With millions of people figuring out how to do their jobs from home right now鈥攎any with the added stress of doing it with kids in the house鈥擨 figured I could better serve readers this week by sharing tips based on what I鈥檝e learned working from a home office for eight years. My wife and I both work from our house and split childcare for our two-year-old. Here鈥檚 the gear I use to help me stay as efficient (and sane) as possible.
Standing Desk
Standing up while I work more than doubles the amount of time I can spend in front of the screen before I take a break. I know that logging consecutive hours in front of a monitor isn鈥檛 necessarily good for me, but I find that taking every focused streak to its maximum is the key to getting a lot of work done at home. I鈥檝e used the for years now and could write over a thousand words on why I love it so much. But I imagine that ordering a new desk or paying $450 for one that might not be permanent doesn鈥檛 make sense for most people. Good news: any desk鈥攐r table or counter for that matter鈥攃an be a standing desk with the right amount of books stacked beneath聽a laptop. Just make sure your elbows are at 90 degrees when you鈥檙e typing. Trust me, even if it feels silly, working from your feet is a game changer.
Pull-Up Bar
A lives permanently in my office, because it provides me with the opportunity for five to ten minutes of head-clearing exercise. While push-ups and squats are awesome options if you don鈥檛 have a pull-up bar, there鈥檚 something about the聽pull-ups themselves that gets me out of my head and makes me feel like I took a longer respite. Better yet, put the three together and start a mini circuit. Taking exercise breaks without ever leaving my work space helps me stay sane.聽
Yoga Mat
A good stretch and some deep breaths can turn a stressful day around, especially when I鈥檓 feeling isolated and stuck inside my head. I don鈥檛 suggest buying a new yoga mat just for this purpose鈥攜ou can do this on the ground鈥攂ut if you already have one, you should move it into your work space. Spreading the mat on the floor sets the intention that you are going to disassociate from your work for a few minutes at some point in the day. One or two sessions really manages my stress level.聽
Headphones
I am currently using the over-ear headphones, and I love them. My wife uses the Bose Quiet Comfort pair that I gave her. While the noise-cancelling component of both of them is nice when our toddler charges the door, the most important part of wearing them is the subtext:聽my wife and I have a deal that you do not interrupt other person if they are wearing headphones, unless it鈥檚 an emergency. Any pair will work here鈥攋ust make sure you follow the rules.
Lacrosse Ball
I have written about a lacrosse ball as a recovery tool many times聽but never about how fantastic they are in my home office. Standing and massaging the bottoms of my bare feet with one hurts just enough to keep me from zoning out on a project, but it鈥檚 still something I can do while actively working. This practice has also cured me of plantar fasciitis from running. If jogging isn鈥檛 in the cards for you right now, it still feels invigorating (in a painful way) to massage your dogs while you work. It鈥檚 also great for some quick loosening if your neck or back get sore鈥攏o one will judge you for self-massaging at home. Tennis balls or baseballs work, too.
Your Biggest Water Bottle
Repeatedly filling up an eight-ounce glass with water seems like an awesome way to break up a day in an office and connect with coworkers. But at home, refilling that glass will invariably lead you to find some dishes to wash or start making an overly elaborate snack. While drinking the contents of a 40-ounce water bottle will not save you from having to use the bathroom, it will save you multiple trips to the kitchen. And while it鈥檚 unlikely that a bathroom trip will derail your focus, the kitchen is a killer.
Athleisure Pants
There are solid arguments in favor of getting ready for work and looking nice to set the mood for a productive workday. But I鈥檓 in the camp of treating yourself to the most comfortable clothing your current work situation allows for. There鈥檚 enough stress in your life right now. On top of keeping your lower body extremely comfortable, the right pair of athleisure pants makes firing off those mini workouts significantly easier. I reviewed athleisure pants this winter if, you鈥檙e聽in the market for a pair, but your oldest sweats will also do.