Since the COVID19 pandemic hit the whole world in 2020, working from home has become something closer to normal, at least in jobs that allow it, where before it was something that was definitely not offered everywhere. There were periods in France where working from home was mandatory for every company who could work like that, and while some people couldn’t wait to go back to the office, some discovered that they liked it better at home : which one are you ?
I’m the latter one ! One of the reasons why I created my own business in 2020 was so that I could work from home full-time, and thus not endanger the people I was living. As an employee, I would take public transportation every day, and at least in the early stages of the pandemic, it seemed like too much of a risk to take every single day. At that time, I couldn’t find a remote job either, and entrepreneurship had always tempted me, so yes, that’s how I started freelancing.
So… How did working from home change my life ?
What I felt was amazing at first was the amount of time I could save. Your desk is just seconds away from you, you can come in your pajamas, with your breakfast, and bam, the day can start. I could sleep a little more, and I was less tired too. For someone like me who’s a bit picky with what I eat and drink, it’s a real pleasure to be able to have your favorite teas and snacks closeby. It’s also nice to have the time to stretch or even do a little workout whenever I feel too tensed. It’s something that I couldn’t do in my previous companies, where the only breaks acceptable were coffee breaks and smoking breaks. I could watch Netflix and relax in my sofa while eating my lunch, I could actually cook myself a better lunch than the sandwiches I used to buy. Working from home truly allowed me to have a healthier lifestyle.
But there are always advantages and disadvantages, right ? Let’s also talk about the negative aspects of working from home. Something that may be terrible for some, is that unless you’re living with someone who’s also home during the day, or unless you do lots of (video)calls for your work, you won’t be talking much. I’m okay with that because I like to be focused when I work – and then I speak plenty on the phone or to people in my home when I’m done with work. But for sure, it can be lonely sometimes. Another negative aspect is that you don’t go out that much anymore, at least on working days. At least I know I don’t. I guess for this it all depends where you live. There’s not much green spaces or things to see in my town, my neighborhood is not the safest either, so it’s not that easy for me to just go out to take a walk. I wish I could, though. I do miss fresh air when I stay home from Monday to Friday without going out haha.
That’s how I feel about working from home. I also noticed that it can improve or deteriorate your mental health, depending on how your organize yourself, and whether you set the right boundaries or not. For example, at the beginning I hated working from home, because I felt like I was working twice as much as before (at that time, I was still an employee). But in the end, it’s just that I allowed my manager to walk all over me and make me stay connected even after work hours. When I started my business, I was also working during the weekends, and this was bad for me because my brain would never rest and so I got tons of insomnia.
Now I got better at stricking a balance, and I love it. As an introvert, it allows me to have more energy, because I’m not forced into tons of social interactions that drain me, and so I can do more things, and spend more time with my family and friends.
To conclude, working from home unlocked a better, happier version of myself. I understand that it’s not for everyone of course, but at least to me it’s the perfect fit.
What about you ? Did you work from home during the pandemic ? And now ? Do you like it, do you hate it ?
I hope you all have a lovely day, and see you next Wednesday !
Marie.
Marie K. Ricci - Author | Translator 