Workup Ergonomics offers useful strategies to adapt and stay sane in the current climate of disruption.
While working at home, it can be a struggle establishing a healthy routine to stay energized and motivated. Seeking creative solutions to work productively under quarantine, the latest inspiration has come from a somewhat unexpected source… the office.
Reading articles written in the not-so-distant past about Resimercial office design, (that is, incorporating elements of the home into the workplace) you almost have to laugh given our current state of extreme ‘res’ working. One can’t help but wonder whether the pendulum will swing to hyper ‘mercial’ after our prolonged involuntary work-from-home *staycation* is over.
Borrowing from the design approach found in most offices, you already have all of the necessary resimercial elements in your space – comfortable seating, soft ambient lighting, flexible spaces, rugs, lamps, plants, and even coffee. The very features the office was striving to emulate are readily available at home and beneficial to our well-being.
In thinking about how a dynamic workplace accommodates varied work demands and promotes movement through spatial options, you can apply similar logic when designing a balanced routine and environment at home. Rather than hunkering down for hours in one spot, consider how you might utilize different areas of your apartment just as you would in the office.
There are 5 key spaces found in most offices: the dedicated desk, the small group break out room, the conference room, the lounge, and the privacy ‘pod’. Looking around your home, you can draw some immediate parallels:
- The dining table may double as a conference room or small break out space where you lead zoom meetings or check-ins with your team.
- A corner reading nook by the window becomes an area for privacy, brief respite or a client call.
- The sofa serves as a lounge for catching up on emails with a cup of coffee or an informal call with a colleague.
- A converted small table becomes a dedicated desk space for heads-down focused work (sitting or standing) where you can keep the less portable stuff like your monitor, or mounted peripherals.
The proposed spatial utilization strategy is intended to liven up your routine while avoiding prolonged immobility. Instead of sitting in one place to work all day, introducing variety within your own comfortable space establishes a ritual, adds a light touch of formality to work tasks, and provides a much needed psychological boost during a challenging and strange time.
A quick note from Workup Ergonomics,
The current disruption caused by COVID-19 has heightened stress that manifests both mentally and physically as we shelter in place for the foreseeable future. It’s worth noting, (and an important distinction) that working from home is not currently a choice, but rather in response to a public health crisis. Everyone is in survival mode, attempting to maintain employment and some semblance of normal life. We hope you find this content helpful and welcome constructive dialogue.
Keep up the good work staying home & staying healthy, NYC.
Carla, Founder of Workup Ergonomics