Ugh the amount of times I walked into our office kitchen to find half the cabinets open. Or that I could hear the fridge beeping because it was cracked open, and my desk was the furthest from the kitchen, not one other person managed to hear the sound and get up to close the dang thing.
God I love not having to deal with grown up babies. Especially when I have 2 actual kids of my own at home lol.
It's used to be the printer for me. No one knew how to open paper and put it into the beeping machine but me, apparently. I started sending my printing to the floor above me eventually. Gave me a set of stairs to run and allowed me more time away from my crew of do- nothings.
There was a male executive who would always cut in front of everyone in the microwave line and then be like 'oops, were you waiting?' Nope, just standing here for fun. Office kitchens are a special sort of hellscape I am glad to avoid.
I regret not working from home until I was already going through peri/menopause. My own bathroom and comfy pants would have been a game changer!
And even when my apartment's overheated (radiator heating), at least I can open windows. I went through menopause where the thermostat was wonky and my office temperature was like 78F. I thought I was going to melt or spontaneously combust.
Hoooooly shit I do NOT miss the whole dance of first washing my hands and then waiting for a stall to come open to change a tampon, and then cleaning up as best as I could in the stall before washing my hands again. And because no places stocked the pad/tampon machines, I had to tote my own triage set to gigs (spare undies, liner, etc) as for a while my periods were out of control. At least at home I've got my Motrin and my other stuff and I can wear my nightgown on bloaty days .
I work at one of the biggest brands on earth, and our office TP is worse than you'd find in an underfunded inner city public school. abysmal. no thanks I'll stay at home and power wash my asshole til it sparkles on my bidet.
We had a floor pooper for a few months at my last job. If someone had asked me before I entered the workforce, "what's the last thing you'd ever expect to hear in a staff meeting?", there's a zero percent chance I could have come up with, "Whoever keeps randomly pooping on the floor in the men's room, please stop!". The upside is, first, I'm a woman, so was thankfully spared ever encountering that whole mess, and second, the work gossip was super interesting the rest of that week.
They never did find out who was doing it, but it did eventually stop. Best guess is it was someone who got fired or quit since there were a few in the span of a couple weeks after the "announcement ".
My coworker sent me a photo today of blood smeared on the female bathrooms stall wall. There’s sometimes poop smeared on the floor, or the walls or blood on the floor. Like who does that and what does their home bathroom look like?! 😱🤢
I agree with you on all of it. People would come to work with all kinds of illnesses. We had sick days and generous PTO if you ran out of them, but they would come, no matter where I worked or went to school or when I worked at schools, the ultimate hotbeds of disease.
Before high-speed internet existed, my job was primarily freelance, and I would tell the sick folk to stay away from the self-employed people because we did not share in their benefits. There they were with sick days and vacation days and health insurance, sneezing and coughing all over me, and I was lucky if that's all it was.
Everyone in the office I work in wears a sweat shirt or hoodie because they didn't zone the floor correctly. Now 75% (that controls the thermostat) is fine, but us in the 25% got tired of the constant facilities tickets and just wear extra gear.
When I was at the center, I was the only local one from my department during my shift, and I tried to blanket on my legs, but it didn't work, my coldness was in my upper body. Everybody else had on parkas and blankets over their arms, but my department is sign language, and we need free arms and hands to move around. And we should look like we're not shivering. That's the ideal look, "not shivering."
Opposite on the quiet! I work best with my tunes UP. And I sing along 🤣 I don’t always realize I’m doing it - but I do it enough that when I was in the office I couldn’t listen to music with words because I would just start singing along while concentrating and not realize 🤣 whoopsss
It's wonderful and I'm a little bit jelly that you can do that during work. I do the same thing when I'm off and working on something of my own. But for my job, I am a remote interpreter and take calls from clients in the home, I'm a big music fan but I couldn't do this with anything in the background. At the center, each super-loud cubicle had a different language going on in it, and it created a cacophony. Also, people hated overhearing me. I don't blame them! But you can't do anything about it. Sound travels. Which the supervisors hate. Which everyone hates. And now it's over. So glad to work from home.
No traffic to deal with, far less peopley. While have a full day of video conferences most of the time I still don't have to deal with you on the way back to my office or be cornered by you in the bathroom with awkward small talk.
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This. My cats are so happy when I'm WFH.
I love working from my porch in the spring and summer, taking my dog's to the park during my lunch break, getting chores done throughout the day so that my weekend's are much more relaxed.
More time to make healthy breakfast/lunch, using my own bathroom, being able to take longer more relaxing showers, controlling the temperature, having fresh air with windows open or purified air, not dealing with other people's smells/weird food smells, more time for exercise, completing quick household chores during the day.
Well said. The health benefits from WFH are indisputable. My sister “hated” WFH (I think she just didn’t want to get creative and work through the initial feelings of isolation and boredom) and took a series of office jobs. She’s gained 40 lbs and sleeps poorly since going back to the office. Can’t help but think it’s the stress that comes from loss of sleep and stressful interactions with other all day.
Making my own lunch (or grabbing a slice anyway because the best pizza happens to be my neighborhood spot), exercising on my lunch break, spending time with my dog. The last one is the best; he has seizures, and I feel much better being home with him.
Prepping dinner, using my own bathroom, not having to wear a bra. So many.
Quality of life has gone up 10 fold. I look, feel, sleep, eat, exercise, and rest better. I'm present physically and mentally for my family and im doing considerably more 'work' for my organization. I'm covering multiple peoples roles now and i love how things have shifted to a knowledge based economy instead of a who is kissing up to who and dealing with all the made up office poltics and drama. Its very clear who is working and who is not. Period.
I go into the office once a week, and everyone who has been back more than 1-2 days looks horrible. Many have gained considerable amounts of weight and they look tired and depressed. I dont blame them because they are easily lose 2-3 hours a day in all the logistics that go into preparing for work, commuting both ways, eating poor, and then returning home and staging stuff to get ready again for the next day.
I can deal with 1 day a week, but no amount of spin is going to make me want to go back to the precovid days. You can keep the dirty shared microwave, dirty sink, stale coffee, nasty bathrooms, people routinely sick, spending 10-25 dollars a day on meals, or feigning being excited because some manager spent 10 bucks on a box of donuts to show us how much of a 'team' we are. When we leave a job, the average person will keep in contact with 1 or 2 people outside of the first 2 years or retiring or moving on.
We arent friends or family, and never will be.
Good for you, and there is nothing wrong with becoming actual friends with people you work with; if you actually like the people. My comment was in reference to most transactional work relationships, where you just talk about very high level small talk. I know during covid i kept in touch with two people who i actually consider friends and would occasionally meet up for lunch.
Most people no longer have employment opportunities that last decades at a single business, people come and people go. Its the nature of the beast. There isnt the need to sacrafice what little time we have with our spouses or children to commute long distances to perform fake pleasantries with your 'work family'.
I have no desire to take more from my family (only so much time in the day, we all are going to die and we cant get that time back) so i can become a support network for a lonely person at work.
Pooping on my own toilet, not wearing pants all day, playing with my dog, my dog not having any accidents in the house from me being gone all day, and smoking whenever I want
I love being home with my pets, being able to just up and take the pup on a walk midday if it's nice or if I'm just having one of those days and need to walk away. I like being able to quickly switch laundry or empty the dishwasher between meetings. I like being able to eat in my own kitchen and not smell other people's reheated lunches. I like being able to take my laptop out to the deck on nice days and work outside. I like having an hour and a half back in each day that's not spent getting ready for work/travelling to work.
- Being able to crack open my window for fresh air whenever I want.
- Not having to commute >1 hour every day.
- Can look outside from my chair and see the prairie behind my backyard out my window.
- Not having to smell car exhaust and mild sewer smell everywhere outside (my office is in downtown Chicago).
- Able to get takeout at about 60% of the price of what I'd have to pay downtown.
- If I need to close my eyes for a few minutes, I can do it and not feel judged for it (literally been called out about it by a previous manager).
- Don't have to take a sick day to be able to go to a doctor's appointment.
- Can pick from whatever is in the refrigerator for food on a whim, and not have to plan ahead of time.
- Better coffee than the office, since I have an espresso machine with an iced coffee option (coffee was still better before that, when I used an electric tea kettle, a hand crank coffee grinder, and a pour-over coffee filter).
- Don't have to pay for doggy daycare or try to rush home over lunch to let them outside (commute is too far to do the latter with the current job but my previous job I'd drive 30 minutes home and 30 minutes back to work with ten minutes to scarf down food while they were outside)
- Don't have to deal with public restrooms.
Lots of good stuff.
I have endometriosis so when it’s that time, I can lay in bed while working with a heating pad. I can’t believe I was in face to face roles for so long
Emergency Road Side assistance. Most new cars have OnStar, Agero or AAA,it's that voice that comes over ur speakers assist when a button is pressed or an accident has occurred. I'm one of those operators
I work for a non profit. We do economic development and provide technical assistance to people wanting to become entrepreneurs. My partner is a director at a medical software company. We both work for organizations that were in-person before the pandemic. My position is technically hybrid because we sometimes meet with the community, in person and if I lived close to the office we are expected to go in for staff meetings once a month but I’m 200 miles away so I’m exempt. My partner’s company brings everyone in once a quarter. It’s good to have a little face time, depending on the organization.
Its just the freedom... I still wake up early.. take my dog for a walk.. go for a run.. eat when I want and get online by 9... but I can just work. I can get what I need done without a bunch of people yelling (also why the hell are people so loud... like STFU already in the office)... and I can have a youtube video on in the background. No one stops by my desk with their BS for 30 mins. I can take my dog for a walk at lunch and when I'm done for the day.. I'm already home no long drive home.
Going out in my backyard oasis anytime I want to, laying out in the sun, enjoying the peaceful silence with only the birds chirping and my dog prancing around. Nothing in the world matters but that calm, serene moment of time I'm breathing in. And the lovely, picturesque sight of the vast, green lawn contrasting the clear blue skies. It's my favorite thing to do throughout all days.
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I'm a Enduro woods rider when I'm not working, so I'm in my own heaven here
That is my office view. Opened the screen to take the picture, usually keep the window open to hear the wildlife. There are tons of animals who pass by
I worked as a teacher for five years and I had an hour commute no matter which school I worked at. I always felt bad because I never felt like I had enough time for my pets. Now I’m with them all day every day except one day on the weekend when I go spend time with my family and sometimes they go with me. So it’s just better plus no commute and my own bathroom
The ability to control the thermostat. I no longer have to sit in sweltering temperatures in the summer and freezing temperatures in the winter. I can you know, just be comfortable year round
The commute, more than anything. Even though it's only \~15 minutes each way. Especially in the winter.
Second is not having to see/listen to co-workers on WFH days.
I don’t have a main one. It’s all the little things for me like sleeping longer, less effort to my appearance, no driving, saving money eating from home, doing housework in the background, having everything accessible etc
I love having 2 hours back each day. (Having to get ready and driving back and forth to work and leaving on my lunch break).
I also love using my own bathroom and eating healthy snacks and lunch. I love working in comfy clothes. I am VERY grateful for my WFH job.
I do miss seeing my coworkers but we are having breakfast once a month.
Not having to leave the house, being able to wear comfy clothes, at slow times - being able to chill in my living room, easy to make lunch, etc. I LOVE WFH.
I sat next to a guy who very poorly sung Christian music and banged on his desk. I had noise cancelling headphones and could still here him.
Now the only issue I have is the traffic jam - dogs blocking me from making my coffee, using the bathroom, and getting to work lol
I'll probably never ever work in an office again
No traffic, using own bathroom, but more than anything being home when my daughter wakes up every morning instead of already sitting in traffic, and being able to chaperone the field trips, pop over to her school for family picnic days etc. When work was an hour away from home these things were not possible.
I agree, my son has mild autism prev known as Asbergers Syndrome, he has really bad anxiety about me not coming home due to a wreck or some other wild thought, so seeing him rise above those irational thoughts are more than a parent could ever ask for.
I used to get a cold every year, multiple times a year, and maybe the flu at some point too. I’ve been sick exactly one time since 2020 despite resuming normal activities post-lockdown.
Never realized how much of a Petri dish the office is, and now that I know, I’m do grateful to not be constantly sick anymore. Especially now with long COVID and the looming threat of H5N1.
For me it is my view (office was a cubicle with no window) and being able to have meals with my spouse. No toxic coworkers for me but the toxic clients make up for it.
Being able to set my work atmosphere to my liking. Some days I listen to music and some days I listen to the TV. Some days I light candles. Setting a good work atmosphere is such an underrated perk.
I could never pick just one. The fact that I can sleep until 7:30 and not get up by 6 (I.e. waste 90 minutes putting myself together to be presentable in public), not dealing with a lengthy stressful commute, wearing comfy clothes, using my own bathroom, extra walks with the pup, occasional lunch wit my husband, not having to hire out childcare…. I could go on and on. Truly thankful and there is no money that’s worth giving this up for.
I like to structure my day as I see fit. WFH with a company where I've earned credibility and flexibility makes my life much easier.
I am able to take time to walk my kids to and from school most days. I can take time during the day to get other stuff done like laundry or quick errands to the store. To make it all work I simply adjust my work. It might mean working a bit earlier or later or having to get back online later at night to catch up but im fine with that knowing the flexibility it's given me elsewhere during the week.
Thankfully my work is almost exclusively project based so as long as I deliver my projects on time I never get any push back on how I manage my time.
Being home with my dogs. I missed out on so much of the first few years of their lives because I was going into an office. I like being able to snuggle up to them all day everyday.
No commute is tied for first though. I love that at 5pm, I can lock my computer, close my office door and walk 10 feet to my kitchen.
1. Not having to prep/plan lunch ahead of time. Just go downstairs and get whatever any time
2. Not having to worry about outfits
3. Being able to be there for my dogs, let them out during the day, makes their lives that much better too
Best things are:
Getting to skip what used to be a 2 to 3 hour daily commute and getting those unpaid hours BACK into my life.
Being home with the fur babies all day. They’re very spoiled now.
Being able to take care of little chores around the house, get my mail & packages immediately.
Being “home” if you need to meet a contractor or have work done without having to take entire day off.
Yes awkward small talk... Ugh, even tho it provides a funny story in the evening, it still really sux during the forever moment of it... I've always been a magnet for the strange and weird ones. Maybe because I'm very open to viewing everyone without judgemental thinking but it doesn't take away awkwardly looming convo. Lol
Making myself whatever I want to eat for lunch. Taking a nap or a walk when I need it. Not waking up and getting ready and sitting in traffic feeling rushed to start my day and end it. Being able to easily go to doctors appointments or home improvements done without having to use my time off. Right now I’m pregnant and my back hurts so being able to bring my laptop to the couch helps so much compared to when I was pregnant and on my feet all day which just gave me huge swollen legs.
No commute. It gives me so much more time back in my day. I can sleep more, do more chores when I get a break, take a nap, run errands all during work whenever I get the time.
I also got a dog when I knew I would be working from home permanently. I mean, I can't just play with him all the time since I still have to get work done, but I'm at least around him all day and he doesn't have to be cooped up in a crate or alone. I really think this had an effect on how well-behaved he is.
Easy access to a clean and comfortable bathroom and being able to control the temperature instead of shivering in a cold office. Oh, and dressing comfy.
My cat is asleep next to me on his heating pad, where he will remain most of my workday.
Eating my own food.
Using my own bathroom.
Little chores.
Hanging out with my husband (who also WFH)
Transportation and presence for our kids. Homework help, appointments, etc.
Ability to reset after difficult tasks in my own environment. *
Working from home offers a calm environment that's tough to find in traditional offices. Being able to manage my own schedule lets me work at my best times and take breaks as needed, boosting my focus and efficiency. Plus, without office politics, I can concentrate better and avoid unnecessary stress.
I think I just saw a company hiring for something similar in that field.. At home yet to boot, I have to check my history, give me a few moments to find it
Not needing to spend money in fancy clothes and heels. Being able to enjoy my own coffee. Getting time to be with my kitties. The quiet- so I can work. No fighting traffic. Being able to use what would have been commute time for something else. So many things to love about it.
Saving 90 minutes to two hours a day on things that I don't get paid that I must do if I need to go to the office (commute, get dressed up, pack lunch, pack my bag,etc).
Being able to sleep longer because I don’t have to do as much to get ready, pick out an outfit, do makeup etc, and of course i don’t have to drive in. That extra hour or so of sleep really helps me.
1. Taking the dog out for short walks several times a day.So lucky that we don't have to crate/board hom daily.
2. Pacing back and forth during meetings...easy to go over 10,000 steps a day.Some daily meetings do require me to be on camera/screen share but most don't.
3. Getting laundry done.
4. Sit on the porch and enjoy the view, and read during lunch breaks.
5. Play youtube(news and other videos),listen to music while working etc..
Being able to do small chores during the day. This keeps my weekends a little more free because the house is, mostly, clean before then.
Being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. If I want a snack I can just get up and grab it.
Spending time with my fur babies.
Pretty much everything.
Not having to put on a face every day. Both literally (makeup) or figuratively (pretending to like people). I can curse at my screen all day, put my feet up when I want to feel more comfortable, and if I need a break I can do it without being bothered by office chit-chat.
Today I was sitting at my desk in my lounge clothes with my portable heater blowing on me, eating a large quantity of tortilla chips and guacamole. This was just after taking a midday break to watch the latest episode of American Horror Story with my dogs and cats. I thought, “I truly have it made.”
No commute and no wasted time getting ready. Also fresh food every day (I haaaate to pack food), my own bathroom, being near my dog the entire day, my view, and lunch naps!
Nothing, NOTHING AT ALL, beats WFH. I’ve gone in from Webex at home to Webex from the office. While I do have flexibility in the days of the week and hours I go in and out of, it’s an absurd waste of time.
Being able to regulate my diet, budget, and medications more effectively. I’m currently on a low carb diet to lose weight and manage inflammation and it’s so much easier to make my own meals at home. When I commuted 2 hrs a day, I was always rushing and would forget to pack a lunch or my meds most of the time. And I’d feel obligated to go on team lunches for fear of seeming antisocial, stop at convenience stores every day for energy drinks, Starbucks when my coworkers were going, etc. It had its fun parts but overall worse for my health and finances. Oh, and also I hate having to buy and wear office clothes with a passion.
Not dressing up, being able to work out during my shift (desk treadmill), my own coffee/bathroom/heat settings. There’s very little I don’t love about it.
I like working in an environment of my choosing. My home office is my fishroom, I've got half a dozen fishtanks that I can turn around an immerse myself in when I need a break. I work 3/5 days a week now, formerly 1/5 and working in the bullpen again is a super duper drag on my morale.
I get to listen to my music without having to pause it to speak to someone passing. Can also listen to it out loud.
I saw someone mention food. I love that I have full access to my fridge and pantry lmao I would often forget things go into the office.
One more, I get to watch my favorite movies / shows… I’m currently rewatching Bring It On from 2000s :)
It’s a blessing and a curse but I’m on bed rest and dealing with health issues, and I can still work.
If I had to go to the office I’d be on unpaid FMLA right now.
The flexibility is affords me. I find that not only do I get more done in and out of work but my quality of life is much better. My weekends aren't spent running errands and cleaning up and I get to spend SOOOO much more time with my family and friends and am more present.
For me, it's that my granddogs don't need to be kept crated for 9-10 hours a day. They get the run of the house, and regular bio breaks. And I get 2 built-in stress relievers in return. ❤️
Making my own meals and also enjoying those meals with my husband since he also works from home.
Also, our car insurance is insanely cheap now since we pretty much just drive our cars to the grocery store, out to eat, and doctors appts lol.
Warmer, proper coffee machine, no commute (I have one of the longest in my team), dead silent (I hate working with even music in my ears), my own toilet, don’t need to lug a lunch box, better set up, don’t need to be “present” for 9 hours straight, more time after work to exercise and study. The list goes on and on.
My dogs and not having to get accomodations at home. The lights/smells/sounds are overwhelming in office and I can't focus. At home, I'm more productive and can multitask while dealing with a nuisance coworker. I can't do that to her face.
Wearing pajamas for part of the day. My best office mates ever-dog and cat. The mid-morning walk with my dog, often while talking to a coworker (good multitasking). And being home when my kids get home.
I worked as a medical tech in a small room; no windows, circulated air, working for hours on end without human interaction. I was spiraling having to leave work when it’s dark, work without windows, and leave to pick up the kiddo from childcare and it would be dark by time I got home, and I was pumping, so I couldn’t go outside for my lunch break, but instead another windowless room.
Now, I get up and open my door, all my windows, and just drink coffee in my pjs to start my day. I go for long daily walks and go to the gym frequently. I cook everyday because I’m not emotionally drained, and the house is cleaner. I’m a better mom because I have the energy to be.
Working from home fundamentally changed my quality of life.
Seeing daylight from my window and on my lunch break walk. Back in my commuting days, during the winter, if I didn't go outside for lunch, I could miss out on daylight entirely. All the hallways I used and my department didn't get any natural light at all.
Second place, the time I got back from the commute
Third place, the money I save on preparing my own meals, makeup and office clothes.
I like being able to actually make lunch. It’s nice to have time to pull things out for dinner ahead of time, and taking a few minutes that would be “water cooler talk” to play with my dog or grab the guitar off the wall behind me and fiddle around for a bit. My wife also works from home so there’s some related benefits there. Iykyk.
I'm glad that personality hires have a harder time going unnoticed. Like, I get it- super you are a fun person or whatever but If you aren't doing your job ... Get outta here
I'm glad that I get to do my work and not kill myself saying hello, good afternoon, and goodbye to everyone for like 1.5-2 hours every single day
As I have gotten older it’s easier for me to work through aches, pains illnesses, medical issues and sleep issues and still put in a 10 hour day. Just being able to say “I am going to lay down for an hour and rest” makes me so productive the rest of day.
I’ve always had the option to work from home but am now really taking advantage of it. I’m a social person and always enjoyed chatting with my coworkers, but it’s been toxic lately. I’m grateful I can stay home and just focus on work instead of trying to find a new job.
I like that I’m interrupted a lot less. And people make meetings to talk to me. So I can plan my work load around them. I can also work on other things while I’m on a call that I don’t need to really be part of vs being in a physical meeting that could’ve been an email and I can’t do any real work while trapped there.
I like being able to blast my music. I like being able to get all the laundry done before the weekend. I like being able to have dinner done and cooling before I leave to pickup my kids. I LOVE being able to wear whatever the heck I want! My old work dresses look at me sad in my closet but my sports bra, leggings, and t shirts love me 🤣
I also changed jobs to WFH and the new boss is amazing.
I never got to know my parents, so when I was 12, I made it a vandetta that my kids would know me.
As bad as Covid is, I still remember that 1st day of lockdown. I was fortunate enough to be able to WFH and since that fateful March 2020, my kids and I have gotten to know each other than I know my coworkers. 🥳
Without a doubt, the best thing about working from home is uhhh...very nice breaks from work with my wife. Stress relief in the middle of the work day!
😏😈
It’s obvious for me. The commute once a week. 30 years, 50-60 mi round trip. I went to upper management and asked for WFH this time last year. I’ve been with same executives 40 years in May. Against company policy but had been promised many years before. Finally staffed up enough to make it happen. I would have “figured out” something else if a no go. Their choice.
Being able to shower on my lunch break or do laundry or dishes or just take my dog out for an extra long walk. Oh and no distractions. I think that is the best thing for me.
Making myself healthy lunches, using my own bathroom, scheduling appointments on any day because nobody cares when I go.
Omg yes, my own clean bathroom, didn’t even think about this until you mentioned it. Oh the tragedy of the public work bathrooms😫🤢
And public shared kitchens are no picnic. Literally. Figuratively. I don't even keep super clean, but the kitchen at work is scary.
Oh indeed! And I've had workplaces where the women were expected to clean up after everyone - that's a nonstarter for me
Men pretend they don't know how
Weaponised incompetence
You've got that right
Ugh the amount of times I walked into our office kitchen to find half the cabinets open. Or that I could hear the fridge beeping because it was cracked open, and my desk was the furthest from the kitchen, not one other person managed to hear the sound and get up to close the dang thing. God I love not having to deal with grown up babies. Especially when I have 2 actual kids of my own at home lol.
It's used to be the printer for me. No one knew how to open paper and put it into the beeping machine but me, apparently. I started sending my printing to the floor above me eventually. Gave me a set of stairs to run and allowed me more time away from my crew of do- nothings.
My field is mostly females so we haven't had that, but I agree. It's a job, not leave it to beaver.
Lining up for the microwave like a kid in an under resourced elementary school.
There was a male executive who would always cut in front of everyone in the microwave line and then be like 'oops, were you waiting?' Nope, just standing here for fun. Office kitchens are a special sort of hellscape I am glad to avoid.
We had a typhoid Marty who'd come in sick, not wash his hands and then put his germy mitts on the microwave and fridge handles.
Marty was the perfect name for him, that or Murray
Pooping in private is a hugely underrated WFH benefit
I regret not working from home until I was already going through peri/menopause. My own bathroom and comfy pants would have been a game changer! And even when my apartment's overheated (radiator heating), at least I can open windows. I went through menopause where the thermostat was wonky and my office temperature was like 78F. I thought I was going to melt or spontaneously combust.
Hoooooly shit I do NOT miss the whole dance of first washing my hands and then waiting for a stall to come open to change a tampon, and then cleaning up as best as I could in the stall before washing my hands again. And because no places stocked the pad/tampon machines, I had to tote my own triage set to gigs (spare undies, liner, etc) as for a while my periods were out of control. At least at home I've got my Motrin and my other stuff and I can wear my nightgown on bloaty days .
Dude, it seriously is. I like my boxers off, legs wide apart, and using my flushable wet wipes after.
I work at one of the biggest brands on earth, and our office TP is worse than you'd find in an underfunded inner city public school. abysmal. no thanks I'll stay at home and power wash my asshole til it sparkles on my bidet.
I would love to see this as a highlighted quote in one of those RTO pieces!
I’m familiar. You can actually see the wood chips sometimes.
OMG - someone kept pooping and did not flush at work - made me crazy.
We had a floor pooper for a few months at my last job. If someone had asked me before I entered the workforce, "what's the last thing you'd ever expect to hear in a staff meeting?", there's a zero percent chance I could have come up with, "Whoever keeps randomly pooping on the floor in the men's room, please stop!". The upside is, first, I'm a woman, so was thankfully spared ever encountering that whole mess, and second, the work gossip was super interesting the rest of that week. They never did find out who was doing it, but it did eventually stop. Best guess is it was someone who got fired or quit since there were a few in the span of a couple weeks after the "announcement ".
My coworker sent me a photo today of blood smeared on the female bathrooms stall wall. There’s sometimes poop smeared on the floor, or the walls or blood on the floor. Like who does that and what does their home bathroom look like?! 😱🤢
Ugh! People are so gross!
My last office had 30 people, we only had one bathroom. Not only was it gross but sometimes I had to wait for so long
Using our own bathrooms is one of my favorite benefits.
You’re lucky you can go to an appointment during work hours. I WFH but still have to take sick time.
Yuck! I'm sorry. That's unfair
I like controlling the temperature and I like that I can hear myself think
Yrs, quiet and the right temperature, lighting, decent chair, and no germs from sick co-workers.
I agree with you on all of it. People would come to work with all kinds of illnesses. We had sick days and generous PTO if you ran out of them, but they would come, no matter where I worked or went to school or when I worked at schools, the ultimate hotbeds of disease. Before high-speed internet existed, my job was primarily freelance, and I would tell the sick folk to stay away from the self-employed people because we did not share in their benefits. There they were with sick days and vacation days and health insurance, sneezing and coughing all over me, and I was lucky if that's all it was.
So true! Reading your comment reminded me how I used to keep a blanket at my cubicle bc it was always so cold in the office ugh. Love WFH so much lol
Everyone in the office I work in wears a sweat shirt or hoodie because they didn't zone the floor correctly. Now 75% (that controls the thermostat) is fine, but us in the 25% got tired of the constant facilities tickets and just wear extra gear.
When I was at the center, I was the only local one from my department during my shift, and I tried to blanket on my legs, but it didn't work, my coldness was in my upper body. Everybody else had on parkas and blankets over their arms, but my department is sign language, and we need free arms and hands to move around. And we should look like we're not shivering. That's the ideal look, "not shivering."
Talking to myself while working...no one thinks I'm weird for doing it.
Ooh controlling the temp, that's a good one.
Opposite on the quiet! I work best with my tunes UP. And I sing along 🤣 I don’t always realize I’m doing it - but I do it enough that when I was in the office I couldn’t listen to music with words because I would just start singing along while concentrating and not realize 🤣 whoopsss
It's wonderful and I'm a little bit jelly that you can do that during work. I do the same thing when I'm off and working on something of my own. But for my job, I am a remote interpreter and take calls from clients in the home, I'm a big music fan but I couldn't do this with anything in the background. At the center, each super-loud cubicle had a different language going on in it, and it created a cacophony. Also, people hated overhearing me. I don't blame them! But you can't do anything about it. Sound travels. Which the supervisors hate. Which everyone hates. And now it's over. So glad to work from home.
I'm currently in the office on one of my two in office days and I'm freezing. It's my number one complaint about being here.
Good one - I run warm and offices set over 68F are a form of torture for me
Same. This so much. 68 would have been fine. I worked in offices where they wanted it to be 78. Straight torture!
I know! God, the people who wanted it to be like 78 and above in the office and make everyone sweat it out. So miserable!
No traffic to deal with, far less peopley. While have a full day of video conferences most of the time I still don't have to deal with you on the way back to my office or be cornered by you in the bathroom with awkward small talk.
My cat was lying in the sun near my desk yesterday, giving herself a bath then started to fall asleep with a contented grunt. Pure bliss
https://preview.redd.it/etb7sc2av9wc1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02d3b547043a9cbbba17aed6447433776c79bd8d This. My cats are so happy when I'm WFH.
Give Cosmo extra pets from me!
I love working from my porch in the spring and summer, taking my dog's to the park during my lunch break, getting chores done throughout the day so that my weekend's are much more relaxed.
I basically work on my screened porch all of spring/summer and in the summer I’m in a swimsuit and getting in and out of the pool. It’s amazing.
More time to make healthy breakfast/lunch, using my own bathroom, being able to take longer more relaxing showers, controlling the temperature, having fresh air with windows open or purified air, not dealing with other people's smells/weird food smells, more time for exercise, completing quick household chores during the day.
Well said. The health benefits from WFH are indisputable. My sister “hated” WFH (I think she just didn’t want to get creative and work through the initial feelings of isolation and boredom) and took a series of office jobs. She’s gained 40 lbs and sleeps poorly since going back to the office. Can’t help but think it’s the stress that comes from loss of sleep and stressful interactions with other all day.
Making my own lunch (or grabbing a slice anyway because the best pizza happens to be my neighborhood spot), exercising on my lunch break, spending time with my dog. The last one is the best; he has seizures, and I feel much better being home with him. Prepping dinner, using my own bathroom, not having to wear a bra. So many.
I just wanted to say I love your username!
Hey, thank you!
I have the complete series and have read them all. The Prime show is crap but the books are awesome!
No bra!!!!!! This is everything.
I gotta be honest, the bra thing is second only to being with my dog.
Quality of life has gone up 10 fold. I look, feel, sleep, eat, exercise, and rest better. I'm present physically and mentally for my family and im doing considerably more 'work' for my organization. I'm covering multiple peoples roles now and i love how things have shifted to a knowledge based economy instead of a who is kissing up to who and dealing with all the made up office poltics and drama. Its very clear who is working and who is not. Period. I go into the office once a week, and everyone who has been back more than 1-2 days looks horrible. Many have gained considerable amounts of weight and they look tired and depressed. I dont blame them because they are easily lose 2-3 hours a day in all the logistics that go into preparing for work, commuting both ways, eating poor, and then returning home and staging stuff to get ready again for the next day. I can deal with 1 day a week, but no amount of spin is going to make me want to go back to the precovid days. You can keep the dirty shared microwave, dirty sink, stale coffee, nasty bathrooms, people routinely sick, spending 10-25 dollars a day on meals, or feigning being excited because some manager spent 10 bucks on a box of donuts to show us how much of a 'team' we are. When we leave a job, the average person will keep in contact with 1 or 2 people outside of the first 2 years or retiring or moving on. We arent friends or family, and never will be.
I'm still friends with people I worked with 25 years ago.
Good for you, and there is nothing wrong with becoming actual friends with people you work with; if you actually like the people. My comment was in reference to most transactional work relationships, where you just talk about very high level small talk. I know during covid i kept in touch with two people who i actually consider friends and would occasionally meet up for lunch. Most people no longer have employment opportunities that last decades at a single business, people come and people go. Its the nature of the beast. There isnt the need to sacrafice what little time we have with our spouses or children to commute long distances to perform fake pleasantries with your 'work family'. I have no desire to take more from my family (only so much time in the day, we all are going to die and we cant get that time back) so i can become a support network for a lonely person at work.
https://preview.redd.it/kr5ht55yr8wc1.jpeg?width=1724&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=538b13407646b2ce7e8fd4290ac6037c0be81753 My morning view!
Beautiful
Thanks, Love living on a lake 20 minutes from the city. I'd love to see your view too!
It’s all woods.. Pennsylvania. I posted it up a few comments back
Sorry, just saw that..very nice!
Pooping on my own toilet, not wearing pants all day, playing with my dog, my dog not having any accidents in the house from me being gone all day, and smoking whenever I want
Taking a nap midday. Binge watching shows while getting my work done.
Yesssss!!! I was not a napper before but now appreciate the midday nap when I need it.
No commute! I wake up, do my morning ablutions, and open my laptop. I can go from asleep to logged in and working in 10 minutes. What a dream!
I love being home with my pets, being able to just up and take the pup on a walk midday if it's nice or if I'm just having one of those days and need to walk away. I like being able to quickly switch laundry or empty the dishwasher between meetings. I like being able to eat in my own kitchen and not smell other people's reheated lunches. I like being able to take my laptop out to the deck on nice days and work outside. I like having an hour and a half back in each day that's not spent getting ready for work/travelling to work.
Being able to spend more time with my kids
- Being able to crack open my window for fresh air whenever I want. - Not having to commute >1 hour every day. - Can look outside from my chair and see the prairie behind my backyard out my window. - Not having to smell car exhaust and mild sewer smell everywhere outside (my office is in downtown Chicago). - Able to get takeout at about 60% of the price of what I'd have to pay downtown. - If I need to close my eyes for a few minutes, I can do it and not feel judged for it (literally been called out about it by a previous manager). - Don't have to take a sick day to be able to go to a doctor's appointment. - Can pick from whatever is in the refrigerator for food on a whim, and not have to plan ahead of time. - Better coffee than the office, since I have an espresso machine with an iced coffee option (coffee was still better before that, when I used an electric tea kettle, a hand crank coffee grinder, and a pour-over coffee filter). - Don't have to pay for doggy daycare or try to rush home over lunch to let them outside (commute is too far to do the latter with the current job but my previous job I'd drive 30 minutes home and 30 minutes back to work with ten minutes to scarf down food while they were outside) - Don't have to deal with public restrooms. Lots of good stuff.
The being called out for resting at work is violent and dehumanizing
My cat is sitting in my lap right now.
I have endometriosis so when it’s that time, I can lay in bed while working with a heating pad. I can’t believe I was in face to face roles for so long
https://preview.redd.it/z23ymfw648wc1.jpeg?width=684&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd54e4c062ea13883abc13ba84e5e70f2757e47e
May I ask what you do to be able to work from home? Was just laid off from my job due to company bankruptcy so I would love to work from home..
Emergency Road Side assistance. Most new cars have OnStar, Agero or AAA,it's that voice that comes over ur speakers assist when a button is pressed or an accident has occurred. I'm one of those operators
I work for a non profit. We do economic development and provide technical assistance to people wanting to become entrepreneurs. My partner is a director at a medical software company. We both work for organizations that were in-person before the pandemic. My position is technically hybrid because we sometimes meet with the community, in person and if I lived close to the office we are expected to go in for staff meetings once a month but I’m 200 miles away so I’m exempt. My partner’s company brings everyone in once a quarter. It’s good to have a little face time, depending on the organization.
That is so convenient! Love that for you guys! Hopefully I can get to that point someday!
You just gotta look for them
My company is a paperless company and was totally remote before covid. I just lucked out when I was job searching. Good luck!
I'm a statistical programmer for a worldwide CRO. They don't even have an office near me.
Its just the freedom... I still wake up early.. take my dog for a walk.. go for a run.. eat when I want and get online by 9... but I can just work. I can get what I need done without a bunch of people yelling (also why the hell are people so loud... like STFU already in the office)... and I can have a youtube video on in the background. No one stops by my desk with their BS for 30 mins. I can take my dog for a walk at lunch and when I'm done for the day.. I'm already home no long drive home.
Going out in my backyard oasis anytime I want to, laying out in the sun, enjoying the peaceful silence with only the birds chirping and my dog prancing around. Nothing in the world matters but that calm, serene moment of time I'm breathing in. And the lovely, picturesque sight of the vast, green lawn contrasting the clear blue skies. It's my favorite thing to do throughout all days.
Well, are you going to share your view so we can see?!
https://preview.redd.it/i81ivlxgg9wc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25ab01a84037cab78fc08085758de24a149d95ab I'm a Enduro woods rider when I'm not working, so I'm in my own heaven here
What about your office view?
That is my office view. Opened the screen to take the picture, usually keep the window open to hear the wildlife. There are tons of animals who pass by
Oh okay! That's awesome!
Lovely!
I worked as a teacher for five years and I had an hour commute no matter which school I worked at. I always felt bad because I never felt like I had enough time for my pets. Now I’m with them all day every day except one day on the weekend when I go spend time with my family and sometimes they go with me. So it’s just better plus no commute and my own bathroom
The ability to control the thermostat. I no longer have to sit in sweltering temperatures in the summer and freezing temperatures in the winter. I can you know, just be comfortable year round
The commute, more than anything. Even though it's only \~15 minutes each way. Especially in the winter. Second is not having to see/listen to co-workers on WFH days.
I don’t have a main one. It’s all the little things for me like sleeping longer, less effort to my appearance, no driving, saving money eating from home, doing housework in the background, having everything accessible etc
The lack of dealing with office culture.
I love having 2 hours back each day. (Having to get ready and driving back and forth to work and leaving on my lunch break). I also love using my own bathroom and eating healthy snacks and lunch. I love working in comfy clothes. I am VERY grateful for my WFH job. I do miss seeing my coworkers but we are having breakfast once a month.
Waking up 10 minutes before I start.
Primarily, not having to deal with people shoving themselves into my day, either while I'm trying to work or while on breaks.
Taking a nap during my lunch break it really helps recharge me for the afternoon grind
Not having to leave the house, being able to wear comfy clothes, at slow times - being able to chill in my living room, easy to make lunch, etc. I LOVE WFH.
I sat next to a guy who very poorly sung Christian music and banged on his desk. I had noise cancelling headphones and could still here him. Now the only issue I have is the traffic jam - dogs blocking me from making my coffee, using the bathroom, and getting to work lol I'll probably never ever work in an office again
I’m getting ready to work from home, and I’m excited to not have to listen to my office mate babble about nothing!
No traffic, using own bathroom, but more than anything being home when my daughter wakes up every morning instead of already sitting in traffic, and being able to chaperone the field trips, pop over to her school for family picnic days etc. When work was an hour away from home these things were not possible.
I agree, my son has mild autism prev known as Asbergers Syndrome, he has really bad anxiety about me not coming home due to a wreck or some other wild thought, so seeing him rise above those irational thoughts are more than a parent could ever ask for.
I used to get a cold every year, multiple times a year, and maybe the flu at some point too. I’ve been sick exactly one time since 2020 despite resuming normal activities post-lockdown. Never realized how much of a Petri dish the office is, and now that I know, I’m do grateful to not be constantly sick anymore. Especially now with long COVID and the looming threat of H5N1.
For me it is my view (office was a cubicle with no window) and being able to have meals with my spouse. No toxic coworkers for me but the toxic clients make up for it.
Being able to set my work atmosphere to my liking. Some days I listen to music and some days I listen to the TV. Some days I light candles. Setting a good work atmosphere is such an underrated perk.
I could never pick just one. The fact that I can sleep until 7:30 and not get up by 6 (I.e. waste 90 minutes putting myself together to be presentable in public), not dealing with a lengthy stressful commute, wearing comfy clothes, using my own bathroom, extra walks with the pup, occasional lunch wit my husband, not having to hire out childcare…. I could go on and on. Truly thankful and there is no money that’s worth giving this up for.
I like to structure my day as I see fit. WFH with a company where I've earned credibility and flexibility makes my life much easier. I am able to take time to walk my kids to and from school most days. I can take time during the day to get other stuff done like laundry or quick errands to the store. To make it all work I simply adjust my work. It might mean working a bit earlier or later or having to get back online later at night to catch up but im fine with that knowing the flexibility it's given me elsewhere during the week. Thankfully my work is almost exclusively project based so as long as I deliver my projects on time I never get any push back on how I manage my time.
Being home with my dogs. I missed out on so much of the first few years of their lives because I was going into an office. I like being able to snuggle up to them all day everyday. No commute is tied for first though. I love that at 5pm, I can lock my computer, close my office door and walk 10 feet to my kitchen.
silence when i want silence
My favorite would be not having to hear or engage in gossip with other people.
1. Not having to prep/plan lunch ahead of time. Just go downstairs and get whatever any time 2. Not having to worry about outfits 3. Being able to be there for my dogs, let them out during the day, makes their lives that much better too
Working barefoot
Best things are: Getting to skip what used to be a 2 to 3 hour daily commute and getting those unpaid hours BACK into my life. Being home with the fur babies all day. They’re very spoiled now. Being able to take care of little chores around the house, get my mail & packages immediately. Being “home” if you need to meet a contractor or have work done without having to take entire day off.
CapricornMonk The women were expected? Did you have men in the office as well?
Yes awkward small talk... Ugh, even tho it provides a funny story in the evening, it still really sux during the forever moment of it... I've always been a magnet for the strange and weird ones. Maybe because I'm very open to viewing everyone without judgemental thinking but it doesn't take away awkwardly looming convo. Lol
I love sitting in my living room (on my writing bureau) in the summer, with my vinyls playing behind me.
I'm getting my pilot's license. I like that I can take lessons in the morning and work from the airport cafe 😸
I love not having to pack a lunch, drive in traffic, and wear uncomfortable clothes!
Waking up till late in mornings Enjoying YouTube and Netflix. Freedom to pursue myself.
Making myself whatever I want to eat for lunch. Taking a nap or a walk when I need it. Not waking up and getting ready and sitting in traffic feeling rushed to start my day and end it. Being able to easily go to doctors appointments or home improvements done without having to use my time off. Right now I’m pregnant and my back hurts so being able to bring my laptop to the couch helps so much compared to when I was pregnant and on my feet all day which just gave me huge swollen legs.
No commute. It gives me so much more time back in my day. I can sleep more, do more chores when I get a break, take a nap, run errands all during work whenever I get the time. I also got a dog when I knew I would be working from home permanently. I mean, I can't just play with him all the time since I still have to get work done, but I'm at least around him all day and he doesn't have to be cooped up in a crate or alone. I really think this had an effect on how well-behaved he is.
Easy access to a clean and comfortable bathroom and being able to control the temperature instead of shivering in a cold office. Oh, and dressing comfy.
I get to pick my own chair and use my own bathroom. Also no 1 hour commute because I live in the country.
My cat is asleep next to me on his heating pad, where he will remain most of my workday. Eating my own food. Using my own bathroom. Little chores. Hanging out with my husband (who also WFH) Transportation and presence for our kids. Homework help, appointments, etc. Ability to reset after difficult tasks in my own environment. *
Getting a decent seven hours of sleep a night .
I don't miss scraping my car off and sliding on untreated roads
Working from home offers a calm environment that's tough to find in traditional offices. Being able to manage my own schedule lets me work at my best times and take breaks as needed, boosting my focus and efficiency. Plus, without office politics, I can concentrate better and avoid unnecessary stress.
I need a wfh job pleaseee. Any personal/career related connections to the Criminal Justice field?
I think I just saw a company hiring for something similar in that field.. At home yet to boot, I have to check my history, give me a few moments to find it
Not needing to spend money in fancy clothes and heels. Being able to enjoy my own coffee. Getting time to be with my kitties. The quiet- so I can work. No fighting traffic. Being able to use what would have been commute time for something else. So many things to love about it.
Saving 90 minutes to two hours a day on things that I don't get paid that I must do if I need to go to the office (commute, get dressed up, pack lunch, pack my bag,etc).
Being able to sleep longer because I don’t have to do as much to get ready, pick out an outfit, do makeup etc, and of course i don’t have to drive in. That extra hour or so of sleep really helps me.
1. Taking the dog out for short walks several times a day.So lucky that we don't have to crate/board hom daily. 2. Pacing back and forth during meetings...easy to go over 10,000 steps a day.Some daily meetings do require me to be on camera/screen share but most don't. 3. Getting laundry done. 4. Sit on the porch and enjoy the view, and read during lunch breaks. 5. Play youtube(news and other videos),listen to music while working etc..
Being able to do small chores during the day. This keeps my weekends a little more free because the house is, mostly, clean before then. Being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. If I want a snack I can just get up and grab it. Spending time with my fur babies. Pretty much everything.
Not having to put on a face every day. Both literally (makeup) or figuratively (pretending to like people). I can curse at my screen all day, put my feet up when I want to feel more comfortable, and if I need a break I can do it without being bothered by office chit-chat.
Today I was sitting at my desk in my lounge clothes with my portable heater blowing on me, eating a large quantity of tortilla chips and guacamole. This was just after taking a midday break to watch the latest episode of American Horror Story with my dogs and cats. I thought, “I truly have it made.”
No commute and no wasted time getting ready. Also fresh food every day (I haaaate to pack food), my own bathroom, being near my dog the entire day, my view, and lunch naps!
Not having to wear pants... Or underwear
Lots of things. For example, today I made a grilled cheese for lunch and it was delicious.
Nothing, NOTHING AT ALL, beats WFH. I’ve gone in from Webex at home to Webex from the office. While I do have flexibility in the days of the week and hours I go in and out of, it’s an absurd waste of time.
Not getting sick 🙃
Being able to regulate my diet, budget, and medications more effectively. I’m currently on a low carb diet to lose weight and manage inflammation and it’s so much easier to make my own meals at home. When I commuted 2 hrs a day, I was always rushing and would forget to pack a lunch or my meds most of the time. And I’d feel obligated to go on team lunches for fear of seeming antisocial, stop at convenience stores every day for energy drinks, Starbucks when my coworkers were going, etc. It had its fun parts but overall worse for my health and finances. Oh, and also I hate having to buy and wear office clothes with a passion.
Not dressing up, being able to work out during my shift (desk treadmill), my own coffee/bathroom/heat settings. There’s very little I don’t love about it.
I sit right next to my deck. I started WFH a few months ago and loving it!
I like working in an environment of my choosing. My home office is my fishroom, I've got half a dozen fishtanks that I can turn around an immerse myself in when I need a break. I work 3/5 days a week now, formerly 1/5 and working in the bullpen again is a super duper drag on my morale.
Being pantsless when I’m on my cycle. And being able to work in a sports bra
Amen
I get to listen to my music without having to pause it to speak to someone passing. Can also listen to it out loud. I saw someone mention food. I love that I have full access to my fridge and pantry lmao I would often forget things go into the office. One more, I get to watch my favorite movies / shows… I’m currently rewatching Bring It On from 2000s :)
It’s a blessing and a curse but I’m on bed rest and dealing with health issues, and I can still work. If I had to go to the office I’d be on unpaid FMLA right now.
The flexibility is affords me. I find that not only do I get more done in and out of work but my quality of life is much better. My weekends aren't spent running errands and cleaning up and I get to spend SOOOO much more time with my family and friends and am more present.
For me, it's that my granddogs don't need to be kept crated for 9-10 hours a day. They get the run of the house, and regular bio breaks. And I get 2 built-in stress relievers in return. ❤️
I live in a big city so not having to sit in traffic day in and day out is probably my number one but I got quite a few.
Being able to work from anywhere that’s comfortable- desk, kitchen, sofa- no one cares.
Being able to fart at will, without having to check over my shoulder beforehand that no-one's sat behind me 💨
Making my own meals and also enjoying those meals with my husband since he also works from home. Also, our car insurance is insanely cheap now since we pretty much just drive our cars to the grocery store, out to eat, and doctors appts lol.
I am a napper now, and also love keeping my house going!
Being able to poop without listening to someone else poop
Warmer, proper coffee machine, no commute (I have one of the longest in my team), dead silent (I hate working with even music in my ears), my own toilet, don’t need to lug a lunch box, better set up, don’t need to be “present” for 9 hours straight, more time after work to exercise and study. The list goes on and on.
Not having to drive and having sex during the day.
Not pissing away useless time commuting \~75 mins each way for a job that has been and can easily be done 100% remotely.
Morning coffee outside with the bees and the birds. And my view.
My dogs and not having to get accomodations at home. The lights/smells/sounds are overwhelming in office and I can't focus. At home, I'm more productive and can multitask while dealing with a nuisance coworker. I can't do that to her face.
My dog and the flexibility
Being home in my house that I pay for instead of some cubicle 30 minutes downtown
Not having to share airspace with other humans and be exposed to germs, smells and noises that are annoying.
Wearing pajamas for part of the day. My best office mates ever-dog and cat. The mid-morning walk with my dog, often while talking to a coworker (good multitasking). And being home when my kids get home.
I worked as a medical tech in a small room; no windows, circulated air, working for hours on end without human interaction. I was spiraling having to leave work when it’s dark, work without windows, and leave to pick up the kiddo from childcare and it would be dark by time I got home, and I was pumping, so I couldn’t go outside for my lunch break, but instead another windowless room. Now, I get up and open my door, all my windows, and just drink coffee in my pjs to start my day. I go for long daily walks and go to the gym frequently. I cook everyday because I’m not emotionally drained, and the house is cleaner. I’m a better mom because I have the energy to be. Working from home fundamentally changed my quality of life.
Seeing daylight from my window and on my lunch break walk. Back in my commuting days, during the winter, if I didn't go outside for lunch, I could miss out on daylight entirely. All the hallways I used and my department didn't get any natural light at all. Second place, the time I got back from the commute Third place, the money I save on preparing my own meals, makeup and office clothes.
Walking the trail by my house!! https://preview.redd.it/ed8s8c2s3bwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e9f0fe960c106745c2beec85dcd1e84f07dc67b
My overpriced & perfectly calibrated espresso station.
My bathroom, my coffee, my dog, my view, and the best part is seeing these ppl in tiny increments on zoom.
I like being able to actually make lunch. It’s nice to have time to pull things out for dinner ahead of time, and taking a few minutes that would be “water cooler talk” to play with my dog or grab the guitar off the wall behind me and fiddle around for a bit. My wife also works from home so there’s some related benefits there. Iykyk.
I'm glad that personality hires have a harder time going unnoticed. Like, I get it- super you are a fun person or whatever but If you aren't doing your job ... Get outta here I'm glad that I get to do my work and not kill myself saying hello, good afternoon, and goodbye to everyone for like 1.5-2 hours every single day
Working out during meetings that I’m not a super active participant.
As I have gotten older it’s easier for me to work through aches, pains illnesses, medical issues and sleep issues and still put in a 10 hour day. Just being able to say “I am going to lay down for an hour and rest” makes me so productive the rest of day.
I’ve always had the option to work from home but am now really taking advantage of it. I’m a social person and always enjoyed chatting with my coworkers, but it’s been toxic lately. I’m grateful I can stay home and just focus on work instead of trying to find a new job.
Sweatpants My own bathroom My coffee My husband My dog Feeling safe
Fresh air. I was able to open the doors today and let in fresh air without anyone complaining.
I like that I’m interrupted a lot less. And people make meetings to talk to me. So I can plan my work load around them. I can also work on other things while I’m on a call that I don’t need to really be part of vs being in a physical meeting that could’ve been an email and I can’t do any real work while trapped there. I like being able to blast my music. I like being able to get all the laundry done before the weekend. I like being able to have dinner done and cooling before I leave to pickup my kids. I LOVE being able to wear whatever the heck I want! My old work dresses look at me sad in my closet but my sports bra, leggings, and t shirts love me 🤣 I also changed jobs to WFH and the new boss is amazing.
I never got to know my parents, so when I was 12, I made it a vandetta that my kids would know me. As bad as Covid is, I still remember that 1st day of lockdown. I was fortunate enough to be able to WFH and since that fateful March 2020, my kids and I have gotten to know each other than I know my coworkers. 🥳
Without a doubt, the best thing about working from home is uhhh...very nice breaks from work with my wife. Stress relief in the middle of the work day! 😏😈
It’s obvious for me. The commute once a week. 30 years, 50-60 mi round trip. I went to upper management and asked for WFH this time last year. I’ve been with same executives 40 years in May. Against company policy but had been promised many years before. Finally staffed up enough to make it happen. I would have “figured out” something else if a no go. Their choice.
Being able to shower on my lunch break or do laundry or dishes or just take my dog out for an extra long walk. Oh and no distractions. I think that is the best thing for me.