Most people would agree that the ability to work from home is, overall, a true luxury. Who doesn’t want to roll out of bed at a reasonable hour? Or work in their pajamas? Or skip the whole god-awful traffic and morning commute thing? Exactly.
Due to a small mishap, I recently found myself working from home for the first time ever. (Hobbling around the city on crutches didn’t exactly seem ideal.) While I can attest that working from home saved me a lot of time and stress, there were certain aspects of the office environment that I genuinely missed.
Is working from home peak comfy?
If you’ve ever been curious about what it’s like to work from home, or if you’ve contemplated doing so yourself, I’m here to give you the low down.
So, is it a blessing?
The good news is that in this day and age, most communication is done via text, chat, or video, making it easier than ever to work remotely. Just check out this year’s statistics surrounding average cell phone usage (spoiler alert: we spend more than three hours per day staring at those things).
Google Chat, Slack, Skype, social media… the list is endless.
Nothin’ like hitting send on an email from your own bed.
Even from home, you’re able to get in touch with your supervisor, coworkers, or clients. You can still participate in that conference call. You can still complete your daily tasks right from your laptop.
Working from home can also save you a terrific amount of time. You can sleep in if you choose, you don’t have to sit in traffic, and you don’t have to rush to catch the train or bus. Thanks to a good night’s sleep and all that extra time in the morning, you’ll be able to send out a few extra emails or get that report done early.
Or, is it a curse?
While working from home does give you an incredible sense of freedom, there are a few challenges to keep in mind.
You’ll have to refrain from binge-watching Netflix, stop yourself from answering personal texts or phone calls, and keep yourself from scrolling through your Instagram feed. It’s no surprise that these distractions can take a toll on your productivity and concentration levels. However, with no one there to tell you otherwise or keep you on track, resisting can be more challenging than you’d expect. It takes a certain level of self-discipline to work from home.
(Spongebob narrator voice): Five…hours…later…
And while it might sound nice to have some alone time (remember, there won’t be anyone looking over your shoulder to keep you from getting distracted), working from home can get pretty lonely. Of course, we can turn to FaceTime or Skype, but as humans, there’s nothing we crave more than social connection, including face-to-face conversations.
Although technology and social media make it possible to work from home, there’s also the chance you’ll run into technological errors. You have to be tech-savvy and quick on your feet, especially if virtual client meetings are at stake.
The consensus? Working from home is neither good nor bad and can be necessary from time to time. They key is how you choose to handle the distractions or mishaps thrown your way.
