WFH MUCH?
The office landscape has shifted drastically since the beginning of the year. Corporate open-plan offices, once considered the ideal and most creative work scenario, are now hard to fathom.
Since March, most of us have transitioned to working from home (WFH), which at the onset of this pandemic probably felt like a much-needed break from the day-to-day office stresses. Plus, hidden perks were uncovered, from making your own hours, to foregoing the rush of getting out of the house, to reevaluating office attire. There was seemingly more time to spend with family, to work on those pesky house and yard projects, plant a garden, and get outside.
But after the WFH honeymoon wore off and the reality that your home is your office and your office is your home, many of you probably started to rethink how great WFH actual is. The New Yorker Magazine recently published a comic by David Sipress addressing this exact topic. A man at a desk looks behind him to the doorway where a woman is peering in, looking concerned, he says “I can’t remember – do I work at home or do I live at work.” We're all feeling this, in one way or another.
WFH can be complicated, even if you have a dedicated home office. As soon as you exit this space, you can be immediately drawn back into your home life. We are used to taking a break at the office, strolling to get coffee, and being back at it, in 15 minutes. Taking a break at home can result in numerous, unexpected, interruptions. From a partner asking for help, to a child pining for attention, to a pet needing care. We are confronted with meeting their wants and needs in an environment that we've dedicated to another purpose, work.
This "push / pull" can lead to stress on both the professional and home front. We feel pressure to prioritize both, in the same environment, and the resulting feeling is less than optimal. But working from home is the new normal for the foreseeable future, so the question is, how do we create some balance in our WFH scenario? We, at Blackmouth Design, have started to ideate on this concept and wanted to share some ideas on braving this new world – from simple tips and tricks for a more balanced work/home life to creation of a detached single use outbuilding to put some separation between home and work. Consider the following and let us know if you have any thoughts on the subject – let’s start a conversation.
TIPS AND TRICKS
We've either seen it happen or had it happen to us - the dreaded home life interruption during a zoom or virtual conference call. It can be a kid screaming in the background, a dog barking at the FedEx person, a neighbor ringing the doorbell and then knocking incessantly. No matter your experience, we have to remember, these are unprecedented times and we're all experiencing interruptions and chaos in our day-to-day. Give yourself a break, the work will get done and we are all human. Here are a few things that may help lessen the chaos:
Create a designated space in your home for work – Separating work from home is key in creating balance. In an ideal situation, a designated room with a door is best. But in a smaller space, a kitchen table or desk in a living area can work. In this case, we recommend creating a workspace tub or bag which can be easily set up and put away at the start and end of each day. In one scenario, simply closing a door allows for separation, where the other, packing up and storing work materials each day aids in creation of home and work boundaries.
Set ground rules and expectations – The most stressful part of working from home is home life influences and interruptions. Whether it’s kids, a partner, family members, or a pet – each of these relationships require attention and it’s important to set ground rules, so everyone’s needs are met and additional stresses are not actualized. There is nothing worse than being on a call where you are distracted or interrupted by home life and vice versa.
Schedule breaks – We are balancing so many things and working and living in the same space can be extremely difficult. Give yourself a break, many breaks, throughout your workday to recharge and engage with your WFH circle. Try and limit the amount of calls or length of calls you have during the day, so your schedule can flex with the needs of home. It will make the day go by faster and also create a less stressful and more enriched WFH experience.
CREATE A BACKYARD OFFICE
We've also considered options involving moving WFH outside your residence. There are several types available when it comes to a buying or building your own backyard office, from an Amazon keyword search of "prefab shed," to companies specializing in these kinds of outbuildings, to simple DIY plans. The key to making this a viable solution is removal of permits (building is less than 200 square feet) and keeping it affordable (between $5,000 and $10,000). With the above variables in mind – here are a few options you might consider:
Amazon.com Prefab Shed - Allwood Escape
Curbed.com 5 Backyard Options - Buyout Backyard Office
InHabitat.com Caravan Conversion - Vintage Trailer Conversion
Icreatables.com Do-It-Yourself Plans - DIY Plans
If you’re looking for a custom solution, Blackmouth Design is here for you. Over the years we’ve designed and fabricated a few different small space options, from vintage trailer retrofits, to the creation of a geodesic dome, to adaption of single use shipping containers, that would be perfect for a home office! We can help you plan, design, fabricate and install your dream backyard office. Reach out to us at www.blackmouthdesign.com.
1. Vintage Trailer Retrofit - The idea: purchase a vintage trailer (think 1960 - 1970's Airstream Overlander or Aristocrat Land Commander), gut and retrofit to include office amenities. Bonus, it doubles as your weekend camping abode. This option may run on the more expensive side, as vintage trailers are sought after and hold their value. Call for pricing. Learn more here
2. Geodesic Dome Kit - The idea: designed and built from 1/2” ACX Douglas Fir plywood and structurally reinforced with solid HemFir construction grade lumber. We've designed the dome to be a minimum height of 8' to 12' tall. Call for pricing. Learn more here
3. Shipping Container Adaptation - The idea: secure a 10 x 10, single use, shipping container, retrofit interior and roof line, cut opening for window and build simple deck surround. Call for pricing.
WRAP UP
Working from home is our new normal, at least for the immediate future, and for those of you still loving it – keep on keeping on! For those of you struggling, we are hopeful this newsletter has given you something to think about and consider. In either case, let’s start the conversation about what’s working for some and what’s not. Let’s lean in on this community to make our new normal a little more palatable.
Cheers!
The Blackmouth Design Team