After eight months of working from home, I鈥檝e finally landed聽on聽a routine that keeps me productive. I take my time with breakfast and coffee, since my commute is nonexistent. And I leave the house to walk the dog before any real work happens, so I don鈥檛 stand up at 2 P.M. and realize we haven鈥檛 breathed any fresh air. John Coltrane and Beethoven keep me focused.
I鈥檝e rotated through some key work-from-home apparel as the seasons have changed. I wore Nomad聽shorts from April through September聽but switched to pants in October. Sweatpants are the obvious choice, but they鈥檙e often baggy and make me feel like lounging. Instead聽I鈥檝e been wearing the , which has quickly become my go-to work-from-home option.
Made from a breathable, four-way-stretch polyester-elastane blend, these pants are聽comfortable no matter what I鈥檓 doing. I鈥檒l sit in them聽at my desk聽for days on end, but thanks to that material,聽I can聽also move with ease during late-morning stretching sessions. (In fact, it鈥檚聽so stretchy that it聽tends to bunch up in the rise聽when I鈥檓 sitting around聽and can require聽a little adjustment as a result.) The fabric dries quickly, too, so if I wear聽them while聽walking the dog in the rain or snow, they won鈥檛 feel damp聽when I sit down immediately afterward for a Zoom meeting as soon as I get home.
I usually run in tights and shorts when it鈥檚 cold, but with聽the Ponto, I can go from sitting in front of聽a computer to running down the block without having to change. It鈥檚 little tricks like this鈥攐nes that cut down on logistics鈥攖hat help me keep up my exercise routine no matter how hectic my workday gets.
In terms of style, the Ponto鈥檚 slim cut is less slubby than a normal pair of sweatpants. It聽has聽a relaxed look that says聽I haven鈥檛 given up, but I鈥檓 not trying too hard, either.聽That鈥檚 exactly what I want if I鈥檓 leaving the house for an errand and will be seen by anyone other than my wife and kids. If you鈥檙e in between sizes, I聽recommend sizing down for a better fit.
I鈥檓 a big fan of the thick drawstring waistband that keeps the pants up at all times. There鈥檚 a zippered pocket on the back that can accommodate聽my wallet, and the two pockets up front fit my phone and keys. There are several colors to choose from, but black is my favorite, since it goes with nearly everything.
At $84, the Ponto聽is聽pricey compared with a pair of old-school sweatpants. But its聽versatility makes up for the cost. I wear these pants more than anything else I own at the moment, and that will continue to be the case for as long as I work from home.