Quarantining In Style and Other Strategies for the Coronavirus Post-Apocalypse
Most of us have been trapped at home for weeks now in our sad, new reality shows and this has been a successful, or unsuccessful, endeavor depending on how well-suited our homes are for serious hunkering down. Since many of us had never even considered a long-term work from home strategy (never mind being quarantined), I can offer a few tidbits of advice for how to make your work space, and life, a bit better.
If you’re still employed and are working from home (yes, be grateful) and you’ve already got a home office, or at least a desk, you’re way ahead of the game. For those who don’t, or for those who are now finding it challenging to accommodate multiple people working from home, I can offer that Home Depot is still open, even though furniture stores are not, and a pair of saw horses and a piece of plywood (I’ve even used an old door) can serve as a makeshift desk in a pinch, and the kitchen table is certainly not out of the question – this is, after all, an emergency strategy and I’ve seen ironing boards, toilet seats, hampers and even a truck tailgate being used effectively. I can tell you that I’ve gotten multiple requests for home office makeovers when we finally achieve parole, and it might be something you need to think about in the PC (post-corona) future.
I’m also finding that headphones/earbuds are an extremely important part of every home survival kit. When there are a number of people trapped together in a confined space, all of whom have very different musical tastes, the ability to hear, or not to hear, becomes crucial. Music has the ability to soothe, when we’ve watched a bit too much CNN, while also allowing us that spontaneous, free-wheeling dance party when we just need to let go and move our bodies. I highly recommend Club Quarantine if you’re looking to let off some quaran-steam.
Perhaps the biggest change for all of us though are the myriad videoconference calls that are now a fixture in our world. Whether for school, work, or just for fun we all need to master this new digital frontier looking our best and with minimal embarrassment. I can tell you that it’s best to have a light source that comes from the front and lights your face. This is the difference between being seen, or having your face in complete shadow, so positioning your desk or laptop or phone near a window is important.
Next is to have a look at what’s behind you. You don’t have to invite everyone into the privacy of your home, and it’s perfectly fine to find a corner with some art, a bookshelf, or even nothing, to use as a backdrop. What you don’t want is to see too much mess, too many personal details (bathrooms, uh, no), or to actually have a visually busy backdrop that distracts from seeing you.
Lastly, the angle of the camera is important if you want to be seen in your best light and not forced to run screaming into the night because you didn’t even know you had a chin waddle. Ideally, looking up at a camera that is a tiny bit above eye level will give you your best screen test, and remember that if the camera is too low, everyone will have a peek up your nose. A few other tips worth mentioning – strive for quiet in the background, respect the delay and know that you might need to wait a bit longer to speak, and please wear pants.
For those of us in the suburbs who are just trying to get some work done or who might need a little privacy, I highly recommend the back seat of your car. For most of us it’s been a while since we’ve been in the back seat of our car (ahem) and I can tell you that it’s warm, womb-like, definitely satisfies all social distancing guidelines, and it’s quiet. Plus if you’ve got tinted windows and a sunroof, your family will have NO idea where you’ve gone and you can literally disappear into a cloud-filled daydream. Who knew that a safe, pleather-filled Oz was right there in our driveway all along?
So wear your mask, wash your hands, stay 6 feet apart, and remember, there’s no place like home.