COMPARING: WFH VS. AT THE OFFICE

Hello! After FOUR years of WFH, I began working from our new office in Westchester this month. I was very intentional about this move and want to share the why and AHA’s I’ve had with you. My hope is that by sharing my experience along with some questions to ask yourself, it might help you get a better understanding of your present needs (because remember – as humans, we adapt without realizing if something is really working for us) Have a read and of course, if you have any questions or want to share your experience or take on your work-from-home or hybrid journey, you know where to find me – just comment below! Sending lots of 💛,

THE PERKS OF WORKING FROM HOME (WFH)

During COVID, I was fortunate enough to be living in a house in Westchester, NY just outside of the city, that allowed me to have a full office set up in a separate room. I was in heaven ✨. This was my list of wins at the time (they probably look a lot like yours 🙂 :

• No commute (our offices were formerly located in LIC, Queens) along with more time with my 2 year old son in the evenings
• Laundry in between meetings/work so I didn’t have to do it on the weekends
• Saving money on eating out because I could just walk upstairs and make lunch
• Don’t have to get super dressed up for work
• An afternoon walk in Nature to get re-energized
• Sleeping in a little longer and consistent gym workouts because I didn’t have a commute
• Less overhead for my business

THE DRAWBACKS OF WORKING FROM HOME (WFH)

After three years of working from home, my list of wins was the same, but some losses started coming into the picture.

• I missed the energy and inspiration I got from being around my team and people on the streets during my commute
• I missed getting dressed up in the mornings and actually leaving the house!
• I was having to do more mental work to get energized in the mornings because of the relaxed home environment and setting

And the biggest loss? COMMUNITY. I missed the everyday interactions with random people that can put a smile on your face and make you feel a little less isolated and alone. The wins still outweighed the losses (if you count them). But on an energetic level, the desire for community and more movement and energy in my life outweighed the wins. So it was time to do something about it.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT OFFICE

This is where things get interesting. A beautiful studio fell into my hands on the main street in Bronxville, NY. It would have literally been an 8 minute walk from my apartment. It had white painted floors and old steel windows that looked out onto the main street. The only drawback- I’d be alone in my space again (the rest of my team works remotely). So for the first time in my life, I chose community over good design and got a 100 SF space at a coworking space in White Plains. It’s a twenty minute commute by car and the office space looks a little more corporate than I’d like, but it has PEOPLE doing all kinds of different things. We meet as I make my coffee in the mornings or as we pass in the hallway and I’m reminded that there are other humans out there dealing with the same things that I am. I was getting lost in my WFH bubble 😊 and it feels good to be back in the world with other humans. Here are some questions to ask yourself to see what works for you: 1. If you WFH, do you get up excited to go to work? Would it be more exciting if you got dressed and left your place? 2. Do you feel like you work in a silo sometimes and wish you had someone to share ideas with or ask questions too? 3. Do you feel stuck? This might be the time to try something new! I’d love to know what you’ve discovered during your WFH/Hybrid journey. Comment below!

Interested in working with us on virtual design of your space? Reach out to us at [email protected] to see how we can work together on your commercial or residential interior design project.