Are you still squatting?

I was a squatter.

Well, a professional squatter.

Wait…I’m not sure that sounds any better.

Anyway, my office, like thousands of others, went remote in March of 2020. For nearly 2 years, I had one foot in the building and one in my home.

I was fortunate enough to have an office in my home, but it was my primarily husband’s domain. He is a real estate broker who sometimes works from home, but mostly works in his car. The room was decorated in his taste. The kids and I would pop in when we needed to print or scan something, but that was it.

When the pandemic moved me to 95% work from home, I moved into his space. My company at the time was doing the ‘push back’ method, giving arbitrary date after date of ‘return to the office’ and missing those deadlines over and over. 

I used one drawer, moved his things aside, and made a makeshift spot for my laptop. It wasn’t comfortable. It felt like a never-ending transition, which, truth be told, was the COVID-19 experience for most people.

After 20 months of uncertainty from my company’s leaders, I decided it was time for me to make a choice. I no longer wanted to be ‘in between’ and grew weary of my company’s indecisiveness. I selected a new position with a company with a 100% remote workforce. 

Now that I was permanently remote, we relocated my husband’s belongings to another room (RIP guest room) and I officially took over the office.

AND DID I EVER MOVE IN!

I got new furnishings and decor (thank you Insightly for my office set-up stipend) and truly made it a place where I want to spend 8+ hours a day. It’s my style, with a pleasing color palette and a bed for my #1 visitor, my cat.

After nearly 2 years, I finally feel moved in and settled. And something pretty amazing happened. I started doing some really great work.

Are you still shoved in a corner? Using the ironing board and a dining room chair? If so, you may be missing out on being comfortable, without distractions, and bringing your all to your role. 

I truly feel like I am set up to do my best work. I love my new, permanent surroundings.

Is it time for you to invest in a chair, a piece of art, a space? In my experience, it’s an investment in your professional future. If you can financially swing it, do it.