It’s been a year full of sacrifice and unusual circumstances for families all over the world. If he’s lucky, your dad has a job that sent him home to work these last several months while we battle through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unique Gift Ideas For Dad’s Office
Working from home might seem like a fun opportunity but the novelty can wear off over time, and no one knows for sure when we’ll all be back in the office.
Corporate-types might start to miss the hustle and bustle of the daily office grind, chatting over coffee, shaking hands, and seeing your office mates face to face.
Here are a few gift ideas for dads who miss going into the office every day and might be going a little stir-crazy at home.
WebCams And Microphones
According to SmallBizTrends.com, 49% of people working from home due to the pandemic miss seeing their colleagues and having personal interactions with them. As much as we love to complain about co-workers, they can make work enjoyable.
While most laptops are already equipped with a built-in webcam and microphone, they weren’t exactly meant for everyday use for work.
If your dad’s new normal includes tons of Zoom calls, a nicer webcam and separate microphone will help him get crystal clear pictures and sound to make him feel that he’s in the meeting in person. These small upgrades can make virtual meetings more enjoyable.
Comfortable Happy Socks
Did your office have fun sock Friday at his workplace? Check out Custom Sock Lab for the best custom knee-high socks. Everyone working at home has been enjoying the relaxed dress code, except maybe dads who are used to suiting up and feel more confident in their dress clothes.
No matter if you are wearing your PJs every day or dressing up from the waist up for those Zoom meetings, everyone could use a wardrobe gift around now.
Dress socks are a great way to give dad the feeling that he’s still putting the effort in. No Cold Feet makes colorful patterned socks that come in unique gift sets with customizable labels.
Standing Desk For Those Dads That Can’t Sit Still
An office job implies that you sit around a lot but many people are used to walking around the office and dashing here and there throughout the day. Sitting all day isn’t good for dad’s circulation or back anyway.
Get dad a standing desk so he can lift it up and stand when he feels like it. Standing can help him sound more confident at meetings and on sales calls too and could benefit his work performance.
While standing desks can be a bit expensive and bulky, there is a cute alternative. A portable and collapsible option like this sits right on top of the desk he already has. You can also fold it up and keep it in a closet when you aren’t going to be using it for a while.
Noise Cancelling Headphone To Erase Distractions
Working from home cuts out the daily commute to and from work, but it can also increase distractions throughout the day, especially if dad doesn’t have a dedicated home office. Forbes notes in a recent article that while the pandemic has made us worship the office less, it can be distracting to work at home.
Noise from other family members can be distracting, so treat dad to some noise-canceling headphones that will help him block everyone out. You can get over the head full headphones or wireless earbuds that act as noise-canceling agents, and the technology has become impressively good.
A Stronger Wi-Fi Router For Fewer Missed Connections
Telecommuting can take a toll on your bandwidth, especially if you have more than one person working from home and a few kids doing virtual school. Make sure dad has a powerful wi-fi router or booster to help hype up the wifi throughout the house.
These little gadgets get stronger and better each year, so if you’ve had yours for a while, it’s probably time for an upgrade. You can also get wi-fi signal boosters if you have a larger home or multiple floors.
If dad’s having trouble with internet speed or connection, it might be time for an upgrade on your internet service provider equipment. Help dad give them a call to see if updated equipment is available, and make sure he’s subscribed to the best plan to meet his internet needs for work and school.
Weekly Planners For Work-Life Balance
A common complaint from people working from home is the now invisible line between their workday and their home life. A diminished work-life balance can increase stress and strain family relationships.
Help dad keep track of where one activity ends and the others begin with a weekly planner in a book or large calendar form. You can also get whiteboard weekly planners if you’d like something reusable.
Other ideas for creating more of a work-life balance are having a dedicated workspace or home office, keeping a strict start and stop time on the workday, and doing a relaxing activity right after work to leave the workday behind and enter your family-time with a clear mind.
Coffee And Coffee Mugs To Keep His Energy Up
Being able to grab a cup of coffee throughout the day keeps a lot of dads chugging along and keeps their energy up. Make dad an at-home coffee bar with a nicer coffee brewer, some new mugs, and his favorite coffee brands.
Make a dedicated spot in the kitchen for coffee brewing and he’ll feel like he’s back in the office. Another coffee-related gift idea is a coffee-of-the-month subscription box.
Any of these gifts will help your dad miss the office a little less and get through this unprecedented time. Get your dad one of these gifts for his birthday, the holidays, or just to give him a little pick-me-up during the pandemic.
