Why Working From Home Kind of Sucks

For many people I speak to, working from home is the ultimate dream. “You never leave your house and it’s so easy!” The reality is that working from home can actually be extremely challenging. Work is not always easy or fun, even when you are sitting in your pajamas with your dogs by your feet. On top of that, working from home disconnects you from the social support and energy of an office, as well as some of the luxuries like a stocked break room, printer, tech support, and in-person communication. 

I am going to give everyone a few disclaimers going into this article. The first is that I am an extrovert and gain motivation from the typical social office environment. Not all people feel the same way, and I understand that some offices are so toxic that working from a parking lot would be more enjoyable. The second is that I transitioned into working remotely from an award-winning office culture. It was more of a shock than most people might experience. 

The first two weeks I worked remote, I had that new job anxiety everyone experiences to a whole new level. I asked myself, “Am I doing this right?” and “Is my boss happy with my performance?” Those were hard questions to answer when I was not physically in the same office as my boss and getting reassurance that I was doing well with my onboarding. 

I felt isolated from the world and it started to impact me during work and non-working hours. Both my boss and my husband would tell me to go work from a coffee shop or office. The thought of putting on real clothes and walking into public seemed so daunting and overwhelming; I genuinely didn’t recognize myself anymore.

Some quick Google searches seemed to confirm my greatest fear: my personality type was not meant for a remote working situation. I was doomed to fail. That research also led me to several resources for remote workers, and I felt like if I put more focus into the source of my emotions then I would be able to make this work.

Problem One: Feeling disconnected from my team and unsure of my performance.

I had a very open conversation with my boss about how I was feeling, and we decided to adjust our communication patterns as well as my work. Every morning, I would have a 30-minute meeting with my boss where we went over what projects were top priority and worked through client details together. While this might sound like micro-managing, it really was just allowing for a scheduled but informal space for us to go over what was going on. This is similar to the way you might have a quick 1:1 with coffee in the morning and run through what is happening on accounts in an office. We would also get off topic and just chat about a funny story from the night before, or talk about something my dogs had done that morning. It was a great way to build our relationship and trust that coworkers need to work together effectively. After a month of these morning conversations as part of my onboarding, I had a good understanding of my role and expectations from my boss. We also had a foundation for our relationship and I felt comfortable being open and honest with him.

Problem Two: Feeling alone and trapped in my apartment.

 Getting back to a routine and forcing myself to leave the apartment took a little more work on my part. To do this, I essentially pretended I had to go to an office job again. Setting my alarm, taking early morning workout classes, taking the extra 30 minutes to do my hair and put mascara on (even though only my dogs would see it)... these things all took intention daily. 

I also scheduled more social outings that forced me to leave, including coffee shop working meetings with friends who also had remote flexibility, weeknight dates with friends or my husband, or simply blocking off time on my calendar to leave my desk and walk my dogs while listening to a podcast. I began to feel alive again as I pulled positive energy from outside my apartment back into it. When I signed off at night I felt relaxed in my space instead of that trapped feeling I had before.

Four months into my new job, I feel like I have a solid routine and work-life balance that I wasn’t sure was possible for an extrovert that works from home. Things I am extra grateful for include not needing to pay for pet care when my husband travels for work, having my kitchen available for healthy meals and snacks (instead of unhealthy office treats), doing laundry during the week vs weekends, and the flexibility to work anywhere. 

I got my car fixed the other day and worked from their quiet waiting area with desks and strong wifi for three hours - at my old jobs that would have been a half a day of PTO. When family is sick, I can travel to be there and still be connected to my job without missing a beat. Slack is also a lifesaver because it has helped create a remote culture where I can still chat with my co-workers about the Game of Thrones Finale on Monday mornings. 

My number one takeaway would be that work is still work, wherever you are. You need to like and want to do your job even more when taking on a remote position, because you alone are responsible for your own productivity and schedule. It can be the best thing ever if you take the time to make it work for you. My boss and I worked through a list of pros, cons, and solutions together. I hope this helps whoever is reading this find a perfect balance within a job they love.

Common Pros of Working From Home

• Flexibility to work whenever/wherever
• Be more productive and hit yoga at lunch or start a load of laundry before your client call
• No distractions from the office such as crazy co-workers
• Live anywhere you want
• No time wasted sitting on a long commute
• Time with pets!

Common Cons of Working from Home

• Never stop working / unhealthy work-life balance
• The millions of distractions at home!
• Lack of communication with the people at work that motivated you
• Feeling lonely / Out of touch 
• Never moving your body or leaving your house
• Lack of office services (coffee, snacks, etc)

The Best Tips for Working from Home

• Take time to exercise and/or take walking breaks
• Start your day early at a scheduled time
• Get dressed in normal clothes - not pajamas
• Utilize co-working spaces / coffee shops
• Be super organized and set reasonable deadlines
• Schedule everything, even your breaks or personal errands
• Create more communication with your remote team to build that team mindset and motivation
• Make regular evening plans to force you to sign off and go be social (extra important for extroverts)
• Have multiple working spaces within your house
• Consider a standing space, office with a desk, outdoor/patio space, etc

While working from home became the norm during the pandemic, more and more professionals are opting into remote careers - even as the world opens up. If you’re interested in a career with a top online agency like Jordan Digital Marketing, learn more about our Careers!