In this edition of The Twelve, we're focusing on the positive and sharing how we're making working from home work for us.
1. Spotify, Audible, Overdrive are my life lines - these apps keep me company while I work, wherever I am. Special shoutouts to my favorite podcasts Freakonomics, Armchair Expert, Business Wars - to name a few.
- Mari, Accounting
2. I make it a point to go outside during meetings. Soak in some rays and get a daily dose of Vitamin D.
- Frank, Tech Support
3. I had never used Zoom, Slack or Instacart before but now I cannot imagine business and personal life without them going forward. So, apps have been a huge help to me and I believe that many, many people are going to get much, much more comfortable working remotely and using various tools/apps that it might’ve taken years or longer for them to migrate to otherwise.
-Bobby, Legal
4. My home office "desk" is fairly small because it's actually what I use normally use for a vanity in our extra bedroom. So for me the BookArc is crucial to saving space and making my setup less crowded. I have my big Thunderbolt display that I'm borrowing from the office and then my MacBook is tucked behind it in the BookArc, taking up almost no space at all. Perfect👌🏻
- Marlee, Marketing
5. I have a lot of gadgets on my home office desk, so I like to soften it up with some silk flowers and a ‘Prosecco’ candle from Rewined (poured locally here in Charleston, SC by CandleFish!)
And I definitely wouldn’t survive working from home without my two supervisors, Delilah and Roo (pictured right). They remind me when it’s time to take a break from the computer screens!
- Amy, Operations
6. I have my big ol' Thunderbolt display from the office set up on my desk in my living room and my MacBook on a Curve stand, so working from home is as easy as from the office. Plus there are far fewer interruptions and distractions here - well, except that the crepe myrtle tree right outside the window is popping out more and more bright green leaves every day and my flowers are starting to flourish, which I find myself admiring on a pretty regular basis.
- Bridget, Customer Support
7. Work can be stressful and working from home brings its own set of challenges. So I find that a cooler full of *ice cold beer and tequila helps keep stress levels down. Not to mention my creativity goes through the roof!
*not endorsed on company time, per Bobby, Legal :)
- Kyle, Sales Team
8. Ambient drone music playing through my home stereo system - not my Apple devices - so it doesn’t interfere with any video conferencing apps. I also made my home system wireless with an AirFly. It took a few adapters, but it works great!
For those video calls, I use a MacBook Stand to raise my webcam. Looking *down* at a webcam is not my best angle so among the many other reasons I use a MacBook stand, an important one is that it elevates my webcam to eye level - not chin level ;).
- Andrew, Owner
9. The #1 best thing about working from home is the "death of the commute". I use that time to make sure I get outside and walk the dogs longer than my original routine allowed. If you don't have a pet, consider adopting, shelter animals need homes more so now than ever.
- Kris, Art Director
10. I pretty much replicated my desk at HQ when I moved to working from home bringing along my Curve SE and HiRise Pro for the LG Display. I think the key for me is getting into a regular routine for the day and always starting out with a quick workout to get the day going! The Peloton app has been a favorite of mine when working out at home, with fantastic guided cycling classes, yoga and more on demand.
- Jai, Creative Director
11. Dual monitors and, by extension, a good articulated dual monitor mounting arm, make working from home much easier. Normally it’s my gaming setup but now I can repurpose the secondary monitor for work. Only from 8-5, though, because at 5PM I’m off duty and so is the second monitor.
- Matt, Sales Team
12. A good door lock and noise-canceling headphones.
- Dan, Logistics, father of 3
Working from home, while certainly a change to the regular routine, is something we're fortunate to be able to do. It presents its own opportunities and challenges that we hope to learn from and take into the workplace when we finally do get to go back. In the meantime, we hope you're staying healthy, safe and sane. If you're also working from home, please share your tips with us and don't forget to take advantage of great deals on all of our home office essentials!
