The life of a telecommuter

After graduating from school, I bought a couple of professional looking outfits to wear for interviews and anticipated days at the office, until I’d be able to afford more with my equally anticipated paycheck. So of course, I ended up getting a job that didn’t have an office in San Francisco, where I’d relocated. I’d be working remotely. Guess that money would have been better spent on new pajama pants.

My Day Begins

I start work at 8am, just the same as if I worked in an office. But since there’s no bus to catch, subway to ride, or rush hour traffic to sit in, I wake-up between 7:30 and 7:45am most mornings–just enough time to wash my face, brush my teeth, and make a cup of tea. Some mornings I do wake up earlier to go for a jog, take a shower, and/or move the car (so I don’t get a ticket during street cleaning times).

The Simulated Office Environment: A Campfire Chatroom

Each day, I work, learn, and joke with my coworkers in a pseudo-office environment–a Campfire chat. We’re a bit more… liberal… than I’d imagine the average office is (there are some things you can say online that I can’t picture flying were we talking in person). But I love it. It’s perfect for me. It’s a great way to share ideas and instructions, quickly and efficiently, and if you need to work uninterrupted, you simply sign off, turn the phone on silent, and do what you need to do.

Dealing With The Lack of In-Person Social Interaction

Although I’m technically talking and chatting with people most of the day, either in Camp or over instant messenger, the lack of face-to-face interaction can get to you, if you’re not already accustomed. I found myself talking to my cat, Leeloo, far too much. And naturally, this transitioned into just my talking to myself… far too much. Luckily, I have roommates, and they often come home for lunch, so I get some “real people time” midday. I thought to capitalize on this by working from the kitchen one time. BAD IDEA. I ate nonstop. I’ve also gone to coffee shops a few times, but the internet connection is frequently piteously slow, and my 17in laptop is a mildly monstrous thing to have to tote around on any sort of regular basis, so it’s generally just easier to stay at home.

Working Hard, or Hardly Working?

When I think about the term “work from home,” I picture someone like The Dude, lounging around in their half-open bathrobe, lazily surfing the internet with a glass of coffee (or a White Russian) in their hand. In my case, that’s pretty far from the truth. OK, not really. I am usually in my pajamas, or lounge clothes, with a cup of tea nearby. I’m also surfing the internet most of the day, but that’s part of my job, not a distraction from it. Anyways, I think that I work harder from home than I would in a normal office environment. There are far fewer distractions, and you are constantly trying to prove that you are in fact working, and working hard. I take breaks, but typically make them known with a “brb” or a “be back in 10″, for restroom breaks or a snack. I also often end up working later into the evening than I would if I had a commute to tend to. If I’ve got nothing better to do come 6, 7, 8pm, I might as well just keep working.

Is Working in an Office Environment Better?

Hard to say. The main drawback, I feel, of not physically being in an office, is not getting to interact with my supervisors and show them first-hand how I work (again, that feeling of needing to prove myself). I’d also love to get to talk with my coworkers in person. Imagine waiting 6 months to get to meet half the people you talk with on a daily basis; that’s my situation–January, CES, will be the very first time I meet most of my coworkers in real life. I’m so excited! Is that weird?

If your job doesn’t require a lot of face-to-face interaction, or you’re easily able to slip to the office to conduct meetings, then working remotely is a great option–as long as you have the willpower and dedication to work productively unsupervised. It’s not difficult though, especially if you’re not the only one, or if your team already employs an online chat system.

shareshareshareshare

via redgirlsays.com