We are the comfortable. The focused. The dog-quieting, hope-the-doorbell-doesn't-ring-again, work from home tribe. Some may wonder what we do all day but bosses in the know understand we're the most productive, most engaged, and most committed employees. In a 2019 survey, FlexJobs reported that 74% of respondents called remote working the "new normal" and remote work has grown over 155% in the past 12 years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many companies to shut their office doors, there are more people working from home now, than ever.

At exaqueo, our team has been 100% remote from the start, and 150% productive (just ask our clients). So when a friend of ours asked for gift suggestions for a work-from-home family member, our team was quick to respond. #teamexaqueo has put together a list of our work from home essentials, to help with holiday gift ideas for your remote-working loved ones. ‍

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Function

Remote workers are often the most productive members of their teams, so it's no surprise we'll put functional gifts first. We have freedom to set up our home offices in any way we want to get the job done. Here are some of the basics we need to get the job done:

1) Stand up desks—built-in or portable—are key to function and to health. Shannon uses the Stand Steady desk in her daily work.

2) Tom likes to start his day on the right foot with his daily trivia calendar. The mental exercise gets his brain neurons firing and ready for any challenge.

3) We know ergonomic is all the rage. Jazmyn swears by her ergonomic adjustable laptop stand to avoid being hunched over the laptop all day. It helps make sure her screen is at eye-level and at the same height as her monitor.

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Power

Technology has been the driver for why it's possible we can even work remotely. And remote workers use it the the fullest. Here are some of our go-to technology must-haves. Laptop and phone assumed of course.

1) Depending on the layout of your office or, for those business trips with poorly designed hotel rooms, extra long charging cords like these are Emily's secret.

2) Ear buds are also a team essential. exaqueo is a Mac-based team so many of us use AirPods to connect to calls or our Sococo work space when we're on the go.

3) Susan loves her Ring doorbell while Lexi uses the one from Nest. It's an easy way to know who's at the door if it rings while you're on a conference call (or if there's a neighbor you're trying to avoid).

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Comfort

One of the best perks of working from home is the ability to be comfortable. Athleisure is our work uniform (unless we're on video calls) and we sport it proudly. Make your favorite remote worker even more comfortable with these suggestions.

1) Warm feet are important especially for our colleagues based in colder climates. Jackie and Shannon rave about the LLBean Wicked Good Slippers and Lexi swears by her Uggs.

2) Fresh air can be a luxury for any office, but Alyssa swears by the addition of plants to hers. Gifts like those from Succulent Studio can help your gift recipient get some beauty and fresh air in the office.

3) Tom says his lumbar has never been more spry since purchasing this Hbada Office Chair for his home office. It can be adjusted to your desired height, plus the wheels make trips to the office waste paper basket fun.

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Energy

Working from home means multiple trips to the kitchen to fuel up. Bonus points: you can heat up whatever you want in the microwave and no one complains about the smell (except maybe the dog).

1) You'll usually find members of #teamexaqueo with a cup of coffee in hand during meetings. For habitual drinkers who are particular about taste, consider gifting a subscription to Trade Coffee. They'll send you a bag of Fair Trade locally roasted coffee every other week based on a flavor and brewing profile you select. Tom is personally a fan of lighter roasts in his trusty Mr. Coffee coffee maker. Shannon and Roger are big fans of their Nespresso machines, and Susan loves her Miroco milk frother. Getting out of the home office can be important too, so Jennifer and Adrienne love patronizing local businesses like Brown Fox Coffee, in South Carolina.

2) For the caffeine consumers who aren't fans of coffee, Sara recommends JING Tea for the nicest teapots and the best range of teas. Jazmyn prefers her daily caffeine allotment all at once, so she recommends Celsius energy drinks. They're super tasty, and help boost your metabolism.

3) Just because you work from home doesn't mean you have time for lunch. More often than not you're too busy to even leave the house! Gift cards for UberEats, DoorDash, or GrubHub are favorites of Emily and Jackie. Just be sure they deliver in the recipient's location.

4) Exercise is a great way to increase focus and productivity. Susan keeps her Peloton in her office for a quick ride on a break between calls, or to squeeze exercise in before or after her work day.

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