Everything You Need In Your Work Bag To Make Office Life Bearable

From rechargeable hand warmers to reusable journals, the best buys for your daily grind (and commute).
Work bag essentials that will make your life easier
Amazon of Amazon / HuffPost
Work bag essentials that will make your life easier

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

As restrictions continue to lift – and working from home is no longer a requirement – many of us are heading back to the office for real this time.

You’ve long since adjusted to working in leggings (and fallen deeply in love with that extra hour in bed). Now you’ve got to get used to getting dressed again and packing, shock horror, a work bag. Admittedly, all this change can be quite a shock to the system, and a lot to get your head around.

Whether you’re excited to be getting back to your ‘normal’ routine or you’re already dreading the commute, there are some nice-to-have items that can make this transition period (and those earlier mornings) a little easier.

To help you fill your work bag with the essentials you’ll need, we’ve compiled a list of handy back-to-work products that will see you through your commute, that first face-to-face meeting with your boss, and beyond.

Nordace Siena Smart Backpack
The right bag is a must. This smart backpack is designed to fit your laptop (up to 15.6"), plus everything else that you might need for work – it even has a built in USB port.

Get it for £119.90
Joseph Joseph Travel Mug
Start the day and your commute with a takeaway coffee in this leakproof, BPA-free reusable coffee cup, available in several colour ways.

Get it for £9.59 (was £10)
Scribble & Dot Undated Weekly Planner
Keen to get yourself organised and maintain some good work-life balance now back in the office? This undated weekly planner (with plenty of room for scheduling and notes) could be the perfect tool.

Get it for £15.95
Tiger Balm White Ointment
Suffer from stress or tension headaches? Pop a jar of this natural headache balm (it's also great for aches and pains) in your bag and dab a small amount onto your temples and neck should a headache start to appear.

Get it for £7 (was £7.99)
Beats Studio Buds True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Whether you like to listen to music or meditation classes, or need to make calls on your commute or in a busy office, these rechargeable, noise cancelling ear pods – which also feature a built-in speaker – are a great buy.

Get them for £129
Rocketbook Core Smart Reusable Notebook
How cool is this reusable analogue journal? (who knew such a thing existed?!) It comes with a special pen and wipe for cleaning the pages after use, and can be used again and again.

Get it for £34.99
Occopa Hand Warmer
Say goodbye to frozen fingers with this rechargeable hand warmer. With three modes, this is the perfect gadget for keeping your hands toasty whatever your commute.

Get it for £23.99 (was £26)
Kindle
If you love to read on your commute but don't fancy lugging around your favourite books, treat yourself to a Kindle. You can store hundreds of books at a time, so there's no need to worry about a heavy bag. Plus, the battery lasts for ages.

Get it for £69.99
Chilly's Food Pot
Pop your breakfast – or lunch – in this handy leak-proof, double-walled container and it will stay warm for hours.

Get it for £22
Dr. PawPaw Shea Butter Multi-Purpose Balm
Dr. PawPaw multi-purpose balm is super handy. It doubles as a lip balm and hand moisturiser – and even works on hair. Plus, it's vegan and fragrance-free. Protect your lips and skin from the cold weather (or the office air con) with a dot of this balm.

Get it for £5.99
RovyVon Aurora Keyring Torch
For those dark mornings (and evenings) this mini rechargeable LED keyring torch is a work bag must-have. It's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand or toss in your bag but still acts as a powerful light source.

Get it for £27.95
Scentered DE-Stress Aromatherapy Balm Stick
Keep stress at bay on the commute and in the office with this de-stress aromatherapy stick (formulated with chamomile, jasmine and cedarwood essential oils), designed to calm and support relaxation while on the go.

Get it for £16.90
SanDisk Ultra 32 GB USB Flash Drive
This 32GB flash drive is great for popping your bag to make transporting files between work and home even easier.

Get it for £6.35 (was £9.37)
Coskefy Wool Lined Thermal Touchscreen Gloves
There's nothing more infuriating that pulling on a pair of super cosy gloves only to have to remove them to reply to an email or send a text. That's where these touchscreen thermal gloves come in handy.

Get them for £10.19 (were £13.99)
Royal Botanical Gardens Kew Lemongrass and Lime Hand Sanitiser
Keep your hands clean with this divine smelling sanitising spray from Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. (It just smells so fresh and wonderfully zesty.)

Get it for £9.99
Western Digital Portable Hard Drive
Make transporting important files easier with this slimline, lightweight portable hard drive.

Get it for £42.39 (was £49.99)
Chilly's Series 2 Bottle
Keep yourself hydrated at work (and en route) with a leak-proof, stainless steel Chilly's bottle. (It doubles as an effective thermos, perfect for filling with a cosy hot chocolate.)

Get it for £30
Duracell Power Bank
This versatile power bank from Duracell has two charging ports and features 'quick charge' technology. It can be used to power up a range of devices, from smartphones and earphones to tablets and laptops.

Get it for £28.59 (was £34.99)
Kleenex Water Fresh Antibacterial Wipes
Ideal for wiping hands, face and surfaces, this mini-pack of antibacterial wipes from Kleenex are perfect for popping in your work bag in the careful times.

Get them for £1.30
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