Tech for ‘the new normal

Technology

Tech for ‘the new normal’

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3. Lockdowns may be largely lifted but we’re going back to a very different world at work and at school: many more of us are working from home at least some of the time, and school pupils and college students are getting used to doing more online learning. That can be a challenge, because when most of us bought the things we have in our homes we weren’t thinking about using them for work – so for example dining tables may be great for chatting with family or friends, but they’re not ideal for long periods on a laptop. If you or others in your household are going to be spending longer periods working, especially on computers, comfort isn’t just nice: it’s essential. Spending too much time with poor posture or awkward working spaces can be bad for your health, as it increases the risk of physical stresses and strains. In some cases that can lead

4. to painful repetitive strain injuries. The good news is that you don’t need to do much to make your working or studying environment safe. It’s all about right angles: when you sit, your back should be straight, your feet flat on the ground (or on a footrest) and your body at right angles, so your forearms and your thighs should be horizontal and your back, upper arms and calves vertical. If you can afford it, invest in a good quality chair with back support and a decently padded or sprung base – your back and bum will thank you for it in the long term – and if you get one with wheels, invest in a floor protector too. Wheels can do serious damage to carpets and laminate flooring. 1 A powerful laptop with a clear, large screen is essential.

Techradar calls the 14-inch Acer

Swift 3 “the best budget laptop in the world.”

Acer Swift 3, £533, Amazon UK

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2 No space? No problem. An unobtrusive corner desk gives you space to work without taking up too much room in your room.

Loft Living Corner Office Desk, £100, Argos 3 When the days start to shorten you’ll need a quality light to illuminate your work area. The

Anglepoise is a design classic and uses energy-saving LED bulbs.

Anglepoise Type 75, £175, John

Lewis 4 Office chairs don’t need to look like office chairs: this chair from

IKEA comes in an attractive and easy-to-clean white, so it doesn’t make your room look like a meeting room.

JÄRVFJÄLLET chair, £150, IKEA 5 If your Wi-Fi is slow, the culprit is probably the router: if it’s an older one or came with your broadband service, it probably isn’t the fastest.

TP-Link Archer C50 Router, £32.99, Amazon

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