Browse links
US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Caffeinated gum + silent Zoom-friendly fidget toys = the new keys to corporate success.
Promising review: "I've purchased similar items in the past that visually looked like this but were stiff and rigid. This is amazing. Totally eased my back pain from my quarantined at home desk job. Highly recommend." —Bellarosa555
Get it from Amazon for $30.95 (clip the "20% off" coupon on the product page for this price).
Psst — come for the bajillion fun color options, but stay for the super handy flip top lid and silicone, leakproof spout that actually makes drinking water seem — dare I say — fun?
Promising review: "I love the finish on the bottle! I hate holding wet water bottles and this does NOT sweat! It also holds two full bottles of 16.9-oz. packages water bottles so it’s very easy to get my full water intake on the go! Easy to carry, fits in my car's cup holders perfectly (not big at all like some water bottles). I got the ombré purple to teal and it’s very true to color. Easy to clean, wide enough for bottle brushes, and the straw stays put. I also love how I just push the little button by the mouthpiece and it just pops open quick for easy drinking (if you’re driving and don’t need to be messing around opening bottles😉). Highly recommend this water bottle. For the price, it’s amazing! Keeps my water cool for hours too." —Alicia
Get it on Amazon for $18.99 (available in 16 colors).
Promising review: "I carry a weekly planner in my bag for scheduling appointments, meetings, classes, etc. Then on Sunday night or Monday morning, I transfer everything from the planner to a sheet from this pad. It stays sitting on the counter in my kitchen where I can easily jot down errands, groceries, etc either in the extra space or on the back. At first this seemed like an unnecessary duplication of effort, so I was looking for a better solution, but I've realized over the past couple of weeks that this really works for me. It helps me get all my commitments for the week out of the planner and into my head so that I know what I've got on my plate." —Toledo
Get it from Amazon for $7.29 (available in 15 list styles).
Perhaps most importantly for anyone out there planning to go full Leslie Knope on these is that they're designed not to bleed through thin pages!
Promising review: "I bought these pens during quarantine, not expecting much, considering they are quite inexpensive. I've used well-known brand marker/pens in the past, and didn't want to pay much for markers I'd use for coloring. I was concerned about the tips bending or bleeding, but I was completely wrong and am very satisfied with this product! They do not bleed, and the tips are strong and thin. I use these pens for coloring, hand lettering, and note taking, and they're exactly what I was looking for! The only regret I have is that I did not order the larger pack with more colors!!" —Michael Fanizzi
Get a set of 18 from Amazon for $6.60 (clip the 10% off coupon on the product page for this price).
Monkey Business Desk is a Florida-based Etsy shop established in 2020 that specializes in hanging window desks.
Promising review: "This was exactly what I needed — a desk solution for my studio apartment so I can teach remotely without feeling like work will take over the whole place. It's sleek, well made, attaches/detaches like a breeze, and shipped quickly. Communication was a breeze. So, so happy I found this!" —Diana
Get it from Monkey Business Desk on Etsy for $79 (available in three finishes).
Psst — this items ✨ships for free! ✨
Promising review: "I gave this to our daughter for her birthday and then LEARNED that there is a website to get one every day! I love this calendar. I looked at every picture. It is a combination of hilarious, lovely, charming pictures of dogs with the best captions under each one. Thank you to everyone who is involved in this effort. It made me smile and laugh out loud. Just what we all really need (well, some of us need this). I just ordered two more to give right now." —B. Stuart
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
These come with a wireless charging case that provides up to 14 hours of charge (with the earbuds able to play for 4+ hours with each full charge). The earbuds are also sweatproof and waterproof so you can use them during workouts or runs, and have a built-in mic so you can chat on the phone. Psst — these are also a great option for going outside in a mask, since they don't have wires that'll get tangled in the mask straps.
Promising review: "The earbuds worked seamlessly and well out of the box. I use them while hiking the hills with my dogs and when working at my desk – I can still hear outside noises when needed for safety, but can listen to music without disturbing others. The earbuds are comfortable even during exercise, and they fit securely. Using the earbuds as a headset with my cellphone is easy as well. I do have to experiment with how they handle the Google assistant. The audio quality is at least stereo hi-fi, and the earbuds paired easily with both my phone and laptop. Wireless charging and having a large backup power source for the phone are terrific features." –Jawpar
Get it from Amazon $29.99 (available in five colors).
This pairs effortlessly with Bluetooth, and is also Alexa-enabled — just ask for whatever you need, and she can answer you through the headphones!
Promising review: "Unbelievably happy with this product. I cannot live without out my Bose QC 35 II's (even considering a second one to keep at work). It is empowering to put these on and all the noise pollution just goes away. I bought them for home and hadn't planned on taking them to my large open floor office. I put them on and suddenly realized there was a very low and loud humm coming from the ceiling (air blowers I assume). Now gone. I sit there in my cubicle and feel sorry for everyone else because they don't have a pair of these. I tried other brands, but they were simply not properly engineered. Once you get the pairing "dialed in" it is seamless. I have a Mac and iPhone but bought the new model (with Google voice button). I use the button's alternate function of turning on/off noise cancellation — just for fun to remind me how great this product works. But remember.. this technology is not going to isolate voices — it is designed to remove motor noises (plane, furnace blower, road, engine, etc)." —Claveman
Get it from Amazon for $299 (available in three colors).
I got one of these for my mom for Christmas (her entire kitchen is pink, it is a Big Mood) and can confirm it is QUITE beautiful in person.
Promising review: "I researched so many coffee warmers and am so glad I decided on this one. It definitely keeps my coffee hot, no matter how long it takes me to drink it. I also like that it has three settings. As you drink down your coffee, you can lower the heat because it keeps the coffee very hot. I like it so much I ordered a second one for another part of the house." —hottytoddy
Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in six colors).
It works the same way all their products do — you can write on its pages the way you would a regular notebook, upload the page onto your devices, and wipe the notebook clean with water to use all over again.
Promising review: "Loving using less paper. Got this product when transitioning to work from home. I am a math teacher and was using a lot of paper to write notes and to do lists, show students how to do problems, etc. This is amazing. Thinking about getting a class set for next year." —Alecia Martin
Get it from Amazon for $37 (available in eight colors).
Dorothy B & Co. is a New York-based, Black woman-owned shop established in 2017 that specializes in hand-poured artisan soy wax candles.
You can get the candle in Raspberry Vanilla, Caribbean Teakwood, Gardenia, Green Tea, Honeysuckle Jasmine, Sea Salt & Orchid, Vanilla & Amber, Citrus & Coconut, Mango Papaya, or Peach Nectar.
Promising review: "Love them! They came super fast, are bigger than I expected, super cute decor pieces, and they smell AWESOME!!!! Thank you so much!" —Athena Holden
Get it from Dorothy B. & Co. on their website for $25 or on Etsy for $25.
It also comes with a digital display that tracks time, speed, and distance, as well as eight different modes of resistance, so you can tailor it exactly to your needs.
Promising review: "No assembly required! Took right out of the box and put it under my desk. Spend long hours on the computer and suffer from hip and leg pain. Use the exerciser on and off all day especially first think in the morning to loosen up joints. Felt the different in just a couple of days. Just what I needed." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $131.52.
This compact, rolling desk bike is also height adjustable so you can get your perfect fit with the tray, and has "whisper quiet" pedaling, eight resistance levels, and a way to track your mileage, rpm, and other stats.
Promising review: "Have had this product about a week now. Absolutely love it, what a game-changer!! As a consultant who live in a typical consulting life, I pretty much sit in front a computer all day long. Even though I work remotely a lot, I barely leave my desk. After a while, you will start to suffer from all the common things as everyone else, back pain, neck pain, you know all those things. Those all get changed when I saw this product! To be honest, I didn't buy it right away because of the price of course. But I finally decided to make the purchase as a holiday gift to myself. And I am so glad I made this choice! It hasn't been long, but i been using it everyday. It was super easy to put together, easy to move around because of the wheels. You can totally work while using it. the best part is, YOU DON'T EVEN FEEL LIKE YOU'RE WORKING OUT. And somehow it helps you to concentrate better. There is no need to dedicate one hour for the gym, this could an anytime thing. When you are working, watching shows, even play games. I guess because of the working out, my sleep improves as well. Not mention the pains from back. All in all, this thing changed my life!!" —joshua0315
Get it from Amazon for $399.99.
Psst — you can watch the viral desk bike TikTok featuring it for more insight on how it works. It's been liked over 1.8 million times!
Get it from Zazzle for $12.25.
Also, check out all of Zazzle's Baby Yoda products for more options featuring ~The Child~, including stickers, T-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more.
Promising review: "I took a chance and bought this originally as a 'Band-Aid fix' to re-finish a desk. I had looked in stores in the contact paper aisles, but all of them were just that ... paper. THIS item is actually a thin sheet of vinyl (?) with adhesive, and I ended up liking it so much I bought more and re-finished my kitchen countertop with it as well! Highly recommended if you want to change the look of your counters but you don't have the money for a full remodel just yet. It can be cleaned with dish soap and water just like a real countertop." —Ezra Boyd
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in four sizes).
Kiki & Nim is a Texas-based Etsy shop established in 2015 that specializes in modern, mid-century, minimalist, and boho printables.
Promising review: "Perfect addition! It was the last thing I needed to ‘complete’ our room! I get so many compliments on it!" —Traci Skala
Get it as a digital download from Kiki & Nim on Etsy for $4.80 (originally $6).
You can charge this using an adapter in your car or a regular outlet, and if you unplug it and take it on the go, items will stay cold for several hours as long as you don't open the door.
Promising review: "I bought this refrigerator because I recently started working from home because of the COVID-19 quarantine. When I’m working during the day, I have to keep myself locked up in the spare bedroom so my toddler doesn’t realize I’m home. Otherwise, she would be trying to come see me all day. **Disclaimer: I don’t just lock my toddler out and leave her alone, there’s someone here taking care of her! Anyway, since I can’t really leave the bedroom, this fridge has been great to keep some drinks cold while I’m working. I put them in already cold and they hold the temperature as long as they are in the fridge." —Aratay
Get it from Amazon for $45.99+ (available in four colors).
This is compatible with Mac, PC, and Chrome laptops between 13 and 17 inches, and attaches with device-safe metal plates. The magnetic pull is strong enough for you to take your laptop from room to room without undoing your setup, but also easy enough to remove that you can tuck everything into a backpack quickly when you're on the move. You can even rotate the display to your preferences, if you want it at an angle!
Promising review: "I’ve been using the SideTrak for a week now and it has been an absolute game-changer for me. The instructions were easy to follow, and installation a breeze. The SideTrak was first whipped into action during a 2 hour long ride in my car as a passenger, and I was utterly impressed with how much I got done with ease, in that amount of time! Additionally, I’ve gotten a lot more use out of the SideTrak than I imagined— such as when I’m lounging in my backyard, kitchen, living room, pool... anywhere outside of the room in my office, the possibilities are endless! I’m all about efficiency and maximizing my time and the SideTrak has contributed largely in those areas. Thank you." —Ratana K.
Get it from Amazon for $299.99.
Also?? Sometimes you just need to have a coworker who tells you weird jokes and warns you when it's about to rain and is always up-to-date on the latest world news. This lil' Echo can help fill the coworker-shaped void in your WFH heart.
Similar to other Alexa-enabled devices, the Echo Show 5 responds to voice commands and can be synced with Audible, Amazon Music, Amazon Video, and other apps and programs like Spotify, iTunes, and NPR.
Promising review: "It's small and looks great. Great quality. And for such a low price, it does so much. And now during the stay at home days of the pandemic and working from home, it keeps me entertained all day!" —ADELA
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in four colors).
You can also control the devices plugged into it via an app, which will turn items on and off no matter where you are. Plus, if you live in a big household, you can set up the app on multiple devices so everyone will be able to sync with them.
Promising review: "This smart plug is much easier setup than what my experience. Works well with Google Assistant. Especially right now working from home making us more lazy than before. I like this!" —Geno
Get a set of four from Amazon for $27.99.
Promising review: "Working from home I needed something to organize my work essentials so I didn’t feel like my table was just a mess of stuff. This is better than I expected. It’s cute, it makes access to what I need easier and I’m able to have things organized. Even after I’m able to go back to the office I can see use for this for many things!" —Jennifer
Get them from Amazon for $25.99 (available in three colors).
A Dozen Cousins is a San Francisco-based, Black-owned small business that specializes in 100% plant-based food and provides an annual grant and volunteer support to nonprofits working to eliminate socioeconomic health disparities in the US.
Each of these packs comes with four packs of black beans and four packs of pinto beans, which can be heated up in the microwave in 60 seconds.
Promising review: "What a great, convenient, healthy meal solution! I used the Cuban Black Beans in a breakfast bowl with scrambled eggs and they were an awesome addition. So easy to heat up in the microwave in their pouch and mix right in with the rest of my bowl. I’ll definitely order these again to help me save time on my meal prep. I can feel really good about this company’s social mission to help families in under-served communities eat well!" —Amy
Get an eight-pack from Amazon for $29.99.
Promising review: "This is now a staple for my kitchen. How I cooked without it before, I'll never know. Makes the best vinaigrette ever, quick pan sauces for pork, unexpected zip in dozens of dishes. Does it come in gallons? Have given it as hostess gifts several times and everyone gets hooked." —Martha Ronemus
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
Check out BuzzFeed's review of Mike's Hot Honey for more deets!
As an added bonus, all the colors are reversible, so you can change your desk vibe with the season.
Promising review: "It's a really beautiful desk pad. I love that the colors are reversible. Right now loving the purple for winter, but will switch to the pink side in the summer. Makes my work desk look more colorful and pretty! It feels like a good quality mat. The stitches surrounding the border are sewn on evenly and not cheap-looking. The feel is soft but durable. When I unrolled the mat, it flattened out easily and nicely without any creases or having to put heavy weights on the corners to flatten it out (unlike another similar desk pad brand that I bought for my home desk). As for function, I like that it also acts as a mouse pad for my mouse. Writing on paper with it underneath is not a problem, writing still feels smooth. Overall I love this beautiful mat." —Jessica
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in six color combinations and two sizes).
Lavender Luvies is a Washington-based Etsy shop that specializes in lavender-scented objects and repurposed vintage treasures.
Promising review: "These are great! I wish I would have ordered them at the start of the pandemic. Definitely a great way to help manage stress. As someone with sensitivities to smells, I was worried about the lavender scent being overpowering, but after a week, the scent has calmed down and it really is relaxing. Very happy with my purchase — thank you!" —Katie F.
Get it from Lavender Luvies on Etsy for $8 (available in 10 colors).
Promising review: "OMG! I love this guy! These things large and small will ALWAYS make me laugh. My husband bought the desk version for me and I can always count on it to make me laugh. My co-workers love it too. People just stop by to turn him on for a quick pick-me-up. I would recommend getting the AC plug since batteries can run down fast. I think we should create a community of fellow air-dancer-havers and post clips of our little guys dancing to our favorite songs. Anyone in?" —Mark
Get it from Amazon for $9.72.
You can also select your preferences in terms of how much coffee you want, how often you want to get it, your roast preference, and whether you want it ground or whole. A surprise every month! Wow, endorphins!! We love to feel 'em.
Get a personalized subscription from Atlas coffee starting at $9+.
Promising review: "With the indefinite work from home situation 2020 has put us in, I had a real craving for my Starbucks iced coffee especially as the weather has gotten warmer. Since I can't go out and get my expensive iced coffee, I decided to get this product to make it myself. Best decision ever. It's very easy to make smooth, delicious iced coffee overnight and have a perfect brew in the morning." —Shelby
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
Ephemeral Aesthetics is a California-based Etsy shop established in 2018 that specializes in fun printable games for kids and adults for all occasions, including holiday, event, and quarantine-themed ones.
Each instant download includes 10 different bingo cards, one blank bingo card, and a callout list, so you can either play it yourself *or* rope in a bunch of your coworkers on a Friday when you need a lil' something fun to get you through the last part of the week.
Get it from Ephemeral Aesthetics on Etsy for $7.99.
A popular way of doing this would be to set the time for 50 minutes, so then you work work work for that stretch and then take the 10 minutes at the top of the hour for other tasks like checking Instagram or answering texts. Then you can restart the timer and do it again. If anything, it's just sometimes a reminder of what you can get done in a certain amount of time if you block distractions out, which will motivate you to *keep* working that way.
Promising review: "I’m a newly discovered ADHD adult and use this to keep myself moving along tasks through the day. Set goals, hurry, move on. I’m self employed and many days work from computer with headphones on. While the beeper on this is loud on the hi setting, it is no match for noise cancelling headphones. So I took it apart, soldered and drilled in a super bright LED bulb in the corner of the dial face. And now it is peeerfect." —Atkins
Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in six colors).
Beyond helping with distractibility, the method aims to reduce anxiety, help with focus, make people more aware of their decision-making processes, increase motivation, and make both short- and long-term goals more manageable. The book highlights the five different stages it takes to help get to that point, all of which have roots in the 25 minutes on/5 minutes off principle.
Get it from Amazon for $15.88 or Bookshop (to support local bookstores) for $18.35.
It also comes with three different brightness settings, so you can adjust it as the light in your space changes throughout the day.
Promising review: "Great little desk lamp. I needed something basic and affordable to add to my desk since I’m working from home. The lamp is bright and has three levels of light settings to access by pushing the on/off button. The USB port is convenient." —K. Otero
Get it from Amazon for $13 (available in four colors).
You can either use this with your phone mounted just under the light for FaceTime, or if you're calling or filming from a laptop, you can set up the tripod or the light on your desk behind the screen. Boom, fancy lighting.
Promising review: "I’ve been having to work from home. During this time, I’m in front of my computer doing WebEx calls and Teams. Having to present and talk in front of 20-50+ people. This light is AWESOME! My team even asked what I did and then made their purchase right away!" —Anna Chouinard
Get it from Amazon for $23.98 (clip the "30% off" coupon on the product page for this price).
Rain + Jas is a California-based Etsy shop established in 2020 that specializes in cute stickers and handmade cards.
Get it from Rain + Jas on Etsy for $3.50.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.