From late 2019 and early 2020, the way the world has been functioning before changed totally. The world had to shuffle between near to complete lockdown and full-time lockdown. People are isolating themselves in their homes unless an emergency arises.
This pandemic has affected the world’s economy as well as ruined people’s job prospects. Everyone, asymptomatic or not, has to quarantine themselves for their safety and the safety of others. It has changed the mode of work for employers and employees. You, like others, are compelled to work from home at any cost.
Since you all are aware that all companies have switched to work from home, we will not discuss it in-depth. If not this, then what will we discuss? We will talk about whether working from home is a boon or a bane.
Will the work-from-home situation suit all of you?
Ever since the pandemic began, ‘I am at work’ is interpreted as sitting on your desk at home and fiddling with your laptop. Some people have loved the chance of not having to commute daily. Some people have struggled to find the motivation to get out of their pajamas and start the pending work.
Hence, on one hand, working from home has been hunky-dory while on the other hand, working from home hasn’t been pleasant at all.
How to find out if work from home is a perfect fit for you?
- Remote work will work for you if you face difficulty concentrating on the work in the constant presence of people around you. The work pattern or the work scenario in offices varies a lot from the remote work pattern.
How?
Your colleagues might approach you that will lead to a small chit-chat. Your boss will always be around you, keeping an eye on you all the time. While when you work from home, you are the boss. It, in most cases, leads to an increment in productivity.
- Do you prefer socializing and interacting with colleagues while doing the work? If yes, then work from home situation isn’t meant for you.
Why?
People, in some cases, thrive in work when they are interdependent for support, help, and motivation. These three things aren’t accessible to employees during the work-from-home case. Being deprived of this support, you can feel lonely a lot. Your mental health might get affected negatively. It will, eventually, lead to procrastination.
- Have you been cutting down on your hobbies and self-care because of the long to-and-fro commute (from office to home and vice versa)? Do you feel sad about it?
If yes, then work from home is a boon for you. How so?
You will save the commute time. Hence, you will have the energy to utilize the same time for working on your hobbies. It will keep you happy all the time. Also, a feeling of contentment will develop that will urge you to do the office work more seriously.
- In case you don’t have an organized workspace with a proper Wi-Fi plan and other accessories, work from home is a bane for you.
Why?
In offices, you don’t have to invest in getting a desk, a chair, a data plan, a printer, and so much more. You just do your work and not worry about the extra cost.
- Another aspect when working from home is considered to be a bane for people is when team meetings, team discussions, and team bondings take place.
How?
It is, indeed, tough to collaborate and communicate with your team members while each of you is stationed in your workspace at your respective homes.
What is one of the most common banes of working from home?
The answer is stress and burnout. How does that happen?
Once you get the hang of being productive, you tend to overwork yourself. Now, working hard is commendable, but it too has to be done in moderation. Why? This is because consistent work is more valuable than one day of too much work.
At times, people forget to unwind after a long day of work. They supplement a long day of hard work with a long night of more hard work which eventually leads to stress and fatigue. You must remember to disassociate your personal life from your work life. Work from home blurs that line of separation easily.
What are some of the possible actions that you need to take when work from home begins to act as a bane in your life?
1. Work from home makes your schedule flexible. It can be detrimental when you don’t have a daily routine to stick to regularly. We suggest you stop taking frequent breaks to have a quick power nap. Instead, we suggest you follow a reasonable sleep schedule, that is, sleep on a fixed time. If you don’t follow this tip, you might feel that work from home is anything but a boon.
2. Another hindrance that comes because of work from home is negative effects on organized productivity. You are advised to take as many breaks as you genuinely need or require. Don’t keep the workload piling up till it is hours away from the given deadline. Hence, your motto has to be – no extra breaks just because I feel like taking it.
3. Working from home makes your body stiff. You might face shoulder pain, backache, stiffness in your neck, etc. So, we request you do take out some time to practice yoga, stretching exercise, keep a few indoor gym equipment. Also, meditate as well to maintain your focus on work and keep your calm.
4. Lastly, one important tip for you, if you want to rule out working from home as a bane in your life, is to eat healthily. Include loads of vegetables, fruits, and low-fat content food items in your diet. Eat healthy to stay healthy as you do the grinding from your home.
Our ending message –
Before this epidemic, work from home was a decision that was selective, not compulsory. People used to find ways to do their work from the comfort of their home workspace. Now, the time has come when people like you are amping up their work from life with the necessary technologies.
However, it is still far away from being a universally accepted norm. Working from home might be a boon for you in the disguise of the deadly virus. But, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a boon for your colleagues or friends.
We hope you have understood the intricacies of working from home by reading this article.