The remote work grind: pros and cons of working from home

My current job in Chicago is 100% remote, with no office to attend, but a bit of travel every so often. For me, when choosing to move forward with this role, the amount of remote work was a huge factor for consideration. Given we spend so many hours at work each day, I have always been the type of person who wants to make the most of work culture.

Coming from an office culture in Sydney, Australia that was buzzing, stepping out of the elevator and greeting colleagues, chatting at the coffee machine, and taking advantage of the rooftop bars in the local area for happy hours, I was shocked when I moved to Chicago that this type of culture is not the norm. The American workforce in general has been reluctant to go back to the office in a post-Covid world, and the office environment is just not the same as it was prior, and can hardly compare to the buzziness I was experiencing in Sydney.

There are certain things I love about working from an office:

• Being part of a real live team: Working in the same room, collaborating around a whiteboard (rather than 8 emails back and forth accompanied by 27 MS Teams pings...), team lunches, and after-work social events.

• The routine: Arriving at work, an early morning coffee at my desk as I read emails and prepare for my day was essential - some quiet time before the chaos! A scheduled break at ~10am was a ritual I truly looked forward to for a great mental break, with a quick jaunt around the block, a visit to my barista, and a resulting delicious espresso coffee to keep me caffeine fueled for the rest of the morning. The routine made the daily grind just that little bit more enjoyable.

• Getting dressed: Yep - I actually love the work attire I have curated over the years and putting a little effort into my outfit each day is a feel good action that I just don't do for my home office. Wearing leggings day in day out just doesn't feel as professional, even if I do throw a blazer over the top of my activewear for select meetings.

• Serendipitous conversations: The casual chats by the coffee machine, water cooler, coupled with impromptu brainstorming sessions as you walk through the hallways - these moments are just not replicable in the home office environment.

• Immersive work environment: A dedicated workspace (hopefully in a great spot in the city centre!) that separates work from home life is a physical barrier that provides the segregation often needed in a professional setting.

  
  

When contemplating the proposed 100% remote role, I had to consider what I'd be sacrificing, weighing up the pros and cons. I learnt that the office culture I loved in Sydney, was just not the same in Chicago, and so moving to this fully remote role, I wouldn't be sacrificing as much as I'd initially thought...

At this point, I started to more closely consider the merits of working remote, and there are definitely some huge benefits that I could not look past:

• Flexibility: The ability to structure your day around your commitments, whether it's a doctor's appointment, a gym session, or simply a leisurely breakfast.

• Reduced commute stress: No more traffic jams, crowded trains, or long commutes. This extra time can be used for relaxation, hobbies, or simply catching up on sleep.

• Increased productivity: A quiet, distraction-free home office can boost focus and productivity - I often talk with colleagues about how coming into the office means we spend more time catching up with colleagues socially and are less productive at our actual jobs. I feel this may be caused by the fact that office trips are few and far between, whereas if the office trips were a regular occurrence 2-3 times each week, the need to 'catch up' would reduce...

• Cost savings: Reduced expenses on commuting, work attire, and lunches. Working from home means I can make my own delicious lunch and not have to pay $18 for a salad.

As I proceeded with the role, I have found that the flexibility of remote work can be a double-edged sword; while it allows for a more personalized schedule, it can also blur the lines between work and personal life. It's easy to find yourself working late into the night or on weekends to keep up with the hustle and bustle of work life from afar, and without the help of your favourite to barista to keep you energized with coffee!

I have noticed that when I work from home, I can spend 10 hours continuously in the same spot at my desk, and my step count remains at an appalling level of ~600 steps. With this realization, to thrive in a 100% work remote role, it's essential to establish a routine, set clear boundaries, and prioritize self-care - something I'm still working on!

Over the past few months I have tried to put in place some measures to make my remote working a success. Here is my list to help:

• Create a dedicated workspace: A designated workspace can help you mentally transition between work and personal time. I sit at my desk all day. If I need to do something on my computer at night (life admin etc) then I do it on the couch or at the dining table so I don't slip into work mode again.

• Develop a routine: Although I don't get out to visit a barista, I still schedule a break and have invested in a bean-to-cup coffee machine that has been an absolute lifesaver for my remote work routine. As an Aussie who loves a great espresso, it's been important to my routine that I enjoy this little luxury every day so that I can keep up that coffee break I was used to in Sydney! (An essential - here are the coffee beans I use)

• Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time to avoid burnout - if you have ready any of my previous blogs about work then you will know that this is very much a work in progress for me... I'm working on being ok with leaving tasks until tomorrow to enable me to close my laptop with ease.

• Take regular breaks and prioritize self-care: Short breaks can help improve focus and productivity. Make time for activities that you enjoy, whether it's yoga, reading, or spending time with loved ones. This is where I can place boundaries, and if I want to catch up with a friend who is in town, or go to my run club, I put it in my work calendar so that it's a meeting I don't miss and I work around it. Scheduling 'me time' or self care is sometimes the only way to break up the remote work cycle and ensures you keep routine where you can.

• Stay Connected: I try to be truly human on all my calls in an attempt to build rapport and relationships with my colleagues and clients from afar. This means I try to be chirpy and positive, make small talk appropriately, share little tidbits of my life to help break the ice, and I'm ALWAYS on camera. This last one I am very passionate about because I'm confident people treat others with more respect if they can see that you're a real person who is spending real time and effort collaborating with them.

• Embrace multitasking (mindfully): I try to juggle tasks like a pro; sometimes I'm listening to an employee Town Hall or similar type of meeting whilst I'm doing a workout or doing the dishes. I choose the time wisely, and only do this if it's appropriate to be off camera (contradicting my earlier point on at this time!) but this helps me to keep on top of my life without sacrificing more time. (I use this App for my gym workouts so I don't need to think about my gym routine if I'm multitasking!)

As a remote worker, I've found the flexibility and autonomy it offers invaluable, although I'm still adjusting my working rituals to ensure I thrive in this more isolated way of working.

However, I am not an advocate for this fully remote model, as I still crave that in-office experience, but I recognize the benefits of remote work can offer a unique opportunity to create a fulfilling and productive work-life balance. But I find balance is often harder to implement without the physical office environment, so I'm still on my journey to finding the perfect routine in this remote world.

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I'd love to hear your views on remote working - do you love it, or do you like to work in person? How do you manage your routine (and stay sane!) in a remote working environment?