8 Products to Boost Your Productivity

I’m always on the lookout for ways to invest in my productivity and general quality of life. While not all (in fact, very few) problems can be solved by throwing money at them, there are some little inconveniences in life that could benefit from having a bit of love, attention and dollars sent their way to ease the load.

Below, we’ve compiled a brief list of clever (or downright convenient) products that might just change the way you live and work this year. Because sometimes you’ve just got to bite the bullet, spend the money and then thoroughly enjoy reaping the rewards.

A blackout sleep mask

Without a doubt, the best sleep mask on the market right now (in my not-so-humble opinion) is the Manta Sleep Mask ($49.99). This mask is breathable, made from soft cotton and is 100% blackout, so no light is sneaking through the cracks. The strap is adjustable and the little cushions around each eye mean you don’t have any weight pushing down on your actual eyes while sleeping. You can also upgrade to a weighted strap or a lavender aromatherapy version. Heaven.

Luxe bed sheets

While we’re on the topic of sleep (arguably the main ingredient for productivity and general happiness), let’s talk about bed sheets. Good quality linen is not only comfortable but it’s one area of life where you simply shouldn’t skimp. My absolute favourite sheets are the Bed Threads ($230) flax linen sets, which allow you to mix and match colours to suit your home’s palette. These particular sheets are breathable, but also have a satisfying heft to them that keeps you feeling extra secure and comfortable in bed.

A top-quality monitor

After a year of living and working in the same space, enough is enough. The benefits of buying a good quality monitor are two-fold: you can stop straining your eyes with your small laptop screen every day and, in the age of streaming, it can double as your TV. The Samsung M7 ($699) is ideal as a space-saving option for single households, or as a secondary screen and even comes with a remote control. It also lets you access your office workstation without having a PC, through Remote Access and Office 365 and, of course, it’s great for streaming.

Fresh tupperware

Having quality containers in your life means one less thing you need to worry about every day — simple as that. Investing in a set like the Glasslock 10-Pack ($79.99) will have you covered in one purchase and the sturdy seals will keep your food fresh and, more importantly, leak-proof even on the go.

A water bottle

I’ll hazard a guess and say that not even one of us is hydrated enough. So, as we move into the drier winter months, it’s time to buy a couple of water bottles ($24.99) to keep in key places where you spend the most time. The most obvious spots are on your work desk, by the bed, and in your car. Having a bottle handy at all times is a good reminder to suck back more water each and every day.

Coral manicure machine

The Coral Manicure Machine has been whipped straight from our dreams, which is why I decided to include it in this list ahead of its release. The machine is designed so you can insert a finger, let it do its thing for about 30 seconds, and pull out your perfectly manicured finger. We highly suggest you watch the Coral in action and then sign up for updates so you can pick one up the moment it’s released.

A USB Hub

Whether you work from home, front up to the office every day, or split your time between them both, a USB Hub ($19.99) is worth your money. The way this works is that you can plug in all of your USB cables at one time, then plug that into your computer — it means when you leave, you only have to unplug the one cord.

Blue light blocking glasses

In our day-to-day lives, our eyes are soaking up blue light near-constantly. Whether it’s from our computer screens, our phones, or TVs, we’re basically always surrounded by blue light. The reason it’s significant is that all of this blue light (at all hours of the day) can trick our brains into thinking it’s daytime when it isn’t, thus disrupting our sleep. Blue light blocking glasses can help filter out some of this light and personally, wearing them every day at work has a great placebo effect and gets me in the mood to focus on work. Bailey Nelson ($175) has a huge range of frames, and you can easily add it onto your prescription (but most optometrists offer this, too).