We’re spending our workdays inside and our weekends inside. We’re getting to know the four walls surrounding us very, very well.
But if you’re lucky enough to be enough to be working from home as the coronavirus pandemic rages upon the world, you might be wondering: Where am I supposed to get the best work done? I’ll tell you what it took me a really long time to figure out: It’s not the bed, nor is it the couch.
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No. A hard surface is necessary for a productive workday. It’s harder to fall asleep at a desk and way easier to get sucked into a TV show while lounging on the sofa with your laptop propped up on your lap. Not science, but true nonetheless!
According to Carrie Pagliano of the American Physical Therapy Association, a desk is preferred from an ergonomic standpoint as well.
"Positions that encourage your shoulders up towards your ears or your wrists or elbows excessively flexed may result in more discomfort," Pagliano told TMRW. "Positions where your shoulders are relaxed, elbows at your sides and wrists neutral on the keyboard are best."
Still, desks can be an expensive piece of furniture and this work-from-home situation is probably temporary, so maybe you don’t want — or don’t have the room for — a permanent study corner in your apartment or house.
Enter the foldable desk.
Small Folding Desk
You read that correctly: It’s a desk, and it folds up, and it can slide under your bed when the workday is through. I found it on Amazon while I was researching ways to make a temporary but comfortable work-from-home space for my podcast (all about buying things, naturally) and my friend, Jessica Derschowitz, sent it my way. It seemed too good to be true, but Jessica said she was going to buy one and report back.
She loved it. It inspired others to buy one, too, and at only $76, it was hundreds of dollars cheaper than even the more affordable desks at furniture stores.
The foldable desk is just what it says it is: a slab of wood with leaf legs that hinge the slab upwards into a standing desk. You can pull up any chair (though I recommend this ergonomic high back office chair over a kitchen table chair), and it even has a leveled platform for decor — just like at work! It’s like you never left!
Amazon reviewers also shared their love for the desk.
“I love that this is no assembly! So easy to unfold and get into place in my small room area. I wanted all black. It looks great!” wrote one.
Another reviewer loved it so much she decided she wouldn’t be folding it back up: “The item needs no assembling. It's relatively lightweight but very sturdy. Easy to fold up and put away when it's not needed. But I think I will leave it open — nice color and fits my decor perfectly. Definitely a great value for the price.”
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This exact desk will take a few weeks to arrive, but if you need something quickly, here are a couple of similar models with shorter shipping windows.
This desk is similar to the one above, but it doesn't include an upper ledge for extra storage and it's on the pricier side. It is, however, scheduled to arrive by April 10.
This no-frills table is an affordable option if you're just looking for something basic to get the job done.