For any office worker, the past couple of years have been pretty rocky. With lockdown orders making every aspect of life more difficult and businesses scrambling to figure out what will make remote work successful, employees have been riding a crazy wave for many months. Many workers left the workforce over the course of 2020 (mostly women), whether due to layoffs or because their family life had become too demanding to allow for a work-from-home lifestyle to be manageable.
Now, as cities open up and the world is inching its way towards normalcy, offices are making a comeback as well. The thing is, though, that people are so used to working from home now that, ironically, going into the office no longer feels normal. We all thought that we’d be on our laptops at the kitchen table for a limited time, but as the months dragged on we got used to taking video calls in our sweatpants. Dresses and business casual clothes? What are those? Cubicles and office Wi-Fi? Never heard of them.
If these sentences sound like you may have said them, and you’re looking for ways to be prepared to head back into the office, this article is for you.
Get the best deals on a fun new office-friendly wardrobe
One way to have some fun with a return to the office building is to buy yourself some presents that you’re excited to wear. Of course, you only have a limited time in which to get these, and you certainly don’t want to waste too much time on new unworn items. That’s why you should take a moment now to look for the best deals on everything from dresses to a demi bra or t-shirt bra. While it may have been fine to go bra-less while taking video calls in your sweats, you’re going to have to pick the underwire back up now, so you might as well get some fun bras and panties that make you feel way more than meh. Just make sure you check the return policy and opt for a store that offers free shipping.
Make sure your office laptop (or new tablet) has good battery life
For over a year and a half, you’ve been plugged into the nearest socket, but now you’ll be going from conference room to cubicle and back again. That means that you need office gear with great battery life. If you’re looking for a new tablet or laptop to take with you on your commute to and from work, you’d be surprised how great a refurbished product can be. Refurbished Samsung tablets or a refurbished Apple iPad Pro 11-inch can have the same specs (GB of RAM, processor power, etc.) as a brand new tablet, but with a far lower price. As long as you’re purchasing merchandise from a reputable refurbisher you should be fine. Make sure to get a warranty so that you don’t end up facing any surprises along the road.
Find some fun hobbies for your commute
Everyone loves to hate the commute, but the truth is the adjustment to home life made a lot of Americans miss their time on the subway or on the road. Some studies even suggest that a commute is healthy for us. One way to get the most out of your commute is to find some great hobbies that are fun. There’s more to life than just podcasts, although those are great as well. You could get into audiobooks, for instance, or download a language app. Who knows? Maybe the return to the office will have you being a well-read polyglot!
The world is full of opportunities, and it’s up to us to seize them. Whether that’s in the form of looking for a refurbished model of your favorite tablet or an audiobook app, make the most of your return to the office with these great tips.