Home office upgrade

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COVID-19 fundamentally changed the way we look at office space, and many of us have found happiness working from home. We’ve got some tips to make your home office more inviting!

CHIC (Pearl)

Now that it’s been a few years, you should probably think about upscaling that temporary office you converted out of a spare bedroom. A fresh coat of paint can help set the tone and create a more productive vibe. I’d also suggest retiring that folding table to the garage and finding a proper desk with actual drawers to store your pens, papers — and midday snacks!

GEEK (Kevin)

Don’t stop at the walls. Remember, flooring is the foundation to every room. If you’re still rocking shag carpet in your home office, consider an upgrade to fabricated wood, vinyl, or laminate. A good contractor can make the swap in one day’s work, so there’s no need to fear a protracted process. And the final result will make your home office feel more professional.

Back to the office?

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With many employers incentivizing their teams to return to in-person work, more and more workers are opting to stay home — even quitting their jobs in some cases. So what would get you back to the office?

CHIC (Pearl)

After three years of working from home, I’ve been feeling a little Zoomed out and detached from the real world. I thrive on the energy of other people, and pandemic life has been a struggle. Don’t get me wrong! It’s been super fun spending more time with Kevin and Bora. But occasionally, it helps to get out of the house and into a space with like-minded teammates working toward the same goal.

GEEK (Kevin)

The past few years have been rough, but like any tragedy, a lot of good has come out of the bad. When COVID first hit, I had a feeling we were in for the long haul, so I invested in all the bells and whistles for our home office: high-powered WiFi, a top-notch coffee maker, and one of those ring lights for slick Zoom visuals. If you want me back at the office, you better offer great snacks!

Chic vs. Geek: It's hot.

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Nobody feels like doing much of anything in the blazing heat we’ve seen this week. But there’s always work to be done. So how do you cope?

CHIC (Pearl)

If you’re not lucky enough to have air conditioning at home — or you want to avoid sky-high electricity bills — pack up your laptop, don’t forget your charger, and head to the local coffee shop for an iced latte and free WiFi. You can always find a quiet corner to get work done. But don't get caught up chatting with other mobile workers!

GEEK (Kevin)

Whether you’re talking extreme heat or frigid cold temps, it’s all mind over matter for me. When it starts heating up, I picture myself on a cool island beach, enjoying a frosty beverage with my feet dipped in the ocean. You’d be amazed how easy it is to forget where you are and focus on anything from simple tasks to complex problems.

The Return of the Commute

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Those of us who were lucky enough to work from home during the pandemic are slowly getting back to the office, but the traditional commute will never be the same. How’s your return so far?

CHIC (Pearl)

I’m one of the lucky ones who can continue to work from home, so the only commute I need to navigate is the path from our bedroom to the shower to the kitchen to the office. It may sound like a dream, but it can be very hard to find motivation when a bag of popcorn and streaming videos are at your fingertips. That’s why I try to pretend my supervisor is watching — even though it’s just our cat!

GEEK (Kevin)

If I never have to wait in rush hour traffic again it will be too soon. There is nothing more wasteful and mind-numbing than sitting in your car for hours every day with nothing to do but inch forward, check your text messages, and call a friend to vent. I know I’m not supposed to look at my phone while I’m driving, but I don’t call that driving. It’s more like waiting for a miracle.