The Backyard Office- The Cure to Your COVID Blues
It’s no secret that the unwelcomed presence of COVID-19 in our communities has created a new “normal” that many of us are still adjusting to each and every day. Over the past few months, many of us have experienced significant changes in our day-to-day lives. Adults who have always worked in offices began working from their kitchen tables, children embarked on a new chapter of virtual learning, and families were faced with a new set of challenges as all households members attempt to thrive under the same roof.
Many of us entered these times of quarantine and social distancing with feelings that were often equal parts of enthusiasm and hesitation. As a company that prides ourselves on southern values, the opportunity to spend more time at home with loved ones was a positive one, but on the other hand, the uncertainty of our day-to-day dynamic was something we knew we would have to adjust to. At the beginning of our nation’s chapter of social distancing, many people began to boast the benefits of a work-from-home world. For many of us, our new socially-distanced lifestyles featured more family time and increased work flexibility for those of us who are able to work from home, not to mention a justifiable reason to order your groceries and less traffic when you do have to go out. However, you probably noticed that after a few weeks, the enthusiastic articles about self-care and the different ways that you could experience personal growth in the times of coronavirus began to shift to articles about the NEED for structure and how to cope with the continued uncertainty of COVID-19. This can even be seen on the CDC’s coronavirus webpage. The constantly evolving informational hub has even been amended to include a whole section on “daily life & coping” amidst the age of social distancing.
Over the past few months, the lives most of us have been living have felt a bit surreal due to all the uncertainties surrounding the pandemic and what the distant future holds for us. Estimates of a relative “return to normal” are constantly shifting and so are many companies’ work-from-home guidelines. Some companies have considered a phased reopening or have implemented anonymous polls to gauge the comfort level of their employees’ willingness to return to work paired with the guidance of health officials, while others have already issued notice that the work-from-home status is indefinite and/or will extend into 2021. Every company has a different approach to reopening but some companies have come to the realization that a permanent remote workforce could be a viable option now that it has been tested over the past few months. Tech companies renowned for their innovative work spaces that feature employee favorite amenities such as sleep pods, dry cleaning and buffets, have even been considering new work from home measures. As of now, Google, Amazon and Apple have all announced continued work-from-home measures amidst the coronavirus pandemic, while companies like Facebook and Twitter have announced plans to allow certain percentages of their workforces to remain remote permanently.
So, how can we adapt to this new normal? Cue- the Backyard Office. As we mentioned earlier, Spindle & Oak prides itself on being a company built on southern values and while we love our family, we too began to notice a new need for a new space in talking with our clients and coworkers, not to mention endless Zoom calls. Over the past few months, we have talked to people who have used a single home office space for multiple family members, turned their kitchens into multipurpose office/school environments or worked from their beds because they just needed the space for some privacy or a conference call. This is when we decided to start sharing our idea for the Backyard Office within our community.
Our “new normal” has taught us (and our employers) that we are all going to be working differently in the future. A customizable Backyard Office is close enough to home to make it convenient, yet detached enough from your home to allow you to focus and get work done. In addition to productive work spaces, these spaces can be versatile. Home office by day, yoga or art studio by night. Also, we realize that no one wants to work in an unfinished pre-assembled shed, which is why our beautiful Backyard Offices also feature complete electric, HVAC, insulation and wifi, and are custom-built on-site, adding square footage and value to your home. Think of these as an additional room for your house. We know that being surrounded by loved ones can be a wonderful thing, but what if you didn’t have to apologize for a barking dog, doorbell or screaming child on your next conference call? Wouldn’t that be nice?
If you’re ready to embrace some “normal” back into your life, check out our information on Backyard Offices and contact us for a FREE 1-hour design consultation!
