The Right Tool Will Get The Job Done

Don't try "workarounds" they only make you frustrated.

Dec 06, 2022

My Dad always told me, “Buy the right tool to get the job done.”

Years ago, while I was in college, I had a horrible pain shooting through my right foot while I walked or ran.

Bigger problem?

I was the starting 3rd baseman for my school’s softball team, so needless to say, I was running and moving around a lot with this pain.

After months of rehab, I healed my plantar fasciitis injury.

But this started me on a journey of finding the right running shoes to prevent this from happening again.

Since then, I’ve tried over ten different pairs of shoes, and every time I continue to try and research the right shoe to get the run done (without injury).

In January 2021, I was lucky enough to have an office for myself for the first time in my career. It was a blank slate that I was ready to set up for success.

Luckily, my boss (also my brother) has the same mentality of the “right tool for the job” from our dad, so I have been able to make my working space the best it can be to get the job done.

As the holidays grow nearer, I wanted to share some workspace items that you may want to ask your boss (or family) for to help get the job done.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission on purchases from the links below at no additional cost to you.

I’m a fast mouse-mover

I don’t know about you, but I have two screens I work on, and my mouse is constantly moving a mile a minute, clicking between windows, minimizing, highlighting, scrolling, you get it!

A couple of years ago, I found this mousepad by 3M that has a precise movement design which is best for the laser optics on the bottom of your mouse.

Since I started using it, I never experience mouse glitches when switching between actions. Frustration-saver!

You still using Post-It notes?

Being the marketing director for three brands means I have a lot of balls in the air I’m juggling. While I pride myself on my organization on Monday.com, I have a lot of times I need to write a quick note.

The classic Post-It pull notes are a godsend for me! I have this simple desk note holder that is weighted, so it doesn’t go flying when I yank a note out.

Have you ever How many times have you lost files?

Losing files. Experiencing crashes. The sudden black screen of death flashes on your monitor.

It happens to everyone. Losing your work on your computer when it decides to retire is heartbreaking. But I never have time to remember to back up my work on my device.

Instead, I utilize the WD My Passport External Harddrive with my Mac which automatically backs up my device daily. What I like about it is that once it’s full, it will start to erase the oldest backups and replace it with the newest.

I’ve used it twice; once for a graphic file, I deleted for a marketing campaign, and another time for a year-end report I deleted. It’s good to have your back covered.

Do you Zoom?

The 2020 “event” changed the way we work forever. More in-face video calls and more times when you see yourself at work and think, “Did I even brush my hair today?!?”

I like being on video calls and seeing people, but I want to ensure that my lighting is on point! So I use the simple Lume Cube light on the top of my screen for better lighting during my video calls. Easy and straightforward to set up.

Want an instant “double screen”?

I work with two monitors, but one of them is my laptop. It’s great to have the flexibility to work on laptops, but using it as an extension of your workstation is better at your desk.

I recently did some research and found an adjustable laptop stand that allows my laptop to elevate when I decide to stand at my desk.

It’s lightweight but sturdy. I never feel like my laptop will fall over with this stand, even when standing 1.5 feet high!