Working from home: the pros and cons.

Home is where the heart is. In 2020, because of the COVID-19 epidemic, it has also become the office for a lot of people. For some it was only temporary and have  had to go back to the office. Others get to work from home permanently. Of course there are others who still have to commute to work like they did before the epidemic. My mom has been working from home way before the epidemic made it cool. So to give people an idea of what it is like, here are some pros and cons about working from home.

~Pros~

       More Independence. You don't have a supervisor looking over 

  No commute to work. 

·         Save on expenses.  Working from home you reduce fuel and transportation expenses. It also helps you save on other expenses like food, clothes, and even childcare.

·       Increased productivity.  When you work independently in a quieter environment, you may be more productive. Increased productivity related to several more factors including the ability to move around your home freely and take breaks when you feel the need to. Also being able to step away from your work when you feel like you need a break can help you stay motivated and reduce burn-out.  

·        Improved technical skills since it requires consistent communication between teams and managers via emails, phone/video calls and chats. 

No office distractions

Collaborate across locations

Reduction in absences 

~Cons~

I Increased Isolation. You can become quite isolated working from home if you spend the majority of time by yourself, working independently. The key to avoiding loneliness and isolation as a remote worker is to schedule outings and events with friends and family.  

  Home Office Costs.

    Risk of overworking.

         Risk to productivity . Although working from home can help increase your productivity, it can also be a challenge to it. With the freedom to move around and take breaks whenever the mood arises, it might be difficult to stay focused on the tasks you're working on. This can ultimately lead to slower productivity. One way to combat this is to implement productivity tools like time trackers and task management applications.

·         Distractions from home. Distractions like the television, pets or household chores can affect how you perform your job. Too many distractions can lead to a decrease in your productivity and motivation. You can avoid this by limiting anything that you find distracting in your home. Use noise-canceling headphones and play relaxing music to block out noises like traffic and neighborhood activity.

·      Workplace disconnect.  Telecommuting can sometimes lead to a disconnect between you and your coworkers. Working from home means you won't have access to immediate information about important business processes until someone in the company communicates it to you. Make sure to stay connected with your physical workplace through constant communication whenever you have questions or concerns.

·    Disproportionate work life balance.  Although working from home can offer you the opportunity to balance your home life with your job, it can also be challenging to create a distinct separation between your career and personal life. Set clear boundaries between your work hours and personal time, and communicate these boundaries with others in your home.

·       Less face time. Working remotely, you won't have the same opportunities to speak face-to-face with coworkers and the community unless you get out and about

So ,there still is some give and take no matter where you work. No matter where work happens to be during this time, stay safe, healthy , take care of yourself and each other.

-Donna

 

Staycation all I ever wanted. Staycation have to get away.

Happy Tuesday everyone! My mom was supposed to go on a trip this week , but that trip ended up being cancelled because of COVID-19. So instead of the trip, she is still taking that time off work, and doing projects around the house while I work, or pretend to work.   But this reminded me the importance of taking time off. Even though we are still being encouraged to stay at home , don't forget to take some time off for yourself during this time. Stay cations are affordable since you don't have to worry about the costs of flights and accommodations. Reduced travel time also means more vacation time.Of course you can play a stay cation no matter where in the world you are.

Take care of yourself and each other during this time

-Donna

Labor Day weekend

It is the Tuesday after labor weekend. So you know know what means -coffee, coffee, and what is my password to log on again? lol   My 3 day weekend turned out better than  I expected. Originally, mom and I where supposed to go to Corpus Christi to take our friends daughter Vanessa horseback riding on the beach . However, we thought it was going to rain there so we ended up staying  in San Antonio. Friday ended up being a girls night since we didn't take Vanessa horseback riding. My mom, Vanessa and I went to a Ramen restaurant by the forum for dinner. After that, we went to Bath and Body Works, and Walmart to end the evening .Corpus Christi ended up coming to us. My moms friend who lives in Corpus Christi ended up coming up to pay us a visit. I also got to catch up with a friend I have not seen in person since the epidemic started over dinner at Chili's.  Sunday mom and  I went out to brunch with our friend from Corpus, watched movies and relaxed. On Monday I got to catch up with my friend Jenn So even though I didn't get to go out of town, I still had a good  Labor Day weekend. It is nice to know that even during times that these we can still make time for another every now and then.  This year has reminded me of the quote from Dr. Suess "sometimes you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."  That is because  we are still being encouraged to practice social distancing So keep on making memories with the people you care about. 

Stay safe, stay healthy, and take care of one another.

-Donna