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Whether you are working from home or heading back into the workplace, this quarter’s best new gadgets can help to keep productivity and wellbeing levels high as lockdown eases

1. Equivital eqWave Part of the ‘new normal’ is maintenance of social distancing. To help ensure that guidelines can be met, Equivital has developed the eqWave to alert workers if they get too close to each other.

Clipped onto clothing, each Bluetooth-enabled device covers a 360-degree fi eld with a radius that is confi gurable to comply with current distancing requirements; it provides vibrating and visual alerts if it senses another device an insuffi cient distance away. The eqWave comes in packs of 10 with a starting price of £60. www.equivital.com 2. Tapo P100 A home working challenge is that most people’s residences aren’t as high-tech as the offi ces they’ve left. Tapo’s ‘smart’ plug enables you to manage anything from small devices to lights via smartphone, with no central hub.

Set to sell for about £13, the P100 is able to operate electronic hardware on or oŬ directly or according to pre-set schedules, and can be used with voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The plug is controlled using a free iOS and Android app. www.tapo.com 3. Microsoft Surface Go 25.4cm As home working becomes an indefi nite reality for many, it’s crucial that the computers used are better than emergency stopgaps. Microsoft’s Surface Go tablet packs the processing power of something more substantial, while remaining light and portable.

Spec highlights include an Intel Pentium Gold Processor, an 1800x 1200-pixel screen and up to 256GB storage, while the device switches easily between table and laptop confi gurations. Available to buy now for around £700. www.microsoft.com

4. Wavewash One headache for businesses looking to bring back staŬ is how to ensure hygiene and minimise the chance of a Covid-19 outbreak.

Wavewash is a simple, contactless timer designed for use in businesses, schools, care homes, hospices and households to ensure that hands are being washed with soap for enough time to rid them of microorganisms. Each unit can be fi tted above any sink to provide a 20-second, light-up timer that is activated with a wave of the hand. Available now for a fraction under £25. www.wavewash.co.uk

5. STM ChargeTree As home workers up and down the UK are discovering, houses aren’t all that well set up for working. Space is suddenly at a serious premium, particularly with multiple battery-powered devices on the go.

STM ChargeTree frees up a bit of desk space by going vertical. Capable of powering up your phone, AirPods and Apple Watch simultaneously, the lip on the front of this wireless charging stand enables you to continue to use your iPhone as it is replenished. Expect to pay just under £70. www.stmgoods.com

6. Groov-e Zen Anyone who has tried to conduct a conversation over the phone while a child creates havoc in the background will appreciate cutting-edge headphones.

Capable of running for up to 10 hours without a break, the Groov-e Zen cans are designed for taking calls, or perhaps just listening to soothing music, while connected to a Bluetooth device. Noise-cancelling circuitry eliminates distractions, enabling you to concentrate on a task – or fl oat above the mayhem. Zen-like calm can be yours for about £55. www.groov-e.co.uk

7. Moodbeam One With the pandemic taking its toll on our psychological health, it’s important to keep track of workers’ mental wellbeing.

Moodbeam One is a wristband that enables users to log their mood and monitor their emotions. Priced at just under £50, wearers can press a yellow button when they are feeling well and a blue button one when they feel low. The data is then fed into an app, along with sleep and step data, to identify signifi cant patterns or trends that might be contributing to stress or unhappiness. www.moodbeam.co.uk