Summary

The article "3 Hard Truths About Working From Home" challenges the idyllic perception of remote work by emphasizing that it requires structure, discipline, and a genuine enjoyment of one's job to be successful.

Abstract

The piece reflects on the reality of working from home, highlighting three key insights often overlooked in the romanticized portrayal on social media. Firstly, the author points out that regardless of location, work remains inherently challenging and cannot be made significantly more enjoyable simply by being at home. Secondly, the convenience of rolling from bed to work is cautioned against, as it can lead to unprofessionalism and decreased productivity. Lastly, the author stresses that having a structured routine is crucial for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and ensuring that work commitments do not encroach upon personal time. The article concludes by acknowledging the benefits of remote work, such as flexibility and productivity, while also underscoring the necessity for self-discipline and a morning routine to truly make the most of this work style.

Opinions

Working from home does not inherently solve job dissatisfaction; enjoyment of daily tasks and connection to project goals are key.
The perception that remote work allows for a more relaxed approach to professional responsibilities is a misconception; proper preparation and transition into work mode are essential.
The absence of traditional workplace structures at home necessitates even stricter self

WORKING FROM HOME REALITIES

3 Hard Truths About Working From Home

The reality behind what you see on Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter.

This past year, I experienced the coveted “work from home” life. Sure, it came with some pretty sweet perks. But it wasn’t all the glory I expected it to be.

Somehow, I imagined that tackling my to-do’s in the comfort of my home would make everything seismically better.

We’ve all heard about the infamous saying, “business on the top, comfy on the bottom”. And perhaps we’re green-eyed with envy looking at the Instagram posts of everyone’s at-home work stations. Or maybe, we have friends who won’t stop bragging about their no-commute job.

Here are some of the not-so-fun-things I’ve learned so far:

1. Work is work is work is work.

During the years where I worked in an office or at a cubicle, I would dream about the “work from home” life my friends were living. I imagined the freedom of mid-day grocery runs and hitting the gym during off-peak hours. But I guess I didn’t spend enough time ironing out the details of how this went down because I clearly didn’t factor in the work aspect of working.

Somehow, I thought that being at home would dissolve all my frustrations and problems I frequently found at work. But the truth is, work is work is work is work, and there’s no way out of that.

It doesn’t matter how you frilly up the environment where the work happens — it doesn’t change the task. If you don’t like what you’re doing and you’re not invested in the process, being at home isn’t going to help that. And while the pyjama pants you are wearing may be comfortable, they aren’t going to help you analyze that excel sheet.

Instead, think deeply about whether you enjoy the day-to-day. Ask yourself if you feel connected to the overarching project goals and whether it is something you want to contribute to. If you can honestly say that you like your job and its’ requirements, being at home will likely be a bonus. Otherwise, you’ll probably soon find yourself grumbling over the same frustrations.

Side note: I imagine that this is the same for the large tech companies that butter up their employees up with extravagant snack rooms, catered meals, in-office gyms, and exciting ping-pong tables. But, I haven’t gotten there yet.

2. Roll, out of bed and into work.

Sure, this is quite literally possible. And yes, I have done it many a time.

For example, one morning I woke up in a panicked frenzy, fumbled for my phone, and realized that my e-meeting was about to start in 2 minutes. Yes, it made for a funny Friday night dinner story with my friends. But in the moment, I was worried about who noticed my slip up and I could barely pay attention to what was being said during the meeting — and that was not funny at all.

In the long run, it’s not a good strategy and I don’t recommend it. Your body needs time to transition from sleep to wake. Just like a car that’s been on the driveway all night, you need time to warm up before you step on the gas.

In fact, some of my most productive days have started with me brushing my teeth, changing out of my pyjamas and (into another set of comfy clothes), making my bed, and sitting down (away from my work) to have a proper breakfast. By taking the time to get ready for the day, you give your body the time and signals it needs to kick into high gear when you do sit down to work.

3. Structure is MORE important.

Just like how work is work is work is work, I don’t know why this wasn’t intuitive for me. Maybe all the rumours about kicking it back on the sofa all day somehow made me think that working from home was a free for all.

We know that structure is a large part of the productive working life. Whether it’s strict hours, pressing deadlines, or scheduled meetings — structure is needed for success in the workplace. But I’ll go so far as to argue that is even more important to have structure when you’re working from home. And it’s precisely because there’s a tendency to think that it’s a free for all.

Workplace rules don’t exist in your home. And there’s no one to officiate a clock in and clock out. If you want to avoid being up at midnight scrambling to finish a deliverable due at 8 am the next morning, you need to set some boundaries for yourself. When parts of your job start to seep into your personal life and eat up your free time, it really taints the whole “work from home” vibe.

Figure out what rules you need to make sure you get the work done. Maybe it’s writing to-do lists the night before, or setting up a designated work station. Perhaps, you like to set timers, or plan for mid-day rewards. One way or another, you have to muster up some extra discipline if you want to reap the benefits from this lifestyle.

Final thoughts

Working from home is becoming more and more popular. And there are good reasons for this. There are lots of constraints to traditional work environments and we now have the technology to overcome some of them. The flexibility and freedom can be incredibly liberating. And if used wisely, this lifestyle can enhance productivity.

But it’s important to remember that there are always two sides to a coin. Working from home won’t help you, if you don’t like your job. There aren’t enough rewards or benefits in the world to do that. While you cut the “get to work” time to almost nothing by starting the moment you get up, you’re better sticking to a somewhat normal morning routine. Lastly, you’ll need do some self-management and auto-regulation if you want to make your work from home lifestyle actually work.