By MELISSA RAYWORTH
Millions of people who worked from home during the past year are likely to continue doing so this summer and beyond, even as pandemic restrictions ease.
One positive aspect: spending some or all of your work day outside. But while curling up on an outdoor sofa with a laptop can feel like a treat during a workday, it’s not always conducive to getting things done. How do we really make our outdoor workspace as functional and professional as possible?
Three designers — California-based Nikki Klugh, New York-based Melanie Roy, and Room and Board Business Interiors expert Elise Nicpon — offer some simple, inexpensive tweaks to help create a functional, attractive place to work outdoors.
A truly workable space
Outdoor dining tables are usually about the same height as a desk (29 to 31 inches tall). But chairs may be low-slung and lack the back support you need.
Klugh suggests adding a lumbar pillow and, if needed, add a seat cushion so your arms are at the right height. (A good seat cushion/lumbar cushion combo runs about $50). Nicpon recommends choosing chairs with arms.
“It’s very helpful,” Nicpon says, if you can “rest your arms just like you would in an office chair, and having that structure for your back.”
If you don’t have an outdoor dining table, you can add an adjustable-height laptop desk with locking wheels. (There are durable metal options available for under $200.)
For keeping office supplies and snacks handy, Roy suggests a rolling bar cart made for outdoors. Ikea’s Applaro line includes an outdoor bar cart ($100) and matching closed storage bench ($70). A splurge worth considering for work and entertaining: Add a small outdoor fridge to keep cold drinks nearby.
Weather
A large, adjustable umbrella can help with the sun’s heat and glare if you don’t have an awning or roof. Another option: a fabric “shade sail” that you can string up. (Basic rectangles are available for about $35, though sail kits with poles can cost $100 and up.)
Klugh recommends an anti-glare screen protector if you’ll be working outside on a laptop (about $30).
And a ceiling fan is a great addition to keep air moving, so heat won’t distract you. A tabletop fan, too, makes a valuable difference (good, small fans are available for $15).
Privacy and professionalism
If you’ll be Zooming from your outdoor workspace, make sure the background feels professional. One easy and stylish option: Klugh says outdoor curtain panels can help create privacy and offer an attractive Zoom background.
Roy notes that many companies make outdoor shelving units. These can hold work-related supplies and can double as a professional background for video calls.
Connectivity
All three designers recommend adding a Wi-Fi booster (prices vary, but available for as little as $20) if your signal is weaker outside. And while many homes have at least one outdoor electrical outlet, it can be practical to add another near the spot where you’d like to work.
To stay further connected with the news or online content, Roy points out that outdoor-safe TVs have become much less expensive.
Whatever your budget, Nicpon recommends working outside at least some of the time. “It’s such a more dynamic experience for you as a worker,” she says. “It changes how you feel.”
Rayworth is a freelance writer for The Associated Press.