Whether you’re traveling or working from the home office, you need the right tools.
Or maybe it’s just the coffee shop, you want tools to help make it as easy as possible.
This is a big category, and I’ll try to group them into categories.

All of the items here I have used in the real world, and highly recco. The photos are large so you can see the details.

At home:
First of all, you want to have your laptop at a proper angel for comfort.
Twelve South has a perfect stand for that: The Curve

It’s a great height, and I just add on a  bluetooth keyboard and trackpad.
Then you want to be able to use your phone to possibly face time while reviewing work on the computer. Rolling Square makes a well-made, and elegant solution for this.

Reviewed here as well. 
With a modular system and magnets, your magsafe phone can be attached to your laptop and angle to the perfect spot. And it folds or is removable for travel.
Pick up an additional mag plate and one of their lights and you have a sleek working environment. Or even a charging plate.
A great stocking stuffer, is their InCharge  6 in 1 charging cable. Always have the right connector!

If you are just doing a facetime call or maybe you are away from your computer, Mophie has come up with a versatile stand that not only charges your phone, watch and airpods, nut most importantly, the magsafe phone holding column extends so you are no longer looking down at your phone, but eye level!  The Universal Wireless MagSafe 3-in-1 Extendable stand (that was a mouthful!) With an articulating head, you can finally look people in the eye! Of course you can put it next to your laptop as well.

It is a wall plug in unit, so pick your spot! Another quality item from Mophie.

The folks at EZQuest have come up with a great USB-C multimdia hub that you can actually add 2 card readers if you want to download concurrent media cards. I miss the Lexar Hub, and this solves that issue.
You know extra ports are always something that everyone needs.I’ve added external drives for back-up, and using data, when my laptop doesn’t have the capacity.
And it usually doesn’t.

On the road:
a great item to pack is the MOFT  Z – a sit or stand origami style portable laptop stand. Set your personal workstation in your hotel, while transporting the folding stand ina  carry-on or luggage.

Packs flat, and once you get to your destination, configure this to a perfect working height for you in your hotel room.

Before going to bed, bring out this sweet folding multi use wireless charger by Zagg. (above)
Folds up to a compact square and unfolds to let you charge your phone, smart watch, and airpods. Always in my travel bag.

As we are all watching things in the vertical, there are a few choices to hold your phone: The Mophie Snap + juice pack magsafe  with stand attaches to the back of the phone and has a fold out panel to let you look at your phone hands free while you charge.

Another phone stand, without charging, is the Ring Snap 360.

This unit is solid and with 2 rings, the center one let you prop you phone landscape or portrait. It’s MagSafe, so attaches instantly

One of my other fave choices is the CLCKR:

It’s been around for a bit and used to use and adhesive to attach the folding stand. They updated it to use a mag so you can take it on or off, to use as a stand, or remove to place on a wireless charger.

Both of these have to be removed to wirelessly charge your phone.
I think Pop-Sockets have seen their day.

Everyone needs an external battery, right?
So other than the Mophie magsafe combo stand, here are some that have been tested in the real world and will give you peace of mind while away from a home office.
This Mophie Powerstation has 20,000 mAh is a speedy charger with a big capacity.

If you just want an emergency charge,  the iWalk  has a % readout so you know how much juice you have! With 4800 mAh, 20W, and a direct plug into an iPhone or Android.

Sure, 4 dots are cool, but seeing a number of the amount of power you have left is kind of calming.

There are so many battery options, just make sure you get a reputable brand.
You’ve heard about the lithium-Ion battery fires. It’s real. Get a known brand battery.
Did you know in China there are battery police at the airport?
Did a shoot there, and had some batteries confiscated. Designy, and too cool for school.
In the next guides we’ll suggest headphones, and some other great tools for your editing pleasure.

And to put all of your travel tech, there is no better than the Peak Design Tech Pouch

There you have some thought starters fro your basic work environment on the road or hybrid location ( home office!)

Next up will be some pro tech for the photographer and filmmaker!