There is so much written on the internet about the things people don’t miss when they decide to work remotely. The office, having to wear a suit or smart dress, politics and so on. But believe it or not, working in an office delivers a few benefits too. The good news is, once you know what you are missing, you can find ways to enjoy those same or at least similar benefits while working remotely.
Technology perks
This is certainly a big one for me. Lightning speed internet, landline phones, printers, scanners. I miss all the office infrastructure. Remember when working remotely free printer paper is not free when you stop working in an office!
Watercooler Syndrome
In all honesty, I have only worked in one office that owned a watercooler. A watercooler is a place to vent or to hear a quick joke. Without your very own ‘watercooler’ to congregate around, you may feel a little lonely. When working remotely I keep connected with my colleagues through instant messaging in the form of Microsoft Teams and Whatsapp. Admittedly, it’s not entirely the same as I often feel guilty trying to start a conversation but it’s always nice to have a quick catch-up if they have the time. Plus I think when working remotely I have far too many conversations with my house rabbit, (no matter how productive she seems at the time).
Effects of Time When Working Remotely
Since working remotely I have found time can easily define your entire day. When you’re sitting alone at home, there’s no difference between what happens at 9 AM and 5 PM. However, walk into an empty office at 8 AM and you will feel like a productivity hero. At 5 PM, you will feel the office wind down, people will start packing up, letting your brain know the workday is ending. This feeling can be difficult to replicate when working at home without introducing a proper working daily schedule.
Shutting Down For The Day
For me, there is more of a mental and emotional break from work when I could shut down my computer, close the office door and drive out of the car park. Since working remotely, my office is my home. One thing I plan to do to compensate is to set up an official “quitting time.” I will shut down my office at the correct time and disconnect from work. This could be by making my dinner or catching up with my television favourite series.
Would I trade the remote life to go back to the office grind? Probably not. However, I am extremely fortunate to be able to work from home unlike a large number of workers right now. When we consider how we approach our work at home arrangements, we can enjoy the perks of being at home without losing out on all the things we miss about the office just by making some subtle adjustments. It will never be identical to working in the office, but we can always try and add those attributes in different ways.
Working from home or remotely means that it’s imperative to have self-discipline and the ability to manage your work. My experiences will also be shared on my Twitter account – I’d love to hear from you if you are also working remotely.
Gemma Wilson
Marketing & Communications