Working from home is not the one for all of us
Never really liked it. Sure, I enjoy the isolation1, and whilst I’m not the most sociable of people even at the best of times, there’s something about actually being able to go and talk to someone when you feel the need. Either for a quick natter and a vape, or because it’s nicer to get answers to queries from someone face to face. On the latter, I’m sure I occasionally drive people mad because I should be booking a call or something.
At the time of writing we’re witness to a global pandemic, the likes of which people of my age will have never had the misfortune to witness before now. This means a larger number of the population than ever before are working from home.
I work in a world where working from home is normal for a lot of people. Developers often work better when they work away from the noise and distraction of the office environment. Some businesses in the tech space work remotely almost exclusively.
With the current pandemic in full effect, pretty much everyone in the country, and large parts of the rest of the world, are in lock-down, forcing many people like me to work from home when they’ve rarely had the need nor the desire to do so in the past.
For some, working from home is the dream, but it comes with a number of problems in being effective at what you do, and striking a sensible balance between work and what goes on at home:
Problems with technology may not get resolved as quickly as they would in the office, and can make it difficult to work remotely.
I find it far more efficient to actually go and talk to someone if I can. I feel I get the answers I need more quickly and effectively, and I like to see people’s reactions and responses when I’m talking to them, rather than just hearing them. So I’d much rather go and bother someone for a couple of minutes and have some actual human interaction than have to get the answers I need via an email conversation, over Slack, or have to set up a meeting.
It’s easy to get distracted when you’re working from home, and you may not be as productive as you’d be in a traditional work setting.
So true, especially when the weather is favourable and you’d rather be out in the sunshine, or there are other people at home and you don’t have a dedicated office space. In that case it’s difficult to expect others to understand that you’re actually working. I’m lucky in that regard, and my partner, who is furloughed at the moment, completely gets it and has made herself scarce so I can crack on.
And the distractions get even worse if you’re not good at following a strict schedule.
This was probably the biggest problem I’ve had in the past with working from home, but on previous occasions I’ve been working for myself, with self-imposed deadlines, which for someone not used to working from home is a recipe for disaster. As someone employed, not only do I have responsibilities to clients, but I have to be there for other people. That helps a lot, and makes days pass much more quickly.
With no coworkers in your living room, socializing <sic> with your peers can be a challenge and make remote work pretty lonely.
Loneliness is not and will never be a problem for me. Somewhat ironically I enjoy the isolation most of the time. I’m quite happy to be on my own for extended periods of time. However, it does rather depend on how busy one is. With spare time comes the opportunity for distraction, which can so easily lead to procrastination, unless you’re one of those people who can quickly get their head back in the game as soon as you realise you’re time wasting.
And it may be hard to find a healthy work-life balance.
It’s been five or six weeks since I’ve started working full-time from home and I think I’m getting the hang of it. I timebox everything. I’m a project manager after all, so notwithstanding everything above, it comes naturally. It’s how, when people I’m working with are struggling to understand the size of a challenge, I suggest they approach the problem they’re facing. Timebox it to a couple of hours, then walk away. Chances are, if a solution isn’t found in that initial two hours, stepping away will help finding the clarity needed to find one. Think about how many times you’ve struggled to remember the name of a famous musician, yet shortly after you stop thinking about it, the answer magically reveals itself.
Timeboxing also helps massively with focus and task-switching - and we all know multitasking is a myth - because it allows you to break down the big tasks into smaller more manageable pieces.
Take frequent breaks. I can’t stress this one enough. Work hard for a couple of hours, take a break. Take a proper lunch break and walk away from the computer. Do some reading, catch up on the news, even watch some rubbish on Netflix, or just wander around the garden if you’re lucky enough to have one. Those breaks give your brain time to process what you’ve done and what you’re going to do next. It massively helps your short-term memory.
I don’t think I’ve nailed working from home yet. I don’t have a dedicated office space at the moment, and I’m sure that will help significantly, and i still occasionally find myself getting distracted, but I’m getting there. I’d like to be of a mindset when I’m comfortable working from home, if not permanently, on a regular basis for a couple of days a week. Sometimes, having your hand forced can actually help.
-
It would be isolation if not for the fact that we’re in the midst of a Coronavirus pandemic and most people are not working. ↩