Three Enemies of Working from Home
"Working from home is a double-edged sword: freedom and discipline." – Unknown
A few days ago, I was searching for a YouTube video that could augment the curriculum for the week. I ran into a Ted Talk about working from home which I had seen before but failed to properly categorize on my video list.
When it comes to working from home, there is plenty of controversy regarding productivity level. From what I hear, most people who telecommute believe their performance levels are much higher compared to working from the office.
Given that I’ve had a remote position for nearly 30 years, I believe telecommuting is an excellent choice. However, I also know it is not for everyone. There are many people who appreciate and need the face-to-face interaction with others.
Three Enemies of Working from Home
Back to the YouTube video … the presenter mentioned the following three enemies of working from home, and I will share my perspective on each …
1. Fridge: There is a notable problem of having the fridge nearby. The fact that I can get out of my office chair and easily make my way downstairs to the kitchen is an obvious distractor. I do remember the times when I opened the fridge to only stare inside of it for about 10 seconds. In fact, I’ve seen our kids do it, too. Is this habit hereditary?
2. TV: There used to be a time when one would go to the living room to watch television, but streaming from phones, tablets, and computers has changed all that. When I get a bit distracted, I fire up my YouTube Premium channel (i.e., ad free), and I search for recaps of sporting events, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, college football, and even MMA! For me, watching sporting events can be a distraction from doing my everyday work.
3. Bed: When I worked at USAA, I remember they had a wellness room where one could rest during breaks, and it included beds. I think it was designed for mothers who had recently given birth … “mother’s room.” When I asked a friend who worked at the check-in desk, she told me that it was often full during the day. There you go! In my case, given that I get up very early, somewhere around 4:45 a.m., there are times when I take a short nap in the afternoon. I would not call this an “enemy” because it helps me have a more productive afternoon, but I can see it being a problem for a telecommuter who might sleep off an entire afternoon.
Takeaway Thoughts
Despite the distractions, the Ted Talk presenter was making a case for working from home. He mentioned some research regarding how people, on average, were more productive when they telecommuted. He went on to say that the driving time alone meant they could get to work earlier with less stress.
The movement after Covid is to bring people back to the office, and I also think there is value here.
The middle ground is the hybrid approach, which is working a couple days a week from home and going into the office for the rest of the week. I think most leaders are leaning toward this approach.
Let’s not forget the bottom line … that is, to provide the best customer experience regardless if someone is at the office or sitting on the couch.
See you next week, my friends!
Closing Quotes
“You don’t have to be in the same room to collaborate effectively.” – Matt Mullenweg
“Remote work isn’t about where you work, it’s about what you do.” – Jason Fried
Homework Inquiry
During the next week, here’s your homework inquiry: What makes you productive in your work environment?
I use this opportunity to share with you a unique story and a couple inspiring quotes. Oh ... as a professor at heart, you guessed it, I have a homework inquiry for you. This is a powerful question that might just trigger you to take action on something that really matters in your life. If you feel the Catalyst Newsletter brings benefit to you.