With today’s technological innovations increasingly finding a role to play both in the office and at home, it can be hard to tell which ones are for work and which are for pleasure. As it turns out, most of the time, it could be said that they serve both purposes. The beauty of technology is that it can change the way we live our lives – it’s all in how you utilize the technology to make your life easier, more efficient, or more productive. Here’s a look at some gadgets that can help you boost productivity and stay on track at work.
Stay Calm – Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless with Active Noise Cancellation
The office is a distracting, noisy, and at times stressful environment. The “open floor plan” concept that is taking root across the country – and becoming increasingly more popular – doesn’t help things. Although open floor plans are intended to help increase collaboration and teamwork, oftentimes they simply make things more difficult. Enter noise cancelling headphones.
People need quiet to think. It’s difficult to concentrate on anything, let alone a mentally exhausting work task, if there are constant bombardments and distractions coming from all directions. Headphones such as those offered by manufacturers like Sony, help block out these distractions and provide a feeling of calm and tranquility. They help reduce sound from nearby conversations, which helps people stay focused on their jobs. So block out the noise and get to work!
Stay Caffeinated – iKettle
For many working professionals, a cup of coffee (or tea) is just shy of a long night’s uninterrupted sleep to perfection. Whether you work in the office, in a shop, or at home, caffeine can not only help you get through the long hours, sometimes it’s the only thing getting you through the day! But, there is that pesky problem of having to get up and actually make the coffee. The iKettle solves this problem – sort of, anyway.
With the iKettle, you can set your coffee to a desired temperature, program it to boil, or keep it warm for 30 minutes at a time, all from your phone. As far as the Internet of Things is concerned, a coffee pot that you can program from your iPhone or Android has to be up there with the most useful devices available! Yes, you’ll still need to make sure that the kettle actually has coffee and water in it, but knowing that the brew will be at your desired temperature when you get up to pour yourself a cup is certainly worth the price of admission.
Stay in Touch – Smart Pen
Livescribe 2GB Echo Smartpen
Despite touchscreen interfaces now being an industry standard, a shocking number of devices still aren’t available with a stylus. You’re simply supposed to use your fingers. The Smart Pen resolves that problem. Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, it brings the power, functionality, and convenience of a stylus to any smart device – tablet or smartphone. Take notes, digitize your sketches, and even notate verbally into your stylus for later reference. With the Smart Pen, you have a pencil and audio recorder in one, and best of all, it’s compatible across multiple devices.
Stay Connected – Neat Desk Scanner
Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 Scanner
How often have you been at home or the office and suddenly realized that you needed a scanner? With digital documentation now commonplace, you would think that this would occur less frequently, but the need for a scanner always seems to pop up at the most inopportune times. Neat scanners are designed for this exact situation.
With several options to choose from, Neat has your needs met when it comes to scanners. In fact, some even come with built-in Wi-Fi connections, making it possible to scan and upload documents (to email or the cloud) without a computer present. Though a scanner may not seem like the most necessary gadget in 2016, when you need one, you’ll really wish that you had one. Buy one for the home or office, and you save yourself a trip to your local FedEx!