So many of us have spent the last few months in isolation working from home, hunched over the dining room table, slouched into the couch, or sitting up in bed (no judgement here).
And whether you love the more flexible working arrangement or can’t wait to get back to the office, it’s likely that by now you could be feeling a little tired of your surroundings, bored of the same views, and ready for a change.
You could move your laptop into a different room or set up camp at a friend’s place for a day, but might we suggest this awesome idea, courtesy of the Internet, that allows you to breathe fresh air all day long and enjoy sunny surroundings?
If you have a balcony, courtyard or garden, we highly recommend you make the most of it take your WFH set-up outside and into a warm, shady spot for the day. Fret not about the glare on your screen, because there’s a genius cardboard box hack going ’round that’ll help you keep an eye on your emails or join that Zoom call squint-free.
The hack first gained viral popularity on LinkedIn when Tom Wood, a managing director based in the UK, shared a photo of his outdoor desk arrangement. In the snap, he pops his laptop within a cardboard box that’s lying on its side. The box acts as a hooded shield against the sun and allows the worker to clearly see the screen despite the glare.
I've been working from home for 5 years and it's only now that the rest of the country has joined in that this ingenious idea has come to my attention.
(It's 20 degrees and due to drop to 14 tomorrow – get out there if you can!) pic.twitter.com/CtSStZ5ZIh— Andrea Mara – Someone In The Attic (@AndreaMaraBooks) June 2, 2020
“I’m embarrassed that I did not already come up with this myself. Amazing,” commented one user while another added, “I need one for the beach”.
Some users shared their concern for a laptop’s ventilation, worried that the cardboard box could make their devices overheat, but Wood had thought of that too. “I have also added openings to the sides for ventilation and connection points,” he shared.
Around the world, professionals working from home have taken to the hack, with many sharing photos of their own outdoor desk set-ups along with their praise.
We welcome you to try it out this week, although we would always recommend wearing SPF during any time spent in the sun. Enjoy!