great example of the new kind of balancing act that has to exist when working from home. You've got to be yourself, and the last thing I would ever say to anyone is to try to live a lie or fit into some corporate stereotype. Or any stereotype, for that matter.
“It's me being me – me being real,” you might argue, fighting for those pants that you should have abandoned after your sophomore year in college. After all, you might say, what's below my waist is not on camera. “This is who I am and I've gotta be comfortable. It's my right to dress however I want and to show up on video calls however I want. You just don't get it!”
Which might be exactly what your boss says when you ask for a raise or a promotion.
Ultimately, what you wear to work is your business – who could argue with that? But this book isn't about what to wear – it's about how to win. It's about you showing up at your best so that you can grow your career. Isn't that really what working from home is all about? Being comfortable, real, and productive? You need all three to make your home office really work for you.
What was quirky and cute once upon a time now looks like you just don't get how this whole thing works. I hate to say it again but you need to hear it: Your home office is your context. It's your place of productivity and the centerpiece of your professionalism. In video calls, it shows how you're dressed for your role – even if part of your costume doesn't show up. Afterwards, when the camera's off, the space you occupy fuels and inspires your contribution – or it robs you of your potential.
We're talking about your place of doing business. Your zone of control. Your signal to your supervisor and your peers and yourself about the level where you want to be. Get that: your home office is a signal to yourself. A living breathing symbol of how you feel about your work, expressed in your surroundings. Are sweatpants really your A‐game?
Considering the 30 million‐plus unemployed workers right now as I write this, doesn't it make sense to make sure you're making a mark for yourself? Your home office isn't just a makeshift solution – it's a business tool of the utmost importance.
I wouldn't bring dishes, mixing bowls, whisks, and pans into my home office and try to cook something. It's easy to see that my office space isn't the right place for that. What is your home office space designed to do? Whether you're working in a dedicated room or just a repurposed corner of your apartment, you owe it to yourself to get clear on the right tools for the job.
And, getting back to those sweatpants for a second: there's one thing about them that we can all agree on. Comfort is really important. You can work from your laptop, sitting in a secondhand chair, hunched over like a bell ringer from Notre Dame, in dirty sweatpants, and still get the job done. Fair enough.
The right context for your success is a home office environment that's both comfortable and productive – a place where you can be at your best. What you wear is ultimately your business. But is your business set up in a way that truly serves you? How long do you want to wait to get into a home office environment that, unlike those baggy sweatpants, really fits you?
Comfort Matters
Your home office shouldn't be your bed, but it should be just as comfortable. Because you're spending a lot of time there, yes – but also because you deserve it. You deserve a space where you can make things happen – not where you're wondering if you'll ever get a moment of privacy. I'm not suggesting you need to wear a tuxedo or evening gown to your next team meeting. But working from home is about balance. Comfort and professionalism can coexist, in much the same way that a home can be a very effective office. Want to get the balance right?
Then ask yourself this question: Does your home office inspire you?
Looking in the direction of success means shaping your environment toward your goals. When considering your home office, your surroundings are an extension of your work, your life, and your career. And you've got to have a space that serves you.
At least, that's what I learned from Shakespeare's sister. Do you remember her? Her name was Judith.
She had the same aspirations and sense of adventure as her brother, William. She had similar gifts – in fact, she had as much or even more talent than her sibling. But he rose to fame while she vanished into obscurity, trapped by expectations instead of expanding into her true potential. Are you familiar with the story?
Of course, Judith was a fictitious creation of Virginia Woolf, invented in 1929 in her most famous essay, A Room of One's Own. Without a room of her own, Judith's life remained in the shadows, unable to fulfill her destiny.
Hopefully you're not afraid of Virginia Woolf?
While Judith was a fictional character, Woolf's point remains a hard reality: a room (or even just an area!) of one's own is critical to success. If your space is not inspiring – a separate place where you can do what needs to be done – how are you going to be successful in working from home? Beyond the tactical decisions about which laptop you need or what camera to buy, let's go upstream for a second. Let's look at the strategic decisions that go into a room (or space) of one's own.
Your home office needs to be a distinct, dedicated area. If you're trying to manage your career from your bed or your couch, you're not thinking about this the right way. Double duty is deadly; a dedicated space – even if it's a small one – is crucial.
Boundaries are the key to your success. As Robert Frost said, “good fences make good neighbors.” And fencing off an area for you to work – exclusively for work – is just good business. And trying to pull double duty in a space, or cut corners, can be disastrous – and painful.
Work is a guest in your home. It only shows up where it's invited. You control the invitation. If you don't want work creeping into your family time or your fun time, don't let it. A separate space (even a section of your space) is the first step. But don't stop there.
“Here's where it all started,” Kendra tells me, pointing behind her. She's a thirty‐something product manager living in a studio apartment in Manhattan. She leans forward and twists, so I can see the area in question: it's just above her left hip. Turns out, millennial back pain is actually a thing. Especially if you're confined to a cheap chair. “Not a good idea,” Kendra explains, elaborating on how she started working from home: sitting in a dining room chair for 9 to 12 hours a day. She saw the error of her ways. Kendra ends our call by pointing to the newest addition to her small space: a highboy leather office chair that looks like a pillow on wheels. “Now I'm all set,” she says, leaving her back pain behind her.
A Seat at the Table? Unnecessary
Some folks don't even require a chair. I know, because I'm one of them. In my home office, I have what's called a treadmill desk. Some might say I've decided to take a stand against sitting in a chair.
Here's why: it's been said that sitting is the new smoking. That's right. Sitting down all day seems harmless at first but it's actually bad for your health. Our bodies were designed for motion. Sit/stand desks allow you to get on your feet, aligning your body and getting your blood flowing in the way that even the most comfortable office chair never could. (For more cool tips on how to turn
