Working from home as a software product manager means spending a lot of time at my desk, whether it’s in meetings, collaborating on projects, or diving deep into strategy. This year I added three gadgets to my desk that have genuinely improved my life and comfort working from home.

Quntis ScreenLinear Glow RGB Pro+ Monitor Light
Winter evenings in Montreal get dark fast, and by mid-afternoon, my office used to feel a little dreary. Enter the Quntis ScreenLinear Glow RGB Pro+, a monitor light bar that’s now an irreplaceable part of my setup. Here’s why I love it:
- It illuminates my desk and keyboard without casting glare on my monitor;
- The wireless remote makes adjusting the brightness or color temperature a breeze; and
- The RGB backlighting is a cool alternative to LED light strips, casting a colourful glow to the wall behind my desk to create a relaxing ambiance for those late-afternoon (and late night) work sessions.
I had never used a monitor light bar before; this is proving to be a great alternative to a traditional desk lamp and seems effective in reducing eyestrain long hours in front of the screen.
Elgato Stream Deck+
I never would have thought that a gadget designed for streamers would become indispensable for managing my day-to-day work, but the Elgato Stream Deck+ has been a game changer. While its customization possibilities are endless, I’ve set mine up primarily for controlling Microsoft Teams. I love being able to have one-tap access to physical buttons that:

- Turn my mic and/or camera on or off;
- Send reactions like a thumbs-up or clap during meetings; and
- Hang up calls when a meeting wraps up.
I’ve got a few other things setup on here including:
- Using the knobs for volume and media controls; and
- Some Figma shortcuts to align things on another page.
That’s all I really use it for, honestly. At first blush, $300 is a step price for basic controls like this, but I find it much more satisfying to use and faster than fumbling with mouse clicks or keyboard combinations.
Kensington Slimblade Pro Trackball
Switching to a trackball this year felt like a bold move. Let me tell you: 18-year-old me would absolutely laugh at this decision. I mean, isn’t a trackball what tech nerds from the ’80s used?
Well, older (and hopefully wiser) me now realizes how amazing this thing is for ergonomics. A few years ago, I upgraded from a traditional mouse to a Logitech MX Vertical, which was a huge improvement for wrist strain. But the Kensington Slimblade Pro takes it to another level. Here’s my setup:
- Bottom left button: Left-click
- Bottom right button: Right-click
- Top left button: Close windows (Command-W on macOS)
- Top right button: “Back” in apps/browsers
- Combo – top right + bottom right: Move “Forward” in apps/browsers
- Combo – bottom right + bottom left: macOS Mission Control
The precision and comfort of the Slimblade have turned me into a trackball convert. I don’t miss moving a mouse around at all, and the improved ergonomics make long workdays much easier on my wrist. I also picked up a their ErgoSoft Wrist Rest which I find compliments the trackball well. Also, I don’t find it too bulky to throw into my bag to bring with me for days in the office (which I can’t say about my Logitech ERGO K860 keyboard, but I still lug it with me anyway).
I think I’m officially a trackball user for life.
These three gadgets have genuinely improved my happiness and comfort (which ultimately makes me more productive, right?). If you’re thinking about upgrading your home office setup, I’d highly recommend giving one (or all) of these a try! You might just find, like I did, that small (and relatively low cost) changes can make a big difference.