I've worked from home for years. Over that time, I've built up my desk setup gradually with items like the Logitech K860 Ergonomic Keyboard, Dell UltraSharp Webcam, and Logi Dock. While all those devices still sit on my desk and are lovely, a recent purchase transformed my work-from-home experience for a lot less cash.
Last week my wife purchased a white noise machine for me to place outside of my office. Normally, I keep a fan running to produce white noise and keep air circulating through the room, but in an effort to save energy and have an option that works when it gets colder, we got the Dreamegg D11 White Noise Machine.
The white noise machine has 11 different sounds to choose from, my favorite of which is the ever-exciting "white noise." If you want to get wild, you can swap it to sound like the ocean or even someone shushing you. But for me, it sits outside my office door with the white noise on. That, combined with the door being shut, blocks out the background noise of working from home, such as cars driving by and if the TV is on downstairs.
Even if the door is open, which is the preference of my dogs, the white noise helps my office feel insulated from the rest of the house. As a result, I feel like I'm in a dedicated work area rather than a part of my living space.
Despite its compact size, the Dreamegg D11 White Noise Machine can get quite loud. In fact, it can actually get too loud if I set it to max volume, so I have it at about mid volume throughout the day.
As an added bonus, the machine is portable, so I can place it beside my bed at night. I sleep much better with white noise, so I set it on a timer to run until I doze off.
I live in the UK, where the Dreamegg D11 White Noise Machine currently costs £40. But if you're in the United States, you can order it for $30 right now (down from $40).
