diff --git a/app/(auth)/components/auth-form.tsx b/app/(auth)/components/auth-form.tsx
index 8151b44..52fb08c 100644
--- a/app/(auth)/components/auth-form.tsx
+++ b/app/(auth)/components/auth-form.tsx
@@ -40,13 +40,23 @@ import {
 type FormData = z.infer<typeof authSchema>;
 type AuthFormProps = { mode: "login" | "signup" | "reset" };
 
+const defaultValues: FormData = {
+  email: "",
+  password: "",
+  confirmPassword: "",
+};
+
 export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
   const [isEmailMode, setIsEmailMode] = React.useState(true);
-  const [isSubmitting, setIsSubmitting] = React.useState(false);
   const [isPassVisible, setIsPassVisible] = React.useState(false);
   const [isConfirmPassVisible, setIsConfirmPassVisible] = React.useState(false);
+  const [oauthLoading, setOauthLoading] = React.useState<"google" | "github">();
 
-  const form = useForm<FormData>({ resolver: zodResolver(authSchema) });
+  const form = useForm<FormData>({
+    resolver: zodResolver(authSchema),
+    defaultValues,
+    mode: "onChange",
+  });
 
   function signInToaster() {
     toast({
@@ -55,35 +65,32 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
     });
   }
 
-  function onSubmit({ username, email, password }: FormData) {
-    setIsSubmitting(true);
+  async function onSubmit({ email, username, password }: FormData) {
     try {
       if (mode === "login") {
         signInToaster();
-        signIn("credentials", { username, email, password });
+        await signIn("credentials", { username, email, password });
       } else if (mode === "signup") {
         toast({
           title: "Creating account...",
           description: "Please wait while we create your account",
         });
-        createNewAccount({ mode: "email", email, password });
+        await createNewAccount({ mode: "email", email: email!, password });
       } else {
         toast({
           title: "Resetting password...",
           description: "Please wait while we reset your password",
         });
-        resetPassword({ mode: "email", email, password });
+        await resetPassword({ mode: "email", email: email!, password });
       }
     } catch (error) {
       const err = error as Error;
       console.error(err.message);
     }
-
-    setIsSubmitting(false);
   }
 
   async function googleSignInHandler() {
-    setIsSubmitting(true);
+    setOauthLoading("google");
 
     try {
       signInToaster();
@@ -93,11 +100,11 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
       console.error(err.message);
     }
 
-    setIsSubmitting(false);
+    setOauthLoading(undefined);
   }
 
   async function githubSignInHandler() {
-    setIsSubmitting(true);
+    setOauthLoading("github");
 
     try {
       signInToaster();
@@ -107,7 +114,7 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
       console.error(err.message);
     }
 
-    setIsSubmitting(false);
+    setOauthLoading(undefined);
   }
 
   const toggleCredentialMode = () => setIsEmailMode(!isEmailMode);
@@ -115,6 +122,8 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
   const toggleConfirmPassVisibility = () =>
     setIsConfirmPassVisible(!isConfirmPassVisible);
 
+  const isFormDisabled = !!oauthLoading || form.formState.isSubmitting;
+
   return (
     <Form {...form}>
       <Link
@@ -140,7 +149,7 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
                 <div className="relative">
                   <Input
                     type={isEmailMode ? "email" : "text"}
-                    disabled={isSubmitting}
+                    disabled={isFormDisabled}
                     placeholder={isEmailMode ? "you@domain.com" : "@username"}
                     className={cn("shadow-sm", mode === "login" && "pr-8")}
                     {...field}
@@ -184,7 +193,7 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
                 <div className="relative">
                   <Input
                     type={isPassVisible ? "text" : "password"}
-                    disabled={isSubmitting}
+                    disabled={isFormDisabled}
                     placeholder="••••••••••"
                     className="pr-8 shadow-sm"
                     {...field}
@@ -227,7 +236,7 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
                   <div className="relative">
                     <Input
                       type={isConfirmPassVisible ? "text" : "password"}
-                      disabled={isSubmitting}
+                      disabled={isFormDisabled}
                       placeholder="••••••••••"
                       className="pr-8 shadow-sm"
                       {...field}
@@ -264,10 +273,10 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
 
         <Button
           type="submit"
-          disabled={isSubmitting}
+          disabled={isFormDisabled}
           className="w-full shadow-md"
         >
-          {isSubmitting ? (
+          {form.formState.isSubmitting ? (
             <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
           ) : (
             <>
@@ -285,7 +294,7 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
             </>
           )}
           {mode === "reset" && "Reset Password"}
-          {mode === "login" && isEmailMode ? "Login with Email" : "Login"}
+          {mode === "login" && (isEmailMode ? "Login with Email" : "Login")}
           {mode === "signup" && "Sign Up with Email"}
         </Button>
       </form>
@@ -307,10 +316,10 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
       <div className="mt-6 flex w-full flex-col space-y-2 text-white">
         <Button
           onClick={googleSignInHandler}
-          disabled={isSubmitting}
+          disabled={isFormDisabled}
           className="w-full shadow-md"
         >
-          {isSubmitting ? (
+          {oauthLoading === "google" ? (
             <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
           ) : (
             <Google className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
@@ -320,10 +329,10 @@ export function AuthForm({ mode }: AuthFormProps) {
 
         <Button
           onClick={githubSignInHandler}
-          disabled={isSubmitting}
+          disabled={isFormDisabled}
           className="w-full shadow-md"
         >
-          {isSubmitting ? (
+          {oauthLoading === "github" ? (
             <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
           ) : (
             <GitHub className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
diff --git a/app/(auth)/components/auth-mode-toggle.tsx b/app/(auth)/components/auth-mode-toggle.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 082baf9..0000000
--- a/app/(auth)/components/auth-mode-toggle.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-"use client";
-
-import Link from "next/link";
-import { usePathname } from "next/navigation";
-
-import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
-import { buttonVariants } from "@/components/ui/button";
-
-export function AuthModeToggle() {
-  const isLoginPage = usePathname() === "/login";
-
-  return (
-    <div className="absolute right-4 top-4 md:right-8 md:top-8">
-      <span className="hidden text-sm text-muted-foreground md:inline-block">
-        {isLoginPage
-          ? "Don't have an account yet?"
-          : "Already have an account?"}
-      </span>
-
-      <Link
-        href={isLoginPage ? "/signup" : "/login"}
-        className={cn(buttonVariants({ variant: "outline" }), "ml-2")}
-      >
-        {isLoginPage ? "Sign up" : "Login"}
-      </Link>
-    </div>
-  );
-}
diff --git a/app/(auth)/layout.tsx b/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
index 8f1da8e..70529aa 100644
--- a/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
+++ b/app/(auth)/layout.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export default function AuthLayout({ children }: React.PropsWithChildren) {
 
         <div className="m-auto">
           <Image
+            priority
             src="/illustrations/success.svg"
             alt="Get started"
             width={500}
diff --git a/app/(lobby)/components/hero.tsx b/app/(lobby)/components/hero.tsx
index 01430c9..e4c5141 100644
--- a/app/(lobby)/components/hero.tsx
+++ b/app/(lobby)/components/hero.tsx
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export function Hero() {
       </div>
 
       <Image
+        priority
         src="/illustrations/home-office.svg"
         alt="Home Office"
         width={500}
diff --git a/app/dashboard/page.tsx b/app/dashboard/page.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1ca088
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/dashboard/page.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+export default function DashBoardPage() {
+  return (
+    <div className="flex min-h-screen items-center justify-center">
+      <h1 className="mt-4 text-center font-heading text-4xl font-bold [text-shadow:_0_4px_0_#e1e1e1] dark:bg-gradient-to-br dark:from-foreground dark:to-gray-500 dark:bg-clip-text dark:text-transparent dark:[text-shadow:none] md:text-7xl">
+        Dashboard Page
+      </h1>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/lib/validations.ts b/lib/validations.ts
index d3cba9d..30bf256 100644
--- a/lib/validations.ts
+++ b/lib/validations.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ export const authSchema = z
       .string()
       .min(1, "Username is Required")
       .regex(/^(?=.{8,15}$)/, "Username must be 8-15 characters long.")
-      .regex(/^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$/, "Username must be alphanumeric."),
+      .regex(/^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$/, "Username must be alphanumeric.")
+      // TODO: conditionally add optional if email is present
+      .optional(),
     email: z
       .string()
       .min(1, "Email is Required")
-      .email("Please enter a valid email"),
+      .email("Please enter a valid email")
+      // TODO: conditionally add optional if username is present
+      .optional(),
     password: z
       .string()
       .min(1, "Password is Required")
@@ -29,9 +33,13 @@ export const authSchema = z
         "Password must contain at least one special character."
       )
       .min(8, "Password must be at least 8 characters long."),
-    confirmPassword: z.string(),
+    confirmPassword: z.string().optional(),
   })
-  .refine((data) => data.password === data.confirmPassword, {
-    message: "Passwords do not match",
-    path: ["confirmPassword"],
-  });
+  .refine(
+    ({ password, confirmPassword }) =>
+      !confirmPassword || password === confirmPassword,
+    {
+      message: "Passwords do not match.",
+      path: ["confirmPassword"],
+    }
+  );
diff --git a/middleware.ts b/middleware.ts
index 34468db..b6b0678 100644
--- a/middleware.ts
+++ b/middleware.ts
@@ -18,20 +18,7 @@ export default withAuth(
      * Rate limiting middleware
      * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-    if (
-      env.ENABLE_RATE_LIMITING &&
-      env.NODE_ENV === "production" &&
-      /*
-       * Match all request paths except for the ones starting with:
-       * - api (API routes)
-       * - _next/static (static files)
-       * - _next/image (image optimization files)
-       * - favicon.ico (favicon file)
-       */
-      !req.nextUrl.pathname.match(
-        /^\/(api|_next\/static|_next\/image|favicon\.ico)/
-      )
-    ) {
+    if (env.ENABLE_RATE_LIMITING && env.NODE_ENV === "production") {
       const id = req.ip ?? "anonymous";
       const { limit, pending, remaining, reset, success } =
         await ratelimit.limit(id);
@@ -69,8 +56,9 @@ export default withAuth(
     const isAuthPage = (
       ["/login", "/signup", "/reset-password"] as Route[]
     ).some((route) => req.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith(route));
+    const isHomePage = req.nextUrl.pathname === "/";
 
-    if (isAuthPage) {
+    if (isAuthPage || isHomePage) {
       if (isAuth) {
         return NextResponse.redirect(new URL("/dashboard", req.url));
       }
@@ -102,5 +90,19 @@ export default withAuth(
 );
 
 export const config = {
-  matcher: ["/login", "/signup", "/reset-password", "/dashboard/:path*"],
+  matcher: [
+    /*
+     * Match all request paths except for the ones starting with:
+     * - api (API routes)
+     * - _next/static (static files)
+     * - _next/image (image optimization files)
+     * - favicon.ico (favicon file)
+     */
+    "/((?!api|_next/static|_next/image|favicon.ico).*)",
+
+    "/login",
+    "/signup",
+    "/reset-password",
+    "/dashboard/:path*",
+  ],
 };