Focus Music for Deep Work: What the Research Really Says
Lyrics measurably hurt reading and memory, binaural beats failed a controlled test, and instrumental is neutral. What to actually play while you work.
Hilly Shore Labs
6 min read·July 2, 2026
WFH Lounge Blog
Home office gear guides & honest reviews
Research-backed buying guides, product comparisons, and work-from-home setup advice.
Showing 23 posts tagged #home office
Does the 20-20-20 Rule Actually Work? The Research
The 20-20-20 rule was invented as a catchy soundbite, and a 2023 study found breaks made no difference. What actually reduces desk eye strain.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·July 1, 2026
How to Keep Your Home Office Cool in Summer (No AC)
Cool the person, not the room: a fan beats AC for a one-desk office, and the '72°F is optimal for focus' rule was debunked. The cheap fixes that work.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 24, 2026
Do You Need an Air Purifier in Your Home Office?
A HEPA air purifier removes particles, not CO2 or gases. Here's when a home office actually needs one, what the focus research really says, and what to skip.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 23, 2026
How to Arrange a Multi-Monitor Desk (Ultrawide + Vertical)
Most people center two monitors and twist their neck all day. The CCOHS rule for placing an ultrawide plus a vertical secondary, free.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 22, 2026
Where to Put Your Desk Relative to the Window
Facing the window blinds you on calls; backing it glares your screen. The room-layout rule that fixes both, plus fixes for one-window rooms.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 19, 2026
How to Power Your Whole WFH Desk From One Charger
USB-C Power Delivery can run a laptop, charge a phone, and drive a monitor down one cable. Here is how to size the watts and ditch the brick pile.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 17, 2026
How to Keep Working Through a Power Outage at Home
Outages are short and survivable on a battery you half-own. The 3-layer power, internet, and go-bag plan to never lose a WFH day.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 17, 2026
The Smartest Way to Use Your Phone at Your WFH Desk
Your phone is the most powerful computer on your desk. Here are the three WFH jobs it is unbeatable at, the one it is terrible at, and why.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 15, 2026
Do You Need an External Monitor for Your Laptop?
Working off your laptop screen all day? An external monitor is mainly an ergonomics fix, not a productivity hack. Here is when it actually matters.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 13, 2026
How Much Internet Speed Do You Need for Video Calls?
A single HD video call needs only 2 to 4 Mbps. Here is why a faster plan rarely fixes dropped calls, and the real cause of choppy Zoom and Teams.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 13, 2026
Why Your External Monitor Looks Blurry (and the Fix)
Blurry or wrong-sized external monitor? It is a resolution, scaling, or cable mismatch, not a broken screen. Here is the 3-step diagnostic fix.
Hilly Shore Labs
7 min read·June 12, 2026