Working Your Best: Home Office and Fashion Tips To Lift Your Spirits

Her space. BDK Home created “his and hers” home office spaces in a Jersey City apartment.

With most of us confined at home for the time being, working at home is the new normal. As tempting as it might be to spend the day lounging in bed, working in your jammies, it’s probably not the best idea. A dedicated, curated work space will make you feel inspired, energized, and productive. It doesn’t have to be a room of it’s own— it can be a desk or table that you set up for this purpose—or a nook you carve out on your dining room or kitchen table that’s easily assembled at the start of your work day.

Once you’ve got your work space carved out, commit to keeping your work within this zone and to maintain your expected, normal work hours. Working from home doesn’t mean working 24/7, unless your job requires you to be accessible at all hours.

As seen on the DBK Home Facebook page on March 19, 2020, an “office nook” on the kitchen table, great lighting, great view out the window, a pretty bin for books and papers, flowers, and healthy snacks within reach.

Make your workspace special with a few cheerful items, like a framed photo or a plant, a beloved tchotchke, or faux flowers. I love fresh flowers, but right now they aren’t necessarily an option. If you love them as much as I do, consider adding a bouquet on your next—appropriately socially distanced—trip to the grocery store. You may want to try ordering online from Farm Girl Flowers or Urban Stems, but don’t be surprised if they aren’t delivering to your area.

Try to stay organized. If you need to keep paperwork, or a notebook, keep an eye out to make sure you aren’t seeing a pile build up as the day goes on. If you have extra baskets or pretty storage boxes or bins, use them to help you keep your papers organized in a way that makes sense to you.

His space in a Jersey City apartment designed by DBK Home. He’s got his guitars in reach and a view of the entire living space.

Once you have your office area set up, plan your breaks and time out. If you and your spouse (or partner or roommate) are both working from home, sit down together at night and make a plan for the following day. Discuss your respective work obligations to determine what time each of you needs to take calls or be on video conferences so you aren’t tripping over each other. This is especially important if you are working at home with your children at home too. Talk about who needs to take calls when, so you aren’t tripping over one another. If you do have to be on a call at the same time, don’t feel guilty about using a little screen time as your savior (telling this to myself right now as much as I am you).

Be open with your clients and colleagues about the expectations you are setting for yourself and what is practical at this time. We sent an update to our clients last week letting them know that while almost everything will stay the same, we are scheduling virtual meetings instead of onsite meetings (and that they might hear a little voice in the background chiming in). We also informed everyone that our hours will be slightly shifted during this time and that although we might not respond as quickly, we will respond. Keeping everyone in the loop and setting reasonable expectations on your time (for yourself and those you work with) is a key to keeping successful. This will also set you up for success mentally during this trying time.

Now, more than ever, get yourself into a routine. As someone who has been working from home for years, I have developed one that works for me. I have coffee and breakfast with my family, fill a glass of water, and grab a snack before heading into my home office. Once I’m at my desk, I have a call with the team, and then hunker down for a few hours of dedicated work time before breaking for lunch. We have been taking the opportunity to lunch as a family—how often do you get to spend this time altogether?! After lunch it’s back to work for a few more hours, whether it’s back at my desk or via a mobile device while supervising a craft or activity for my daughter. My husband and I have been alternating morning and afternoon dedicated shifts at the desk to make sure we are both meeting our work responsibilities while also spending time and giving structure to our daughter.

If—like me—you are someone who already works from home, now is a great time to organize your desk and office space. Go through those piles, re-organize those files, give the surfaces a good wipe down. Reorganizing and cleaning up your space will lift your mood. Taking care of your space is another way of taking care of yourself. We could all use more self care right now!

Now that we’ve handled your space, let’s talk about you.

I talked to my friend Liana Galardi Murgola of Be Brilliant Styling for a few tips about what to wear while working at home. And if you guessed jammies aren’t the best option, you are absolutely right. You do need to get dressed for work.

Liana told me: “getting ‘dressed up’ doesn’t have to mean anything tight or uncomfortable. it’s ok to be comfortable—especially right now if you’re drained from the challenging times we’re all dealing with. If you’re really having a hard time, you can ‘cheat’ occasionally and wear sweats or leggings on the bottom and have something nicer on top. A cool vintage tee with a jacket and earrings is an example of a comfortable, cool and put together option for women. I also recommend your version of a ‘5 minute face’ before video meetings to help you feel put together and ready to show up for whoever you’re meeting with.” For guys, Liana recommends a polo or collared shirt that can be put on in seconds and make you look and feel ready for work meetings.

Advice from Liana at Be Brilliant Styling

She also recommends using some of your extra time (the time you aren’t spending commuting or getting ready for the office) to organize your clothes, especially if the more casual side of your wardrobe hasn’t been sorted in a while. Liana says: “taking stock of what you have and editing out what you aren’t wearing helps you have a sense of control and peace of mind during uncertain times. And, this exercise makes it easier to get dressed because you know exactly what you have and where to find it. It may even inspire you with new ways to wear things!“

Whether it’s your home office style or your work from home look, find what works for you. Try things out. If it’s not working, try something else!

One last tip: be kind to yourself. This is a challenging time for many of us, you are not alone, and this too shall pass. Do your best to feel good and be productive, but don’t beat yourself up when you have a bad day—it’s inevitable. Simply try again tomorrow!

Hope you are all staying safe, staying healthy and staying home.

See the chair tucked away at the end of the desk? That’s part of what makes this home office in a Jersey City apartment work— when she’s done with work she puts the chair away—leaving the space looking open and clean.