Since lockdown, there has been an increase in remote working and hybrid working that supports a blend of in-office and remote working. Some members of the Thinking of Leaving Teaching? Group have asked what it’s like to work from home and so I have posted my experience and those of others.
Since lockdown, the institute I work for has changed its working practices. I now work almost exclusively from home. I work as a Learning Technologist in a university. I go in perhaps once every 10 weeks, when we have “Away Days” and everyone gets together as a team. After lockdown, I had a partition built in my living room (where the garage would have been when the house was built) to create a dedicated office.
I am an introvert and so am happy in my own company. I do like the flexibility of working from home. However, after 4 years of working by myself, I am considering going in more often.
Some people complain about lacking willpower and finding it difficult to stick to a routine, but I am quite disciplined. I make sure that I am always in the office at my desk and logged on by at least 9am. I log off at 5:30pm and close the office door.
Advantages:
- No commuting – not having to get up early and spend an hour driving up the M6. I have gained over 10 hours a week.
- Saving money – I save over £2000 a year in fuel and my car suffers less wear and tear.
- Productivity – I get more work done compared with going in, because there are no distractions (from people chatting and playing on their phones).
- Flexibility – I can take breaks whenever I want. Sometimes I will finish off tasks that need to be done around the house. When it gets warmer, I love being able to have coffee breaks in my garden in the sun.
- Music/TV – I can choose to listen to whatever I want.
- Clothes – I can wear what I want when I go into work, but at home I can wear a t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms. Very comfortable, but I would go in to work wearing that!
- If I make videos calls on Teams, I don’t disturb anyone else and others don’t disturb me. I used to work in an office where everyone would be on calls.
Disadvantages:
- Loneliness – It can get lonely sometimes, especially during the winter months, but I still have online meetings. However, the online meetings are about work. Sometimes I miss just going out for a coffee and an informal chat about non-work related matters.
- Wi-Fi – mine was much slower than at work, so I had to upgrade mine. It’s more expensive, but I am saving a lot in travel/fuel to make up for it.
- Working from home is making me less healthy. I have an exercise bike in the office but I find it hard to motivate myself to use it during breaks!
14 Other Views On Remote Working
I’ve never been to my office and it’s unlikely I ever will, as it’s 2000 miles away! I’m fully remote and am perfectly happy with it. After 15 years in school never getting a minute’s peace it’s a welcome relief. I’ve been doing it since summer 2021.
curriculum team for an Ed Tech company
Been working remote since October, only been into office 3 times. I love it. I’m so much more productive, without the constant interruptions. I actually find in person can be quite draining now. Retraining and gaining a qualification in a digital design role. Am loving the challenge and the difference.
User centred design apprentice
I love wfh, I can spend my human interaction time visiting my family at lunch times or going out for walks or shopping. I get my human interaction through teams calls and spending it with friends in an evening as I’m not so exhausted by the early commute.
Work in IT
I have been fully remote since 2021 and love it. Not having to commute/spend money on petrol is great! Love being at home. Sit out in the garden in summer for lunch. I have my team on teams and we can chat/message if needed etc so still have company but can focus when needed. Love it. Dont miss school/college/office at all! 😊
I’ll be honest, I love it! I’m quite a sociable person, but I find I can be much more productive without interruptions and I still get to chat and socialise with colleagues online.
I work remotely and love it. I was introduced to my colleagues via a team meeting on teams then added to chat so can ask questions or call them and keep in touch through out the day. Works well and no probs after 2 years of remote working 😊
I’ve been home working for seven years now, and since Covid i haven’t seen anyone from work in person. as a natural hermit/bear I love being in my cave and absolutely thrive like this. However, I have friends who would not be able to cope with this way of working for even a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I think only you can tell how you would react to this. Only you and those close to you know how your social battery works.
If you experienced it, think about how life through a screen during lockdown was for you (removed, if you can, from all the other pressures and anxieties that Covid brought)
I do it once / twice a week. Love it as I work ‘compressed hours’ – 5 days hours in 4 so I get a day off. (And it’s STILL fewer hours than when I was teaching!) Seeing people face to face is nice, but the office can be tiring as I like my personal space these days.
I love it! But there are online meetings/chats which suits me. Just not having to commute is the best bit – sooo much time back.
I have a hybrid job. Do 2/3 days in office as I discovered I hate working alone if I do it too much.
I personally LOVE remote working and others in my team do too. It’s a really useful and time efficient way of maximising your day plus there’s tons of flexibility to work on your terms!
My big advice would be if you’re on a call, make sure you’re present (eg mentally as well as physically). Treat it as a face to face meeting and don’t check emails or phone calls whilst on it. Also don’t be afraid to message a colleague and ask to hope on a call if you get stuck. The biggest thing I’ve found is that as long as you’re engaged in the call, it can work really really well!
I love it. I agree it can be lonely so my husband comes home most days for lunch. On the days he doesn’t come home, I arrange to have lunch with a colleague over Teams.
When I started my job it was fully remote. I was made to feel so welcome by the team. We use teams and there were regular check ins and I was encouraged to ask questions as well never felt like I didn’t have colleagues.
I struggled tbh at first going from a school of about 1000+ to me and the cat but now I love the flexibility of hybrid working.