I loathe working from home. I want to go into an office, dress up, see people, separate my work and home lives.  But alas, I work remotely.  And I love my job, so I need to make this WFH life work for me.

One // The Desk Cardigan // At home or at the office, I need to be warm.  If I’m cold, I’m sulking, and if I’m sulking, I’m not productive.  The perfect desk cardigan has three qualities: 1) it’s warm, 2) it’s big enough to wear over clothes (even a suit jacket), and 3) it always looks fresh, even if it hasn’t seen a dry cleaner since Pres. Biden was a boy.

This Vince cardigan has all of those qualities and more.  Discounted to a mid-price, I would rush to buy this piece whether you keep it draped on a chair or keep it in your closet.  Other options include that Barefoot Dreams cardigan that your MIL probably bought your for Christmas (or the cashmere Quince version).  Or go fully elegant office worker with this J.Crew shawl wrap.

Two // The Best Pen // For many years, I was a loyal user of the Papermate Flair.  But no more.  My friend Jayne converted me to Le Pen and I can never go back.  There’s just nothing like a good pen.

Three // The Blue Eye Glasses // My eyes cannot take the strain of 12-hours of computer monitor usage.  And since my second monitor is brighter than the sun, I need these Book Club specs.  They’re my absolute favorite.  Look good on everyone, and the clear makes them a versatile choice.  Plus, they’re on sale today.

Four // The Leather Notebook // A great pen deserves a great notebook.  These Graphic Image notebooks are my long, long, long time favorite.  They’re refillable, engravable, and they make an incredible gift.  Lots of colors.  And they look very professional in a meeting.  I also snapped up the leather portfolio at Verishop.

Five // The Noise Cancelling Headphones // Do you have a loud roommate, partner, child or dog?  Then you need these headphones.  Between my husband’s Zoom calls, my daughter’s (hopefully) happy screams, her nanny’s singing, or my dog’s barking, I would go insane without noise cancelling technology.

I own the full headphones from Bose, but if I had to do it over again, I would buy the earbuds.  These are on sale today and they’re amazing.  Also, if you have a friend who is about to become a Mom, get her these.  On those nights when the baby is changed, fed, safe, and just losing their sh*t for reasons unknown, these are what kept me sane enough to handle the 3:00AM soothing sessions.

Six // The Chambray Shirt // On a Zoom call, you need to look professional.  At home, you want to be comfortable.  This amazing chambray shirt from Caslon does both.  On screen, it looks like light blue poplin, but it feels like a soft, cozy dream.  And it’s sale-priced under-$50.  Petite, tall, or plus?  J.Crew has you covered.

So what are your WFH must-haves for hybrid days or straight from the home office days?  Leave them in the comments.

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