Just Another Take On Working From Home

There were 42 business days from the day I started my first real, in-person job in January 2020 to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020.

This means I had 42 days of what most people have 60 years of, give or take a few.

So you can imagine my shock (and honestly, relief) when I was told to pack up and work from home until we got the green light to come back.

Remote working was not a new concept. Many had been working that way prior to lockdowns, social distancing, and “2 weeks to flatten the curve”. Even still, I had never pictured which type of people or careers could actually flourish in a home office. We had an office in my house growing up with a computer that my dad paid our bills on and my sister and I downloaded songs off of Limewire.

Not exactly a professional workspace.

After the first couple of months experiencing new job nerves, I was excited to work from home, a place where I was already comfortable. It was like I had a taste of the real world, and then the real world said, “gotcha!”.

So for me, working remotely is not just something I prefer, but it’s also the only way I have really ever known. Even in roles that have been considered ‘hybrid’, I’ve always leaned more towards the ‘at-home’ part of that setup because that’s what I’m used to. Sitting here two years later, I often wonder if this has put me at an advantage or disadvantage.

I can truly see it from both sides.

The argument for remote work can also be the argument against remote work. And it’s really all about the opportunity cost. What are you losing out on when working from home? What are you gaining?

For me, I am writing this from my balcony in San Diego, California with my 12-week-old, Chocolate Lab puppy sitting underneath my feet. Which is how I find myself working most of these days, even though my company is based in Chicago. 90% of me loves this. And while my goal is not to make my colleagues or anyone else really jealous, sometimes I can’t believe I get to call this work.

The other 10%? I’m stressed about the Chicago-based clients that don’t see me at monthly shoots. I’m worried I’m not making an effort to be a part of my company’s culture. I’m wondering if I would be doing a better job if I was in the office every day. Thoughts that I can’t escape, despite my “ideal” working environment. Are these nerves and anxious thoughts really worth it?

Truly to my core, I believe I do my best work when I’m home (which is what matters, right?). I recognize that I am fortunate to have been at companies during this time that allow the option for remote work. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t wonder how I would have adapted if I never had the option.

Remote work has challenged the way companies operate and given them opportunities to prioritize what means the most to them: employee satisfaction or geographic dependence. One is not better than the other, as some companies simply can’t afford to have remote workers, either due to financial constraints or physical job limitations. But, it has opened up the debate of old vs. new, boomer vs. millennial vs. Gen Z, and “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. I’d argue both sides are right and both sides are wrong, and it ultimately comes down to the individual: their values, goals, sacrifices, etc.

With that, I’m happy that I have the freedom to build my own routine and structure my day in a way that suits me because job satisfaction is what matters most to me.

I can’t say that I expected this when I pictured my career or is even something I thought was possible, but I think (for now) those 42 days, to begin with, were enough for me.

If you have any questions, or want to just reach out and say hello, you can reach me or the IdeaBooth team at hello@idea-booth.com.