Can you believe its been almost one year - ONE YEAR! - since we received the stay at home orders due to the pandemic? Its so crazy to think a year has passed by - and what a difference a year makes. I know it took some time, but I think in general, we've become accustomed to this new way of life and all the home-bound time.
I'm lucky that I have been able to keep my FT employment and work throughout the pandemic from home. Although it was a struggle for me to get into a groove of full time telework, I've gotten into my daily routine and have found some items that have helped me cope along the way that I wanted to share, since it looks like WFH is here to stay awhile.
A throwback from the 2020 #blanketchallenge - however, this look does *not* translate well on work video calls, lol.
Portable Desk
It took me some time before I found my ideal work spot at home. I switched from the couch (which I had to stop as I felt my posture declining), to my breakfast bar counter, to my sunroom where I finally decided on since it gets the most light throughout the day and I enjoy looking out the windows. Since I didn't want to move a full on desk into the sunroom as it would take up too much space, I ended up buying a portable desk that has been a great purchase. You can adjust the height, move it around easily (its also on wheels and lightweight), it doesn't have a large footprint and can be stored away when not in use, and was very easy to assemble - plus- it didn't break the bank. I wasn't a fan of the faux wood look, so I ended up covering it with flamingo wallpaper I had left over from my wallpaper redesign from the summer.
UV Light Glasses
At the start of FT telework, I was finding I was spending an *obsene* amount of time staring at my laptop screen. Literally for hours on end with no break- and my eyes were seriously strained. I caved in and tried UV glasses and now I'm obsessed. I wear them everyday and I swear they have helped ease my eyes. Plus, they are great to wear on video meetings when you haven't had time to do your eye makeup! My favorites are the Prove It and Stranger both by Quay.
Sugar Rose Lip Tint by Fresh
My lips tend to get chapped throughout the day, especially more so at home since I'm not wearing lipstick daily, as I would be pre-COVID times. I have the Sugar Rose Lip Tint by Fresh on my portable desk stand and use it throughout the day. Not only is it a pretty addition to my mini desk, but its great to throw on quickly for last minute video conference meetings since its tinted and gives your lips the perfect amount of color!
Hydration Powder
When I was in the office, I would make a point to get up every hour, take a lap through the hallway, and grab a fresh glass of water. It was my tradition to make sure I was stretching my body and staying hydrated. At home....well.....I haven't been as good about it. While I have unlimited water at home, I find I don't drink it as fast and tend to get those mid-afternoon hydration headaches. I started adding hydration powder to my water mid-morning to help give that extra kick to keep my mind and body hydrated at home. My fave is Hydrant's Blood Orange flavor!
A Good Pair of Joggers
Ok, this one goes without saying. If you haven't found yourself a great pair of joggers yet... then you aren't doing WFH couture right, LOL. I have been wearing joggers at home 24/7 the past few months and they have become part of my daily routine. While I'm all for a cute sweatsuit look, I still haven't been comfortable dialing into work meetings in a sweatshirt, so I've taken to pairing a video conference ready top/sweater with a pair of structured, well fitting, comfortable black joggers, so I'm ready for last minute or quick notice conference calls. I never thought I'd say joggers are part of my daily routine.... but here we are. I linked my faves from Shopbop and Nordstrom below! Also you can check out how I've styled my joggers in a fun video here.
Pre-made Cold Brew
In the past year have tried VERY hard to perfect my own home-made iced coffee and cold brew, and I have failed miserably every time. IDK what it is, but I just can't seem to get the ratios right and I just always enjoy my coffee more when I haven't fumbled my way through failed attempts at making it. Since coffee runs were part of my weekday routine, I had a stark awakening when things went on lock down. I started buying pre-made cold brew in bulk on my grocery store runs after deciding I'm just not a barista, and now I always have cold brew at home. While I do have a daily routine of taking an early morning walk for coffee, I still keep the cold brew stocked as there are some days my schedule is too busy for my coffee run, or others where more than one cup of coffee is needed. My favorites are the Starbucks Cold Brew Pods in Caramel Dolce and the Chameleon Caramel Cold-Brew.
XOXO
Blonde in the District