How to Combine Gaming and Work from Home

Highlights

You don’t need two of everything to combine work and gaming from home efficiently.
Create distinct areas and choose versatile accessories to maximize productivity.
Implement smart lighting and ergonomic design for a comfortable and effective workspace.

As a seasoned PC user who’s spent countless hours both working and gaming, I wholeheartedly endorse the strategies outlined here for achieving that elusive work-life balance.

Working from home is a cherished aspiration for numerous individuals, and computer game enthusiasts might initially think they’ve hit the jackpot given their affinity for digital platforms and pre-existing setup. However, one may question whether a gaming configuration truly suits office work.

It’s absolutely possible! You don’t necessarily need two separate sets of equipment for work-from-home tasks and gaming to avoid conflicts. While you could opt for this solution and spend a lot of money, not to mention requiring twice the space in your home, most people would rather find an efficient way to balance both activities.

Striking a harmony between your home office and gaming area doesn’t need to be overly complex. Balancing work and personal life effectively, while taking care of your ergonomics, can make integrating your gaming hobby into your profession less challenging than it appears!

Steps to Combining Gaming and Work from Home

Create distinct areas
Consider using different accessories
Add smart lighting
Implement excellent ergonomic design
Manage apps and notifications individually
Use a timer or large-font clock

Step 1: Create distinct areas

How to Combine Gaming and Work from Home

Even when you want to keep your space as cohesive as possible, you’ll still want to create clear lines of delineation between gaming and working; but that doesn’t mean you have to split your room with masking tape as though you were a sitcom character. There are many ways to separate a space, and most single gamers or gaming duos would likely prefer one of these popular options.

For many gamers, a desk in an L-shape might be just what they need. By allocating each section to either work or gaming based on which requires more space, it’s as simple as setting up two screens. Gamers can even make use of adjustable monitor arms to have one screen for work and two for gaming, or the opposite setup.

Opting for an L-shaped desk proves to be the most adaptable choice due to its generous workspace that caters to essential accessories for both professional tasks and leisure activities. Maintaining order is vital when working from home, and those with an L-shaped desk will find minimal issues concerning messiness.

While L-shaped desks might be too big or costly for some users, an alternative option could be setting up two monitors on a regular desk. This setup can be optimized by choosing a monitor that supports both horizontal and vertical orientation, which enables seamless switching between work and gaming modes – aiding in stress relief. Adjustable monitor mounts allow most desks to support a dual-monitor arrangement, even compact ones like gaming desks. Additionally, there are many budget-friendly monitors available, making this solution cost-effective both immediately and in the long run.

Step 2: Choose versatile accessories

Emulating the advice given earlier about flexible vertical monitors, opting for adjustable accessories can be an excellent method for seamlessly blending gaming and home office tasks. For example, there’s a wide array of keyboards that you can personalize, allowing you to rearrange keys according to in-game skills on one setting and configure them to execute Excel functions on another.

Gaming mice boast a broad spectrum of speed and accuracy, making them not just preferred by gamers, but also beneficial for office workers and artists. Interestingly, MMO mice prove to be versatile tools in the realm of digital art and editing. With the ability to assign frequently used functions (like cut, paste, and layer changes) to hotkeys, you might feel like a digital hacker, working swiftly without compromising precision. This efficiency frees up more time for gaming in the end, right?

Adding mobile and adjustable desks to gaming and work areas can be quite beneficial. The flexibility to move your workspace near a window while working and then away from glare during gameplay is a significant advantage. Moreover, standing not only promotes health but transitioning from a standing position to sitting at the end of your workday serves as a physical reminder to disengage from work entirely.

Ultimately, investing in a high-quality gaming headset has become essential for anyone participating in Zoom meetings regularly. Many models boast a contemporary design while maintaining a subtle gaming aesthetic. Among the top choices is the Arctis Nova One, which works seamlessly with both PC and Xbox systems, and can usually be found priced under $100.

Step 3: Add smart lighting

As a gamer who often finds myself working in a dimly-lit room with minimal natural light, I’ve discovered the brilliance of smart light panels or string lights, like those from Govee or Nanoleaf. During my work hours, these devices provide me with a bright, simulated daylight that enhances my focus and productivity. And when it’s time to immerse myself in the gaming world, I can effortlessly transform my workspace into an ultimate gamer cave with just a click of a button, creating the perfect atmosphere for an unforgettable gaming experience.

Smart lighting systems are generally more energy-efficient than conventional light sources, and they offer the convenience of controlling them via apps, remotes, or even voice commands like Google Home and Alexa. With these devices, adjusting your lights to suit your preferences at any given moment becomes effortless. Moreover, many smart lights enable you to save settings as multiple profiles, so all you have to do is command a word, and the lighting setup will be tailored just for you – whether it’s time for work or play. Furthermore, these intelligent light systems often come with timer settings, which can assist in maintaining a healthy work-life balance by reminding you when it’s time to log off and relax.

Step 4: Implement excellent ergonomic design

Another no-brainer addition to a work-from-home-gaming setup is a wrist rest. You spend a lot of time at the computer, and making sure your wrists are hovering can become impossible without a cushioned rest to lean on, especially if you’re the type to “get in the zone” and ignore your surroundings while working or gaming. Using a wrist rest can help prevent carpal tunnel and other wrist or arm pains caused by hours in front of a keyboard.

Ergonomic keyboards are equally crucial because they provide comfortable keys, tilted stands, and sometimes unique layouts that enhance usability for work or gaming. For example, the Kinesis Freestyle Edge keyboard is a popular pick among MMO and RPG gamers due to its design allowing easier access to movement and action keys. On the other hand, some players opt for compact keyboards to alleviate joint strain, although these miniature keyboards may not be suitable for jobs like accounting or data entry. As an alternative solution, you could invest in a separate number pad for work purposes and utilize the more ergonomic keyboard for gaming or non-numerical tasks.

Using ergonomic mice can significantly enhance your hand comfort during prolonged computer use. Unlike regular mice that require twisting the wrist for operation, vertical mice maintain a straight alignment between your wrist and elbow, promoting better health for your wrists throughout the day. While these mice are often designed with office work in mind, their standard sensors make them suitable for slower-paced strategy games and single-player games as well. The ergonomic benefits of vertical mice are remarkable due to their design that aligns with the natural position of your arm.

Of course, other ergonomic mice are more familiar to most users and still offer a ton of benefits, such as waterfall sides and easily accessible buttons. At the end of the day, as long as you have a wrist rest, you should be okay as far as desktop PC accessories go. However, there is another accessory that is a must-have for anyone working from home and gaming within the same space: an ergonomic chair.

For around $200, you can find a good ergonomic chair, but if you’re going to be sitting for over 8 hours daily, it’s wise to invest more and focus on top-quality ergonomics to prevent long-term back problems. High-end ergonomic chairs might be challenging to choose, but Secretlab or Herman Miller models are generally reliable choices. Vertagear is another good option, often priced lower than the market leaders. While some may dismiss gaming chairs, everyone has unique preferences, and there’s a place for them as well as fully mesh chairs that prioritize breathability and spinal support. In the end, it’s all about finding what suits your needs best.

Step 5: Manage apps and notifications individually

To ensure optimal device performance, it’s crucial to properly organize your applications, especially given the surge of app development for various purposes such as headsets and work chats. Before using an application, determine whether it’s intended for gaming or productivity tasks. Turn off the “open at startup” feature in the settings for any apps that won’t be relevant during your primary task to prevent unnecessary app startups and improve overall efficiency.

During the hours I’m focusing on other tasks, I should turn off work and gaming notifications. Some apps offer features like limiting usage time or sending reminders after a set period, which are particularly useful for folks who need to stop at a specific time, whether it’s for work deadlines or gaming sessions.

Step 6: (Optional) Use a timer or large-font clock

Employing a timer is beneficial in preventing excessive work hours, with emphasis on tangibility as a crucial aspect. A common choice for this purpose is the egg timer, which is often utilized for the Pomodoro Technique that helps manage tasks throughout the day. The distinctive beep when it signals the end of a time period is instrumental in pulling you away from your task to either pause work, switch tasks, or take a brief rest. While gamers might appreciate hourglasses for their visual appeal, bear in mind that they don’t emit sounds, so if you’re not visually oriented, they may be ineffective.

Another choice is to opt for a big-numbered digital clock, which tends to be reasonably priced and may include extra features like charging ports for phones or integrated speakers. Although it might seem somewhat old-fashioned, choosing a large-numbered clock can be beneficial because it’s harder to overlook than the small clock on your computer screen or even a timer with minuscule digits or a silent sand timer. Furthermore, you can program multiple alarms that will be quite attention-grabbing, making it simpler to adhere to your upcoming schedule.

FAQ

Q: Can you use a PC for gaming and work?

Absolutely, a gaming computer can handle all the usual tasks of a standard PC with ease. In fact, top-tier gaming computers excel at specific professional tasks too, like 3D modeling, video production, or any activity that requires high-quality visuals.

Q: Can I play video games while working from home?

Absolutely! If you find some free time, it’s possible to game at home, although it might not be approved by your workplace. To ensure a smooth experience, opt for games you can put on hold or quit quickly, and steer clear of online games or those with lengthy sessions.

Q: Is a gaming PC good for coding?

Absolutely! As a gamer, I can vouch that gaming PCs are fantastic for coding too. It’s all about the generous RAM and speedy processors they come equipped with – perfect for handling complex coding tasks smoothly.

2024-08-06 02:34