Imagine a world where working from home turns your once-peaceful abode into a wild zoo of sounds. Yep, been there. That’s the pandemonium my husband and I found ourselves in as we both started working from home. We were caught in a never-ending debate of who was louder—me or him? It seemed like our marriage was on the brink of collapse. But fear not! Solid core doors came to our rescue. Picture a door with a cape and the ability to cancel sound, at least buffer it. With the new doors came some new rules and boundaries that greatly improved our work and life. These doors not only saved our sanity, but they also withstood the chaos of our son returning from college unexpectedly and our daughter finishing high school online.
Ah, the sweet sounds of productivity, or so we thought. My husband and I turned our home into a symphony of clattering keyboards, blaring conference calls, and unruly laughter. I would love to say that I took the high road, but my frustration was palpable. I tried a coworking membership, and it didn’t work for my ADHD as a whole. We each accused the other of being louder than a Texas lightning storm. The noise battle was on, and it was a battle we were both determined to win.
As we searched for a way to end our decibel dispute, we stumbled upon the mighty warriors of peace—the solid core doors. These sturdy champs, made of solid wood cores and fortified with layers of high-density fiberboard or plywood, became our knights in shining armor. We also established ground rules: if the door is closed, thou shall not disturb. And let’s not forget “no fish bowling” – tapping on the glass of my doors was strictly off-limits. Just like tapping on a fishbowl startles the fish, tapping on my office doors rattled each of my brain cells like a maraca and sometimes led to more loudness on my part or a one-finger salute.
With new doors in place guarding our sanity, our home turned into a sanctuary of serenity, well, kind of. Let’s say the roar of our work antics was less deafening, and the bickering subsided greatly. We could focus on our tasks without fearing that the other person would burst through the door like a Texas tornado. Our son’s return from college and our daughter’s remote senior year of high school brought a whole new level of noise, but our doors stood strong, providing some solace amidst the intense cohabitation of a locked-down group of 4 adults.
It’s not a perfect world, sometimes my husband can’t resist tapping on the glass, giving my concentration a startle or two and a harsh chiding from our grown children. I still take my mic out to my car for podcast interviews, not just for the ability to lock the doors, but because the acoustics are great! But who am I to complain? He often leaves chocolates on my desk or slides a sentimental card onto my keyboard. Love notes find their way under his door when he’s stuck in a never-ending video conference marathon. These gestures of love remind us that doors aren’t just about noise reduction; they can be reminders of boundaries we need to function and forgive with patience and understanding.
Solid core doors may not make us the perfect couple, but they transformed our battle of noisy vs. noisier into a more harmonious household and added a slice of productivity to our businesses. So, if you find yourself in a war of decibels with your spouse while working from home, embrace the magic of solid core doors and take your interviews in the car or closet. Establish your rules, banish the “fishbowl” tapping, and relish the peace doors bring. And remember, love notes and chocolates make the workday shorter and life sweeter.