Working from home is like having a never-ending slumber party, except instead of staying up all night drinking margaritas with your girlfriends, you’re stuck in your home office, staring at your computer screen. Trying not to fall down any rabbit holes.
At first, it sounds like a dream come true. No more commutes, no more office politics, and best of all, no more pants! But the reality of working from home quickly sets in, and it’s not always pretty. It can also be kind of dangerous.
First of all, there’s the issue of boundaries. Your family members, who normally wouldn’t dream of interrupting you at work, suddenly think it’s okay to barge into your office just to chat. Your dog, who used to sleep all day while you were at the office, now decides that you’re his new playmate and demands constant attention. Oh, and he also wants you to be his snack bitch on demand too. Which can cause confusion since you now call him Dammit Dog and now, he doesn’t know what his real name is anymore.
And then there are other distractions. The laundry pile, which was once easy to ignore, now taunts you from across the room. The dishes in the sink seem to multiply by the hour. And let’s not even get started on social media, which beckons to you like a siren song, luring you away from your work with cute animal videos and memes. (Even if you’re a social media consultant like me, it’s almost impossible to not watch those cute baby goat videos)!
But perhaps the most challenging aspect of working from home is the lack of social interaction (with other humans). Sure, you can video conference with your colleagues, but it’s just not the same as being in the same room with them. Plus, you miss out on the little things, like the office birthday parties, the water cooler gossip, and the spontaneous margarita happy hours.
And don’t even get me started on the wardrobe situation. Sure, you can wear pajamas all day if you want to, but eventually, you start to feel like a slob. But putting on real clothes seems like too much effort. So, you compromise by wearing yoga pants and a nice top, which is the business-casual equivalent of a mullet: business on top, party on the bottom.
All joking aside, working from home has its benefits and drawbacks, just like any job. But if you’re lucky enough to have the opportunity to work remotely, it’s important to set boundaries, stay focused, and take breaks when you need them. And if all else fails, just remember at least you don’t have to wear a bra. Can I get an Amen?
Peace, Love and Margaritas Y’all!