Hey, you! Are you still struggling to stay productive while working from home?
The World is a weird place right now.
Earlier this year when Covid-19 hit, shutting down our schools, private businesses, public areas, and really anything that wasn’t deemed an essential service, most of us couldn’t wrap our heads around how long this might actually last. And while many countries are slowly trying to reopen their economies, places in the United States have seen a sharp upturn in new cases, and their death toll is rising.
Regardless of your area’s current situation, I think many of us can agree – the whole “quarantine working from home” thing has been kind of nice, and it’s become clear to many people and many organizations that people can work from home and still maintain the same level of productivity they had before.
In much of Canada most areas have entered the last stages of reopening, which means that as long as social distancing measures are in effect, the majority of businesses can be open and operating.
So what now?
Does that mean we all need to go back into the office?
Well, yes and no. But can thins really go back to the way they were?
Here’s the thing guys, a lot of us have been doing our jobs comfortably from our living rooms, kitchen tables, and home offices for the past five months, and the fact of the matter is we are all very aware that we can do our jobs without having to change out of our stretchy pants and commute in to the office.
Working from Home – The Benefits and Drawbacks
I am a huge proponent of the work from home life now that I’ve had a taste of it. I suddenly have much more time in my day now that I’m not wasting my time putting on makeup, figuring out what the heck I’m going to wear, scrambling to get my lunch organized, packing my gym bag, and then jumping in the car for the half hour long commute to the office.
In the mornings I can sleep in a little bit longer, spend a little extra time with my husband, and then mosey on over to my home office at 9 am with a coffee in my hand, sporting a comfortable pair of leggings and a messy but stylish top knot.
This is an arrangement I can get used to, but there are some drawbacks.
Problems with Working from Home
1. Mental health struggles
Humans are social creatures, and while I can appreciate the amount of time I can now dedicate to bingeing my fave new show, I am beginning to feel like I need people around me.
There are no breaks in the kitchen to chat with your BFFs, no face to face interactions with your colleagues to ask how their projects are going or what they did on the weekend, and there are certainly no office socials.
I’m sure many people are feeling the same way, and the constant feeling of isolation can be a heavy burden on our mental health, especially for those who live alone.
2. There is a bit of an uneven playing field
While I’ve been seriously embracing working in my sweatpants, parents might not be having as good of a time as I am, especially those with school aged children.
It certainly doesn’t look like it would be fun to try to work a 40 hour workweek at home while also trying to stop your toddler from eating the tasty looking tide pods you keep in the laundry room.
Also, while us Millennials might be comfortable with using the many technologies that are now a necessity in communicating with our colleagues, some of the older generations might be having a hard time understanding how to mute their mics in conference calls.
3. Ergonomics can be a nightmare
Within a couple of weeks of working from my kitchen table I was starting to get some serious aches and pains that I knew I could only attribute to poor posture and an uncomfortable working environment.
Working off of the chair in your kitchen or from your couch isn’t doing your body any favours and isn’t realistic in the long term.
4. You might not be exercising as much
With the gyms only just reopening, and the typical commute to the office no longer necessary, people might be finding they are moving A LOT less than before. Even if you’re not a regular exerciser, you may not realize how often you get up to chat with a co-worker, how far your walk is through the parking lot or to the train, and how far the bathroom is from your workspace.
To top it off, we’re in general staying home more, which means a lot more Netflix and chill and a lot less get off your ass and do something.
5. The struggle to separate your work and home life is real
If you have a separate workspace that is away from the rest of your house, family, roommate, or whatever your situation, then this might not be a problem for you, but switching off can become increasingly difficult now that your work life and home life are dating.
6. It impacts organizational trust for problem employees
We all know that one guy (or gal) – management doesn’t seem to be happy with him, he’s not turning over good work, he’s clearly not a good fit for the company culture, and yet somehow, he still has a job.
I’m as puzzled as you are, but for one reason or another, that guy is still around, and that’s about to be a problem for your management team.
Most companies that care about employee welfare want you to be happy and they want to provide benefits and perks (like working from home) that will keep their employees satisfied and their turnover rates low.
But what about the people that aren’t quite cutting it? The ones that need to be managed a little more closely or the ones that can’t really seem to do their jobs without a direct supervisor micro managing their tasks?
This will be a challenge for most companies.
The Benefits of Working from Home
Despite all these problems with the working from home setup, there are significant pros for both employees and employers that can, in the long term, outweigh the cons significantly.
1. You save a lot of time
There is a certain expectation of what you should look like when you’re rolling up to the office – you’re not going to show up in a wrinkled shirt or without brushing your teeth. So like me, I’m sure many of you spend a significant time on your appearance – that’s all unnecessary when you’re working from home because no one cares how solid your liquid eyeliner game is or what your outfit looks like.
You also have all that extra time that was previously dedicated to your commute. My drive is about a half hour, but I have some colleagues that commute up to two hours one way to get to the office.
My morning are suddenly much more relaxed, I have less anxiety about getting up on time or beating traffic because none of that matters now.
2. It helps with work/life balance
Now that you have all this extra time, you’ll have more time for you and more time for your family.
Suddenly that stressful upcoming deadline may not seem so stressful, and while it sometimes may be difficult to switch off at the end of the day, you are now much closer to your home life and the weeks may not seem as long and Mondays may not seem to come as quickly.
3. You can save a lot of money
You suddenly don’t need all that fancy office attire, you aren’t buying lunches anymore, and there’s no more happy hour after work. While you may miss some of these things, your bank account certainly does not.
4. It encourages healthy eating
Does anyone else feel like their whole Sunday is dedicated to meal prep?
Planning your meals, doing groceries, making lunches, and prepping food for the week – before quarantine I would start early Sunday morning and suddenly the entire day would be over. If I happened to skip meal prep day, my weeknights would consist of takeout and frozen pizza.
I now have tons of time to plan healthy meals because I’m literally at home and can make them everyday.
5. There are mental health benefits
If employees are working from home, that means they are in their own space and they finally have their work/life balance under control and are spending more time with their family.
Things are less stressful which means that in general, the impacts of mental health issues – like anxiety, depression and other mood disorders – might actually lessen.
I know if I wake up feeling crippled by anxiety, the impact is much less if I know I don’t have to be in the office and make small talk at the coffee machine while having secret panic attacks on the inside and I’m much less likely to take a sick day.
6. It provides flexibility in working hours
As someone who’s core team is in a different time zone, I know first hand what its like to suddenly get an email at 5 pm asking me to do something “by end of day”. It is my end of day Karen, but ok.
Now those late nights don’t seem like such a big deal.
Your employer also might be able to accommodate a little extra flexibility if there isn’t a need to be physically in the office.
Not a morning person? Maybe you can work out an 11 to 7 schedule, or perhaps you’re insane and like to start before the sun comes up.
7. Say goodbye to useless meetings
Remember when we would all convene into a boardroom and talk about all the things that could be said in a short, but comprehensive email? Yah, me neither. Let’s not go back to that.
8. Employers can cut down on office space
Employers are already starting to understand this – they are smart, and they’ve done the math. Less employees in the office mean less cubicles and offices, which means they need less space. Less space means less spend on leases and rental spaces. I think you catch where I’m going with this.
What to Expect Over the Next Few Months
So what does the future look like?
Once it’s safe to reconvene in an office space without the possibility of killing someone by coughing on them, it’s very likely that we will not all be returning to the office full time.
Employers are already looking at the costs and benefits of work from home flexibility, and many big companies like Twitter and Square have already announced that they will be moving their employees to a permanent work from home setup, and several other tech companies (like Amazon and Facebook) have announced that return to work plans will only begin in 2021.
That’s all fine and dandy, but what about the rest of us?
This is obviously going to vary by company, but there are a few things you can probably expect:
1. Don’t expect a permanent work from home option
Some companies may go this route, but other companies place a huge important on corporate culture, and part of that culture is how their employees interact with each other and the management team. Employers are likely going to want to see their worker bees in the hive from time to time.
2. It’s more likely you will be provided flexibility and hybrid work weeks
You may start seeing “rotating workstations” and “shared workspaces” come up a lot. Sharing work spaces with colleagues and working in the office part time may be the future. You’ll be given work from home options, that include time in the office and time working from home. This way your management team can keep tabs on you and preserve the company’s culture, while still providing you with the flexibility you need.
3. Expect to be micromanaged
Remember that guy we talked about who might be cutting it as a model employee? Companies don’t want to be paying him to dick around on his Xbox during working hours. Management is going to want to know what you’re doing when you’re at home – they’ll be assessing your productivity and may look a little closer at your work.
Even companies that provide a high level of autonomy to their workers (like the one I work for) are going to be asking questions about how you’re spending your time.
Let this happen – it won’t hurt you if you’re doing your job.
4. Expect to Have the Conversation with Decision Makers at Your Company
If you think a working from home needs to be an option for you, have that discussion with your boss early. Outline all the key points we’ve touched on in this article, and make sure you reiterate that you understand the pros and the cons an at home workspace can bring to your life.
5. Read our Working from Home Productivity Guide
How should you set up your workspace? What should you eat for lunch? How do you deal with family members?
These are all important things things to consider when working from home. Click the link below to find out more.
Leave a Comment
So how are you coping with working from home? Leave a comment below and tell me what your day looks like. What kind of options will your company be giving you once it’s safe to return to work?
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