average, time slept, the time you consistently awake, and even how long it takes you to get out of bed. It does measure other metrics like heart rate variability and even has a section of the app for meditation and breathing exercises.

One of the coolest features (pun intended) is that you can set the temperature on each side of the bed. You can technically leave your partner’s side off if needed. If you were to invest in one device to hack your sleep, you would not regret the Pod 3 Cover.

One of the popular sleep tracking devices is the Oura Ring. I’ve found this to be tremendously helpful as a heart rate monitor. I did notice there’s roughly a 20 minute difference between the captured sleep data from the Pod 3 Cover compared to the Oura Ring — whereas the ring seems to capture the data more accurately. The Pod 3 Cover’s sleep report could be effected if for example you sleep with your pet.

Oura Ring Gen3 in Silver

I check the sleep tab in the app every morning to see if I’ve achieved my sleep goals. My deep sleep was flagged as a low and it was helpful to see some of the suggestions that the app provided (avoiding heavy meals before bed, trying to keep to a consistent sleep schedule).

One of the most helpful features is in the trends tab. Since using the Oura Ring I’ve increased my average sleep time by 13%. I’ve also learned that I feel much more refreshed when I have at least 7 and a half hours of sleep. I also keep tabs on my heart rate variability and my restorative sleep through the dashboard, all which are easy to view.

Improving my sleep quality has been life changing. I have a longer fuse throughout the day, I feel more creative, and I just feel better. Sleep is the anchor of my day. Without my diet and fitness also tend to go off the rails. Oura CEO, Tom Hale, explained it best:

Every system in the body is enhanced by better sleep - your heart, your metabolism, your brain. And every day we are discovering new ways that good sleep powers and supports optimal health. It’s the first step in really taking care of our bodies, but it’s a health behavior that we struggle to understand because we have no way of knowing what happens between the time we fall asleep and the time we wake up. That’s the real benefit of the Oura Ring. It’s subtle and discreet, but it functions much like a pair of night vision goggles providing insight into both the quantity and quality of your sleep. Over time, this personalized data allows our members to understand how their daily habits impact their sleep, and how their sleep impacts their performance.”

I’ve had a number of supplements on-hand for those days when I really need restful sleep. The trouble with most, like melatonin, is that I feel groggy the following day. Once every few weeks I’ll take a serving of Peak Sleep. It’s magnesium based with a number of adaptogens which are derived from mushrooms and are known to reduce stress. Like any supplement, you should consult a licensed healthcare practitioner before use.

Peak Sleep by Bare Performance Nutrition

Having a blanket you like can also impact the quality of your sleep. For cold winter nights, the Double Snug Woodland Comforter from Sunday Citizen has been my go-to because it’s like two blankets glued together to keep you toasty. I am not a fan of weighted blankets, so this is not heavy. I once took a nap with a weighted blanket and I was in such pain it felt like an elephant had sat on me.

When it’s very cold you can flip the blanket to the fuzzy side, while the smooth side is typically a bit cooler. Their throws are very popular and we often keep a couple in the living room for movie nights. They are decently priced and they have lasted after numerous washes over the course of the year.

It’s been said that the blue light from your phone can keep you up at night. I know multiple people that swear by wearing blue light blocking glasses. There’s just very little scientific evidence I’ve come across to back up these claims which is also hilarious marketing material for the sunglass company, goodr — who coined these frames Modern Day Snake Oil. Personally, I wear these 1-2 hours before bed if I’m looking at my phone or using my MacBook. If you’re open to trying new things that are inexpensive to hack your sleep, blue light blocking glasses may be worth it as these run for about $25. What I love about Good is that they make high quality, inexpensive sunglasses and I can find pairs that feel light enough on my nose. Born as a company who made glasses for runners, I also do wear them for outdoor runs.

blue light blocking glasses named Modern Day Snake Oil

While these are great tools when working remote and dialing in your self-care, I asked goodr CEO, Stephen Lease, on the importance of their work from home policy — as he shared the importance of also working in person to foster connections.

“goodr has grown into a successful brand because we hire wildly talented people and give them the autonomy to do their jobs without micromanaging. We allow our team to work from home three days a week and on the two days a week they are expected to come to the office, we encourage them to create connection and develop stronger relationships with their fellow team members. We encourage all employees to show up to work as their authentic selves and it becomes nearly impossible to find common ground—like a shared love of Star Trek or double shots of Goldschlager—when all you talk about is polyurethane and spreadsheets.

I’ll leave you with a couple of light therapy tools that have been widely known to help with acne and skin wrinkles. MMSkincare, developed by Dr. Ellen Marmur, offers an LED light therapy for home use that you’d often find in a clinical office. Dr. Marmur is a leader in dermatology with over 20 years experience treating over 75,000 patients.

The device which is coined the MMSphere 2.0 — has has 5 different light settings depending on what you’re looking to achieve (blue, red, purple, green, amber). The red light setting can help with calming, relaxation, and to promote a restful night’s sleep. While the additional light settings are designed to help with improving mood, focus, and alertness.

Another red light therapy option for home use is the HGPRO300 by Hooga Health.

HGPRO300 with stand by Hooga

Worker Jacket Womens They produce a standard and Pro series of red lights to meet the needs of consumers, as well as options to purchase mounting systems for full body use. They also make reading lights without blue light to help promote the natural production of melatonin in our bodies.