Opinion
It is my belief that people who advocate fiercely for either remote or office working fail to take one vital factor into consideration.
I should know. It’s a trap I fall into myself.
What is it?
It’s the assumption that everyone else must want or need what I want or need. It’s manifested by giving them the things I would want or need, only to find they don’t actually want or need these things and it would be better if I’d just asked first rather than assuming everyone else must see the world through my eyes. They don’t.
There are people who love remote working. I am one of those people.
And there are gregarious people who thrive on human interaction. They get energised and enthused when they meet up with their colleagues. I am not one of these incredible people. I wish I was, but I find human interaction tiring. Which doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it in small doses. I love being part of a team, having a laugh with my work friends – and then leaving the online meeting to go back to my quiet desk with my mountain views and no distractions (other than when the cats turn the room into a parkour zone with no heed for other people’s possessions.)
But I recognise that, just because I love remote working and I have my ideal set-up, it’s not going to be right for everyone. So, insisting there’s one solution for all companies and individuals, with differing temperaments and needs, is unlikely to work.
Why remote working works for me.
It’s easier to get inspired.
If I get stuck, it’s easy to take twenty minutes and go for a shower. My mind is usually churning over my work, playing around with possible sentences, so I often find myself out the shower without being really sure how I got out! Inevitably, an idea will have struck and I’ll run, slipping and dripping, over to the desk to jot it down.
You can be comfortable.
Want to work in your pyjamas? You can. Want to listen to Def Leppard at terrifying volumes? You can (as long as your neighbours aren’t too close!) In short, you can have things how you like them. Your way. That goes a long way towards inspiring creativity.
It saves money.
According to this article, remote workers save quite a significant amount of money each year by not travelling or eating out so much. Which leads me to…
It’s good for the environment.
This article really delves into the ins and outs of the environmental benefits. But I do know I’ve started driving my car a lot less – and recycling a lot more. Which has nothing to do with working from home, really.
In which I digress.
People have said working from home comes with more distractions. I previously worked in an office from Stornoway for a week every month, so I do have experience of a busy, buzzing office.
My opinion? They’re both distracting environments.
In the office, anyone can walk in and interrupt what you’re doing. That’s the point of the office. The phone can ring, people can need you, fire practice, something interesting happening outside, a cute dog arriving in the office… all of these things can interrupt your work flow.
At home, the phone could ring. It’s easier to check your smartphone and scroll aimlessly for a while. The cats could break a valuable objet d’art (and frequently do.) The postman could arrive and want to talk for a while. Visitors could pop up. The WiFi could go down. You might need to stop to make your fifth cup of tea. In a single morning. All these things have happened to me – and that’s not taking into consideration parents who might need to keep their children at home or couples who both work from home in a small space.
The place I’m less distracted is home – it’s the set-up I’m most used to and very comfortable with. I have amazing noise cancelling ear buds from Samsung if someone should be strimming outside, my neighbours are all lovely and quiet and the cats have since learned to sleep during the day and only break things at night.
I will close by directing you to copywriter, Doug Nolan’s, site and his views on remote working. They’re less verbose than mine. Funnier too.
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