Almas Kaware, 36, senior manager, legal, at an IT services and consultancy firm
Nine months ago, Almas Kaware moved from Delhi to Dharamkot in Himachal Pradesh and has been working from there through the pandemic. She’s been living in a homestay, and says she doesn’t have one but many favourite spaces in the property. “I have a basic table and chair. Nothing fancy. When I am taking calls, I work in my room or the garden,” says Kaware, 36. Besides her spacious room with a balcony, Kaware works from the lobby, a cafe or a co-working space, where she books a room for herself. “I am spoilt for choice,” says Kaware. She makes sure she stretches frequently, and keeps her laptop at arm’s length so her shoulders and back don’t feel the pressure. But the best part about her “office spaces” is the view—she has an unhindered view of the mountains no matter where she chooses to sit every morning.
Also read: How Gen Y is breaking the work-from-home monotony
Eshan Palit, 30, client manager at an insurance broking firm
Palit has created an office nook in the balcony of his two-bedroom flat in Mumbai. The ironing board is the table and the ergonomic chair and anti glare glass were sent by his office. “There are huge windows. I get lot of sunlight. The view—overlooking a lane with a canopy of trees—is conducive to thinking,” he says. When he started WFH in March 2020, his work station comprised two side tables pulled together in the living room of his parents’ home. “It was uncomfortable,” he recalls. So, in October, he moved to his own place. The best thing about the new arrangement is his separate work space. “Once I am out of the balcony, the rest of the house is my recreational area.”
Also read: During pandemic, working professionals seek more space
Sandeep Aggarwal, 47, CEO & founder, Droom
When much of the world started working remotely last year, Sandeep Aggarwal moved his office into his spacious apartment in Gurugram. He was determined not to have the usual desk and a black ergonomic chair because that’s the set-up he’d worked with for 20 years. He decided to do things differently and try different work spots in his house. “I now have two favourite corners. My terrace, which has over 200 plants, and the leather recliner in my master bedroom,” he says. Mornings are mostly spent staring at the blue sky, talking to plants sometimes to feel relaxed, and spotting different birds though he hasn’t yet learnt many of their names. “These views help me stay creative,” says the founder of online automobile market place Droom. “My dad had a government job so throughout my childhood I lived in huge houses with mango and papaya trees. That’s why the interest in gardening and so many plants.” The pandemic has been stressful so living in a penthouse on the 17th floor definitely had its perks. “For Zoom calls, I use my bedroom which has a lounge section with a Buddha statue and a colourful wall. But to be honest, I would prefer the office. Running into people, talking to them, I miss all that. And most importantly, working from office gives a structure to your day and maintains the work-life balance.”
Also read: Gen Z are suffering the worst at work due to the pandemic
