In March, most of the country had to get used to a new normal—a new normal that included working from the comfort of your home.
While some people might have already mastered remote work, not everyone had ever experienced it before. And if you’re not used to it, you might struggle with where to work to be the most productive version of yourself.
Maybe you started out working at a desk in a home office. But perhaps the living room couch felt a bit more comfortable…or even your bed. Soon, you made it a habit of rolling over in bed to grab your computer still in your PJs.
Sure, you may want to work in the most convenient spot possible, but that isn’t always the place that’s going to help you get the most work done. So what’s the solution if you don’t want to work in a sterile office environment but still remain productive?
Work outside! This is especially awesome as the weather gets warmer and you can enjoy a morning cup of coffee on the deck as you listen to the birds’ chirp and enjoy the sun shining.
But wait—that sun shining is causing an issue. Now you can’t see your computer screen. Must you come inside and be succumbed to an office once again?
The glare from the sun is certainly one caveat to working on a computer outside. But there’s an awesome hack that you didn’t know you needed. With very little effort and supplies, you can get rid of the sun’s glare and enjoy your office calls from the comfort of your backyard.
It’s all thanks to LinkedIn user Tom Wood. He shared a post regarding the latest “work from home technology”—aka that in order to make working outside work better for you, you just need a cardboard box.
That’s right—a simple cardboard box that’s big enough to fit your laptop in (read: any of those Amazon boxes sitting in your garage will likely do). All you need to do is put the box on its side and slide your laptop. Boom: You’ve got yourself a glare-free outside office.
One caveat: To avoid the laptop and/or box from overheating, just cut a small hole in the box so that the air can seep through.
When remote workers got a hold of Wood’s tip, they couldn’t believe how simple it was, and how long they’ve been missing out on enjoying the outdoors while simultaneously working.
“I’m embarrassed that I did not already come up with this myself. Amazing,” said Stephanie Juszcyzk on LinkedIn.
“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,” said Twitter use Andrea Mara.”
Genius! Do you like to work outside? Will you try this cardboard box hack? What other ways do you find you can reduce the sun’s glare so you can comfortably work outside on your laptop?