Introverts joke that they’ve prepared for COVID-19 their entire lives. I’m making similar jokes, but not because of my personality.
I mostly worked remotely before it was required by many of our universities. I’ve done all of my advising work and College Media Association volunteering remotely since last summer. I started teaching an in-person class two days a week this semester, but moving it online doesn’t seem like a real problem, given the circumstances.
I love working remotely. There’s so much negative news and uncertainty out there right now that I wanted to share with you what I love about remote work. Maybe you’ll identify with these points and find a silver lining in your situation.
1. No commute
It used to take me at least an hour to drive to the office. I was usually frustrated by traffic by the time I arrived. Now I just walk into my home office and I’m at work.
There’s no long drive home with equal frustrations either. My day ends and I walk into the kitchen to start dinner.
2. Little prep
Probably my favorite thing about remote work is that my daily prep routine isn’t necessary. I used to spend a least an hour getting ready for the day. This included putting on a full face of make-up and sometimes having a wardrobe crisis. I got SO tired of the routine. Now I take a shower, brush my teeth, apply minimal make-up (only if I’m going to be on a video call) and dress in comfy clothes.
Combine prep and drive time and it used to take me at least two hours between waking up and starting work. Now I’m ready to work in about 30 minutes.
3. Doggie love
We have four dogs. I get to spend all day with them now. They’re not productive coworkers, but they’re still my favorite people to work with.
4. Scheduling days
I have much more control of what my days entail. I’m able to plan perfect daily or weekly schedules, then live them for the most part.
5. Lunch flexibility
I have lunch when I get hungry and in my own kitchen. I still need to have something available to eat, but I don’t have to make everything in advance like I did when I worked outside of the home. I also rarely eat at my desk now. Instead, I usually sit on a stool at our kitchen island and read or listen to a podcast while I have lunch.
6. Chore productivity
I love being able to do laundry or other chores while I’m home working. I can take a break from sitting at the computer to change a load of laundry, load the dishwasher or empty the Roomba.
7. Nap freely
I’ve always loved to nap. Being a remote worker upped my nap game. No one knows or cares if you take a nap every day, as long as you get your work done.
8. Wrap up
My day ends when I decide it ends. When that time comes, I leave my home office and close the door behind me. My office is where I work, my home is where I live, unless I decide otherwise. I’m writing this post from my laptop while sitting in a chair in the family room. My choice.
I know that many of our situations are less than ideal right now, but working from home doesn’t have to be terrible. It’s actually quite the opposite. I’ve been working mostly from home since summer, and I love it. Once you get used to all of the change, you may find that you enjoy it too.
