Unwind

Small, useful things for a better break during the day and for switching off when work is done.

The Best Walking Pads for UK Home Offices

• WalkingPad Z1 (Best overall): Folds in half and goes in a cupboard when you're done, with a quiet brushless motor.
• WalkingPad P1 (Hands-free speed): A folding walking pad with an automatic mode that speeds up and slows down with you.
• UREVO SpaceWalk Lite (Budget pick): The simplest of our picks. No app, no fuss: a low-profile pad with a step-counting display and a remote that clips to the side.
• UREVO SpaceWalk 5L (Best for incline): Adds a gentle hill to your walk with a motorised incline up to 9%.

Small Things for a Better Break: Our Picks for Home Workers

• Time Timer MOD 60-Minute Visual Timer (Best overall): A silent timer that shows how much of your break, or focus time, is left.
• THERABAND Resistance Band Set (Best for moving): Three flat bands that live in a drawer, for a quick stretch between calls.
• TriggerPoint MB1 Massage Ball (Best small comfort): A small foam ball to roll under your foot while you read or listen in on a call.
• Philips Hue Go Portable Lamp (Best for switching off): A cordless lamp you can dim to a warm glow and carry to the sofa when work is done.

Switch-Off Rituals: Four Things That Help End the Working Day at Home

• Lumie Bodyclock Glow 150 (Best overall): A bedside light that fades slowly down in the evening and back up in the morning.
• LEGO Botanicals Mini Orchid (10343) (Best screen-free hobby): An evening's build that ends with a plant for your desk that never needs watering.
• HARIO V60 Ceramic Dripper (02) (Best break ritual): Ten minutes of slow, hand-poured coffee away from the desk.
• Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 (Best bit of green): Three herbs on your desk, with their own light and water, to look after for a minute a day.

Calmer Focus at Home: Headphones, Earplugs, White Noise and a Balance Board

• Sony WH-1000XM6 (Best overall): The most effective way to make a busy house quiet while you work.
• Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs (Budget pick): Soft reusable earplugs that turn the volume of your home down.
• LectroFan LectroFan Classic (Best for the whole room): A small white noise machine that masks voices and traffic for everyone in the room.
• FluidStance The Plane (Cloud) (Best for restless focus): A low tilting board for a standing desk, so you can shift and sway while you think.