Partial day remote work
For a long time, I used to be stressed at the minute my alarm clock was ringing in the morning. When it happened, the race against the time started. Every single minute of my morning routine was crucial. I knew I had to be out of bed at 6:50 am. Then before 7 am in the shower. 7:15 am out of the bathroom. 7:30 ended my breakfast rush. 7:35 am, finished cleaning my teeth. 7:40 am jumped in my car.
Each morning, I congratulated myself for being two minutes earlier than usual in my car, or wondering why I was three minutes later than my average time.
The time I shut down my car engine was crucial too. “Yeah, I’m earlier than ever today!” Just to be always the earliest possible at work.
I had no time for thinking. No time to lose. No time to just enjoy the morning coming. No time to enjoy the pleasure of a shower. No time to just eat.
No time to breathe.
Why was a single lost minute so critical? Traffic jam. I knew the road I had to drive on was congesting more and more, minute after minute. Each lost minute before being in my car would mean two additional lost minutes on the way to my workplace.
I was getting up early. Too early for myself. I was tired each morning. It was unpleasant. But I had no choice, because the company I was working for had fixed work time. There was neither contact with customers, or any permanence to assure. There was mandatory work hours just because someone wanted them to be so.
One day, I found a new job. I started applying the same routine. Waking up early, get stressed to save the least minute, arrive at work at 8 am. My first colleague never showed up before 9:30 am. I first thought they were a little bit lazy, or not really implicated in the project. I was wrong. They really were.
I have thought about it. Well, they wake up late. Maybe this is their way of life. So, why continuing coming so early, if I am alone between 8 and 9:30?
I proposed to my boss to work at home until 9 am, and then come to work with them. This may be the best decision I made in the last few months.
Suddenly, I was more relaxed in the morning. I was no more stressed to lose a minute. I took just the time to live. And I started to work when I was ready. Actually, only a few minutes after the time I used to jump in my car. The few minutes I needed to be relax.
I worked at my pace, until 9 am. At my pace, alone at home. That’s the moment where I am the most efficient. I had stopped losing the best moment of the day in my car, and started to invest it in my work. It’s been a little big bang in my conception of the day. And a significant payout for my boss.
The goal I wanted to reach was avoiding traffic jams on the road. And I have reached it. I have spared between 15 and 30 minutes on the road. For free. Each day. With a great bonus: being more relaxed.
That was such a simple decision!
I have always being wondering why some companies were applying strict work hours. It’s even worse now. I’m wondering about it even more. That’s a winner-winner deal. This is a big paradox to me.
If you can do it — having the benediction of your company to avoid traffic jam on the morning — , just give it a try. I promise, that’s great.
