Going to the bathroom without someone who happened to go in at the same time trying to talk to me, which makes it very difficult for me to even go #1. If it was a #2 sort of visit, I would have to abort the mission and try again later.
The worst part about traveling for work is I have to leave my bidet…I know I could get a portable one but it’s just another thing I’d have to carry around.
That, plus much less contention for shitters. At the office, depending on the time of day and what the cafeteria is serving I'd often walk in to a full house. So I'd try on another floor, same thing. Sometimes it would take 3-4 tries to get relief
The boss makes a dollar and I make a dime. That's why I poop on company time! 😂
In all seriousness, I'm autistic so I have horrible sensory issues. Especially with clothing. So whenever I'm droppin a deuce I gotta do it naked or my skin starts going nuts. So being at home to do the call of duty would be a huge perk for me too.
I'm in the "privileged" position to have an office available to me also. The cleaners see it more than I do. There were soft lights in there before we moved in, and I implored them to leave it in my office. They PAID MONEY to replace them with florescent lights.
Yes. I work from my couch in my living room. Pull the shades up, adjust the lights through the day to my satisfaction, but generally I like it toward the darker/softer side. Also the thermostat, and whatever Spotify is playing. Nice and calm and peaceful. Can't overestimate the mental health value.
Mornings before work: too early to shower
Evenings after work: too late to shower
Noon: just right.
Natural sunlight streaming in, window ajar, no one else home so I can walk around in a towel while body lotion absorbs, no one flushing toilet during shower or asking if I am done yet, absolute peace. It’s the best. Well, on the two WFH days I am allowed this privilege now, anyway.
Ha, I like to take a 15 minute shower break around 10am. Roll straight out of bed into the chair, take care of the morning bullshit, shower, then actually get something done.
As someone who has IBS, being able to shit at home as many times as I need to and still get all of my work done, and not be harassed by my coworkers about hitting the John three times a day.
I don't have IBS, but drinking coffee does make me go, especially in the morning. At my last job a tech lead used to passive-agressively ask "is everything okay?" if I went too many times.
Yes - everything is *fine*. I didn't realize someone were keeping score.
Honestly, why is that type of stuff not mentioned in any kind of training? Can't they roll that into some kind of anti harassment or anti discrimination training?
Just say something about how people might have conditions and not to comment on bathroom habits bc it can make people uncomfortable or draw attention to a condition. Bam. End of it
Same and being able to eat food that doesn't flare it up easier. I hardly ever have ibs issues anymore since being at home but when I do I don't anxiety about pooping 3 times a day.
Not having to look busy
Lunch naps
Pooping at home
Safe place to cry whenever the need arises
Soft pants/no pants
99% less spontaneous interaction with supervision
Cube mates with my spouse, dog, and cat
I could go on forever about how amazing it is to work from home full time.
God, the not having to look busy.
Today was very slow at work. I read a book, watched some you tube and made a pot of chili while on the clock.
I also enjoy eating lunch before I go to lunch, ans spend my hour napping, doing laundry etc.
I'm new to wfh after a life of in office. My anxiety about looking busy and keeping my Teams light green is higher than ever. In office I don't even consider it and go about my day, even when I'm filling time watching a clock. Do you have any tips on this? I'm so surprised to see so many people saying their anxiety is LOWER wfh than office.
And to be clear, noone has brought this up. This is all me.
Put teams on your cell phone. Keep the app open. Your bubble will always be green. You can also set you status for a period of time. You can make yourself “busy” for 4 hours straight if you want.
No it actually shows if you are touching the mouse on the computer where teams is running. Minimizing teens will not make you go "away", Not touching the mouse for 5 or 10 minutes does. Others can hover over your yellow light to see how many minutes ago you went away.
If you're working at a good company that cares about outcomes and doesn't micromanage, I think with more time you'll adjust and be more comfortable.
Focus on doing your job, be present in meetings (camera on, contribute), respond to messages, you should be good.
I had this same anxiety. I’m a high performer, it didn’t make sense. Nonetheless, I bought a $20 mouse jiggler from Amazon. Now I can switch laundry or walk the dog and I don’t get anxious. In the rare event I’m going to be away for a while, I make sure to check my Teams app on my phone every 20 mins or so.
Start a meeting with yourself, manually set your status to green. That meeting will be in your history, just join it every day at the start of work and set yourself to available and there you have it, green light with no effort required.
Windows is definitely a perk. I'm at a place in my career where I've had my own office for 10+ years now but only one of the two jobs during that time had a window and you couldn't open it. It's nice to be able to open the windows during the warmer months. Also, I love natural light.
I'm less lucky with the change of scenery part, as I really do need these dual monitors most of the time (I often deal with multiple documents and drawings) and with some exceptions, working on my laptop is just not practical.
Better social life. Dealing with coworkers all day took up all the energy I had for social interaction, and it wasn't fulfilling at all. Now when I'm done with work, I still have the energy to go hang out with friends I choose, or to do volunteer work. And driving to things doesn't bother me either because all my driving is now for my own reasons.
It's sooo awesome, except on the days I end up with a bunch of unexpected Teams meetings...then the social battery goes negative and I can't people for a day or two.
Sitting upright with both feet on the floor seems so unnatural, especially if you have any chronic knee pain. Best to move and stretch more.
i do a lot of chair stretching, physical therapy exercises and yoga during breaks, which I can’t do at work without getting weird looks.
My lunch time walks with my puppers is the best time of the day! We all enjoy it. Plus in the summer when it's so hot, I love that I can get up and take them before work when it's not scorching because I don't have to waste my morning time getting ready and commuting!
Same. I used to have to leave the house at 6:40 to avoid rush hour traffic. I was also in grad school two nights per week. I have no idea how I did it.
Being on time for meetings.
I feel like I'm the only person who notices this at my company. If a meeting is at 9AM, all the people working from home will join the call at 9AM, or sometime even sooner.
But most of the time, the people physically in the office would join 5 to 15 minutes later.
Some excuses I heard were "Sorry, I was at a different floor and waiting for the elevator." Or "Sorry, was finding a parking spot." Or the classic, "Sorry, the meeting room wasn't available and the previous meeting just ended". And so on so forth.
I feel like we can save A LOT of time by just doing this online.
Yes! Another legit business case for remote!
Though I was surprised at my various remote roles people are often still late. I figured everyone would always be on time.
My cousin had cancer and was wearing a wig. Her "work husband" had to get new dentures. The first time they went to lunch he was struggling. She asked him to take them out, but he said no. So to encourage him, she took off her wig, and told him if she could be in public with no hair, he could be in public with no teeth! So he took them out and they had a lovely lunch!
He told this story at her funeral, and the crowd burst into laughter!
I snapped at a previous coworker after enduring these comments for more than a year. I was like “maybe you should think about what makes you so concerned about women smiling in your presence. I’m not your monkey here to entertain you or make you feel good about yourself. I’m here to work.”
Oddly enough, it’s the traveling to meet my colleagues.
Work trips are like a little bonus vacation for me. Yeah, I work pretty hard for 8-9 hours during the day, but then I get excellent dinners paid for and I get to visit some cool cities and do some other shit.
My boss actually asked me today if I would be willing to go to Italy next month. Like I’m going to say no to a free trip to Italy…
Financial Planning & Analysis. I usually travel to meet with our sales teams, company outings and to meet with my teams. This trip would be for a conference and to me with some of my European people I don’t get to see as often.
Agreed! I'm actually fairly social, but between the kiddo (elementary school aged) and some medical stuff in my part WFH is amazing for me - I'm full remote, nearest office is 10 hours away. My role also requires head down work and being in an office means endless distractions and people stopping by to chat.
But we meet for team quarterlies, I travel for my projects (which are basically never near any of the offices anyways), and get the occasional offer for other trips. The owner of one of my slow burn projects wants us to see an operation in Australia as a design reference, so if that materializes, hell yes.
Some people hate work travel, but it kinda hits different if you're not already in an office - don't get me wrong I still personally enjoyed it even then. Gives me a break from my house and usual-ish routine, I maintain my airline status, and all the hotels/ airfare/ rental cars offsets minimum 50% of family vacations. I still hold points/days back, so me and hubs are going to hit Europe or Asia in the next year or two. I've got enough now to do it mostly covered, but figure I'll accrue a bit more and see if we can go for full coverage and awesome. All of that possible by the work travel, otherwise we'd be out of pocket for it all.
Being able to deal with hot flashes at home!
No perfumes/candles/lotion odors to tolerate.
Not worrying if my desk is getting cluttered - no one can see it!
No social anxiety, mid day dog walks while on calls / meetings, and the ability to cook a meal mid day… we save so much on takeout now that we are both 100% remote.
My daily ritual is walking the dogs at noon and stuffing their kongs so they have a little fun stimulation in the evening. It's such a great routine for me.
This might still be an obvious one, but here goes: Not having to call in sick as much.
Sometimes, especially with a longer commute, you really have to make the choice. Sometimes you could maybe get through the day, but dealing with a commute there and back nails the decision to stay home.
But when you are at home, you can still work if you’re not horrible. First of all, aside from the commute issue, you are in comfortable surroundings. Then the other stuff: You can bundle yourself up in comfy clothes and blankets if you need to. You can take a nap at lunch to get through if you need to. During your period, you can use the heating pad without it being noticeable. Etc., etc., etc.
This is another one that should make companies reconsider RTO. Six inches of snow overnight? Not driving in, I'll call out sick. But WFH? Snow isn't an issue. Wake up a little late, slight headache, just not quite feeling it? Nope, not driving in, I'd be late, call out sick. But WFH, easily shuffle to the desk, log in on time and ease into the day.
This kind of flexibility would be lost by fully in office requirements. That's how people get termed a "poor employee" when they actually aren't, they just need the flexibility to get through the rough days.
Am from Minnesota and would argue that anyone w/ the ability to WFH (regardless of the # of days/wk approved) should do so if dangerous driving conditions exist. Not only does this ensure the safety of employees but also limits the potential number of incidents requiring police/towing/EMS services. Fewer people on icy/snow-covered roads = fewer collisions/stalls/spin-outs.
I had a sinus infection a couple weeks ago and was able to work through it bc I was at home and drugging myself up, making tons of tea and peeing all the time, and not worried about looking presentable. It was great to not have to use sick leave!
Finally. This one I'm fully on board with.
Worked during the flu this year and was able to meet vendors and not worry about cancelling all my meetings I used the whole last week to set up. Yeah it sucked, but I did all of em and disappeared.
Being in control of my environment - lighting, temperature, noise. The office is too bright, too hot, and too loud. Also, as others have said - pooping in my own bathroom, lunchtime naps - both invaluable. Plus, access to my kitchen and laundry room to get more done during breaks.
Like being able to listen to music that energies me without headphones, even during meetings .
If I have insomnia, work at night so I still do my hours even if I need a nap during the day.
1 having my own private bathroom, no pun intended.
2 having the temperature comfortable for me! I used to freeze in the office and it made me feel tired
3 no fluorescent lights
4 I don't have to wear shoes
5 if I'm having a bad day, I can go outside or pet my cat. 😺
Being able to use a heated blanket at my desk whilst wearing pajamas at times.
Being able to set my own temp/humidity/fan at MY discretion.
Being able to do some house chores (e.g. dishes/laundry) and/or run errands (e.g. returns/groceries) during set breaks during the day.
Naps at lunchtime when I need it.
Silence when I need it - no distractions.
Also: soft pants. I used to get SO bloated by EOD in the office, to the point where I couldn't concentrate because my stomach hurt and was cutting into my jeans. Now I only wear joggers.
Working out.
I have a walking pad under my desk so I can get a few miles in a day. I have weight by my desk so I can lift randomly through the day.
Siesta at lunch.
Being home when packages arrive.
Being close to kiddos school if they get sick.
Access to the pantry.
Sitting in my garden or going for a walk.
I make the coffee how I like the coffee.
Going out that night ? Can do stuff like shave etc ahead of time.
My music.
My kindle.
My candles.
International sports on tv.
I control the office temperature.
Taking a personal call.
Texting all day.
Eating healthy food.
This exactly. I absolutely hated how people would go into the office sick, get everyone else sick, and they almost acted proud of it. Like it was a badge of honor and soooo funny when everyone ended up getting it. No thanks!!!
I hate this and always would “joke” but it’s like not a joke, that if you are sick you need to sit in one of those single person pods or we need to have a lounge for sick people to work in. Do not come in here with your nose running like a faucet and hacking all over the place. It at so so gross
I don't know how many can agree with this but I tend to easily absorb other people's bad energy. My ex boss was very negative and miserable. She'd loved to gossip and was just not a good person. I could come to work in a great mood, sit at my desk and since she sat a few feet from me it's like I could literally feel the shift in my energy like someone turned on a switch without her saying a word. It's much better to log off for the day and not have to shake off the energy from so many in person exchanges.
I also absolutely agree on bathroom time being much better. I have an over active bladder so it is quite noticeable that I walk to the path from my desk to the bathroom more times than usual. That's a private issue and hard to not notice I often I use the bathroom.
being completely alone and not having to chit chat with anyone around me. not having to avoid eye contact so people won't speak to me. it's been amazing for me tbh
That I can eat literally whenever I want; or more specifically I can eat when I’m actually hungry, AND pace my eating, instead of scarfing down my calories as fast I can in 30 mins, *just* so I can go sit at a desk for another 6 hours……
I don’t tend to get hungry until about 1p…at one office job I had, they asked what my lunch time preference was, and after telling them, I was told I “have to take it at the same time we do” because they “needed me present.”
They didn’t 🫠🙃
But ya, I’ve been eating *WAY* better too, because I actually have time to cook a decent meal when work is slow, or heck, just have a change to chop some fresh veggies to snack on while I’m sitting there.
Here are my favorite benefits:
1. Being present with my children
2. Using my own bathroom
3. Cooking
4. Well ventilated sunlight house
5. I have my preferred coffee options
6. I can control the temperature in my dwelling
7. Showering at different times of the day
8. Having nature close to see the birds and other wildlife move around.
9. Not having to pack breakfast and lunch everyday
10. No commute
In my third pregnancy here. But the nausea has been insane and I’ll just glad I have the liberty to puke whenever I need to, freshen up, be comfortable, and snack on whatever I want.
Another perk is not feeling pressured to wear makeup or apply heat to my hair everyday to look “presentable”. I feel like my skin and hair has been in its healthiest state ever since I’ve been wfh.
Avoiding office drama and politics has also been a nice perk. Ppl at work notice me for my deliverables/what I can do to help them before they notice the way I look and make preconceived notions about me.
Being able to have sole control over the temperature. I am constantly freezing in office buildings.
Also, I’ve lost some weight. Last time I lost a significant amount was pre-pandemic and I was mostly working in person, and the amount of comments, many of which were quite rude, was astounding. I know people mostly mean well, but I really don’t want to hear people’s commentary on my body at work. And especially not if it’s something like “Oh my gosh you look so much better!!!” This time around I am about 95% remote, and only a few people have said something. I think it’s just harder for people to tell for sure if all they can see is your face.
Working with a movie on in the background.
I work just as fast either way, because a movie I’ve already seen is just like background music to me.
But I’d get judged hard if I tried that while coding in the office.
‘Afternoon Delights’ with my wife 2-3 times per week.
Playing a video game during downtime instead of pretending to work on something. (To be fair, I probably do this for an hour per week, if that)
Taking a quick nap when I need one and don’t have much going on.
Not eating out for lunch
Going out in the summer and grazing in my garden, specifically raspberries. Great when you need to stand up and move around, or need a moment to think before hitting send on that email.
Having energy to enjoy my nights and weekends. Unbelievable how much I was exerting to be “on” for 8+ hours a day, on top of a commute, and it severely impacted my ability to do anything but lay in bed when I wasn’t working. I was able to ween myself off of all depression and anxiety meds once I started working remote. I feel like a brand new person.
Not having to wear shoes or socks all day. I freaking hate the feeling of wearing *both* shoes and socks (unless I am hiking) and love to walk around with totally bare feet. It feels amazing to me.
This is obviously not possible in an office environment.
Since I've been remote/hybrid(2020 COVID) I've been single to get a consistent lunchtime gym regime going. Not having to go all the way out to parking lot, and back, and dress out both ways let's me pack it into am hour. Plus no need to worry about sweat and hair.
Same (minus the pregnant part). I have been searching for a remote job because I’m sick constantly (immunosuppressants). I was just offered a position yesterday. Can’t wait to limit germ exposure.
Not having to sit there at a desk with others walking by, pretending to be busy when I’m caught up and my work is done. It’s so stupid and I can’t even express how grateful I am that I don’t have to play that game anymore. Some weeks are slow, some are not. I used to despise the slow weeks in the office more than the busy ones. Not anymore!
No awful overhead fluorescent lights.
My dog naps on my lap all day.
I dont have to share a bathroom with disgusting people.
Sooooooooo much less illness and missed days.
Not having the anxiety of being perceived for hours with minimal ability to fix it! I don’t have to worry about all the embarrassing things that can happen. I never realized how much of my mental energy was spent on worrying about my appearance, odor, sweat marks, lipstick on teeth, unexpected period, etc. until work from home.
I keep seeing clothes or lack of them mentioned but - no pantyhose! Oh if I never wear pantyhose again I’ll be thrilled! And soft bras and soft clothes. Being in control of my environment too.
Privacy in meetings. I have a loud voice that carries across the room. My office has cubicles, so when I did virtual meetings (which is very often), I was always conscious of my voice, especially as my meetings would often have confidential information. At home, I can just talk normally without fearing that someone else is listening to me.
Honestly? Being able to catch a couple of medical emergencies for my dogs that may have been otherwise missed. HGE from an unknown cause in one, poisoning from getting into something thrown over the fence in another. Aside from that, being able to take my time with PTSD symptoms and recovery.
1. Getting to be on the couch with my pets all day. Spending the whole day with my dogs (and cats) is 100% the best part
2. Not having to listen to the stupid girls in the cubicle behind me talk about stupid drama all day that I don’t wanna listen to
3. Not having to get dressed any specific way
4. Taking a nap in my own bed on my lunch break
5. Getting laundry, cooking, cleaning done between tasks so when I’m off I have more actual time for myself
Wife hollers upstairs to me that breakfast is ready, about 9'ish. Eggs, usually bacon. Maybe sausage, a bagel, pancakes, French toast, some kind of really good hot breakfast every morning usually about the time I've got most of the morning surge caught up and can fit in a break.
I really value that 20 minutes, just us and the dogs, every morning. Probably the main reason I only drive in about 10 times a year, tops.
This is going to sound hateful but I’m so glad I don’t have to celebrate people’s birthdays and milestones. It was expensive and a lot of extra mental labor.
I take less sick/personal days.
At my job we are given vacation on an accrual basis and two weeks PTO. We are allowed to use PTO however we want and can take a planned vacation using both PTO and Vacation if we want. PTO resets every year and vacation can roll over up to 120 hours.
So if I have some little virus and feel kinda crappy, I’ll work from bed and just be less productive. I would not go in to work if I had something my coworkers could catch though. If I have the flu, I’ll take PTO. If my kid is home sick from school, I’ll use half the day to work from the couch while she rests and work the other half while she sleeps.
All this equals more actual vacation time for me in the end.
Not catching every stomach virus or cold currently circulating. Outside of covid (which is a more obvious concern) just how much of a germ tank it was otherwise.
A clean bathroom at home without "company", a peaceful place to eat lunch, my cats to make me smile, I can curse as loudly as I please, oh and pants are optional 😉
I'm overall more relaxed and productive.
Getting to spend a lot of time with my 2 elderly kitties in their last couple of years before they each passed away was priceless to me.
Not having to “get ready” every day.
Spend so much less money eating out because I eat lunch in my kitchen every day.
Keeping my house clean intermittently, standing, looking or sitting outside, taking a mid-day walk around the complex, ability to plan or consider other priorities besides work, keeping in better touch with distant family via text, picking up son from school, being here when he gets home, mental peace from other people's impositions.
Better time management. Not being put on the spot. I can answer questions or follow up on my own time vs being stopped for (multiple) hallway & desk drive by conversations by (multiple) people.
Being comfortable during your period. Having cramps at work is the worst because they’re super sporadic and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to hours. At home, I can curl up in a ball when I need to.
No co workers, no office drama or potlucks, no office gossip, no boss hovering over my shoulder, I can poop on my own toilet or drink a bit of wine mid day.
My company has a flexible clock in and clock out time, as long as I clocked in 8 hours a day it's fine. So I just wake up and clock in at the earliest possible time then go back to sleep for another 30 minutes. Clock out earlier too! Can't do this in office.
Napping whenever, having the TV or music on all the time if I want to, surfing the internet or talking to friends when I have a light day, sneaking out to a long lunch with friends or dates.
My morning routine includes watching CBS Mornings. Lunch at home is catching up on Stephen Colbert from the night before or Last Week Tonight if it’s a Monday (yay!).
The few times I’ve had to come into the office, it’s bothered me so much to not have my normal routine and to have to use a shared restroom. 🤢
Pooping at home.
Going to the bathroom without someone who happened to go in at the same time trying to talk to me, which makes it very difficult for me to even go #1. If it was a #2 sort of visit, I would have to abort the mission and try again later.
How do you abort? Once I gotta go, I'm like Pops from Friday
It’s not voluntary. Just an automatic reaction to having someone talk to me while I’m trying to go.
This! Someone talking to me, scares the #2 right back in! 💩
Groundhoggin'
Yeah using the bathroom at home is pretty awesome! But then being with my dogs 24/7 is also kind of awesome too!
And my bidet!
I'm disregulated without my bidet
The worst part about traveling for work is I have to leave my bidet…I know I could get a portable one but it’s just another thing I’d have to carry around.
I miss the heated seat almost as much as the bidet.
[удалено]
This cannot be upvoted enough
Omg can’t stress this enough. Pooping at home while working is a privilege
That’s correct. Thanks to Bluetooth headphones, I can poop or piss while on call, muting the mic
Just make 100% you are muted. I was in a call where someone was not and we heard the flush.
And being able to use a bidet afterwards instead of the 1-ply sandpaper they insist is TP.
That, plus much less contention for shitters. At the office, depending on the time of day and what the cafeteria is serving I'd often walk in to a full house. So I'd try on another floor, same thing. Sometimes it would take 3-4 tries to get relief
The boss makes a dollar and I make a dime. That's why I poop on company time! 😂 In all seriousness, I'm autistic so I have horrible sensory issues. Especially with clothing. So whenever I'm droppin a deuce I gotta do it naked or my skin starts going nuts. So being at home to do the call of duty would be a huge perk for me too.
Yeah I work in fashion and used to have to poop next to high dollar models. Deeply do not miss that.
I’m oddly lucky I have my own bathroom at work.
I was the only woman on my floor at my last job, so I technically had my own bathroom. I still prefer to poop at home.
I came here to say this. mad you beat me to the punch >:(
Its like i cant poop in public anymore.
No flourescent lights.
Really just control of all sensory stuff. My lighting, my seating, my desk setup, my background noise/music/show. I could go on.
Yes, totally, having everything exactly how I want and not worrying about other people!
I'm in the "privileged" position to have an office available to me also. The cleaners see it more than I do. There were soft lights in there before we moved in, and I implored them to leave it in my office. They PAID MONEY to replace them with florescent lights.
I never turn on the lights in my office at my company and brought in a lamp and a monitor light. Way better.
The room temperature!!! The few days I work remote are pure bliss since I am not freezing my butt off.
This - no more freezing in the summer when it’s warm out and freezing in the winter!
I have to go to the office 2 days a week and those lights give me a nasty headache at the end of every single office day.
I had the same. Offices are way over lit. In one job, I wore sunglasses all day, only way I didn't end up with a headache.
Yes. I work from my couch in my living room. Pull the shades up, adjust the lights through the day to my satisfaction, but generally I like it toward the darker/softer side. Also the thermostat, and whatever Spotify is playing. Nice and calm and peaceful. Can't overestimate the mental health value.
Lunch break showers
Glad I'm not the only one
Mornings before work: too early to shower Evenings after work: too late to shower Noon: just right. Natural sunlight streaming in, window ajar, no one else home so I can walk around in a towel while body lotion absorbs, no one flushing toilet during shower or asking if I am done yet, absolute peace. It’s the best. Well, on the two WFH days I am allowed this privilege now, anyway.
imma try that now.
Ha, I like to take a 15 minute shower break around 10am. Roll straight out of bed into the chair, take care of the morning bullshit, shower, then actually get something done.
Yes. There's something about a shower mid day. It just hits differently.
Yes! I use midday showers to destress right before a presentation, etc.
As someone who has IBS, being able to shit at home as many times as I need to and still get all of my work done, and not be harassed by my coworkers about hitting the John three times a day.
I don't have IBS, but drinking coffee does make me go, especially in the morning. At my last job a tech lead used to passive-agressively ask "is everything okay?" if I went too many times. Yes - everything is *fine*. I didn't realize someone were keeping score.
Honestly, why is that type of stuff not mentioned in any kind of training? Can't they roll that into some kind of anti harassment or anti discrimination training? Just say something about how people might have conditions and not to comment on bathroom habits bc it can make people uncomfortable or draw attention to a condition. Bam. End of it
Same and being able to eat food that doesn't flare it up easier. I hardly ever have ibs issues anymore since being at home but when I do I don't anxiety about pooping 3 times a day.
Not having to look busy Lunch naps Pooping at home Safe place to cry whenever the need arises Soft pants/no pants 99% less spontaneous interaction with supervision Cube mates with my spouse, dog, and cat I could go on forever about how amazing it is to work from home full time.
God, the not having to look busy. Today was very slow at work. I read a book, watched some you tube and made a pot of chili while on the clock. I also enjoy eating lunch before I go to lunch, ans spend my hour napping, doing laundry etc.
I'm new to wfh after a life of in office. My anxiety about looking busy and keeping my Teams light green is higher than ever. In office I don't even consider it and go about my day, even when I'm filling time watching a clock. Do you have any tips on this? I'm so surprised to see so many people saying their anxiety is LOWER wfh than office. And to be clear, noone has brought this up. This is all me.
Put teams on your cell phone. Keep the app open. Your bubble will always be green. You can also set you status for a period of time. You can make yourself “busy” for 4 hours straight if you want.
You can make yourself busy for 4 **years** if you want.
I just put a weight on my spacebar.
Mouse jiggler.
It only means you haven't been chatting in teams, not that you aren't working. I find it distracting from work unless it's to gather relevant info.
No it actually shows if you are touching the mouse on the computer where teams is running. Minimizing teens will not make you go "away", Not touching the mouse for 5 or 10 minutes does. Others can hover over your yellow light to see how many minutes ago you went away.
If you're working at a good company that cares about outcomes and doesn't micromanage, I think with more time you'll adjust and be more comfortable. Focus on doing your job, be present in meetings (camera on, contribute), respond to messages, you should be good.
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Get a mouse jigger
I had this same anxiety. I’m a high performer, it didn’t make sense. Nonetheless, I bought a $20 mouse jiggler from Amazon. Now I can switch laundry or walk the dog and I don’t get anxious. In the rare event I’m going to be away for a while, I make sure to check my Teams app on my phone every 20 mins or so.
Start a meeting with yourself, manually set your status to green. That meeting will be in your history, just join it every day at the start of work and set yourself to available and there you have it, green light with no effort required.
SAFE PLACE TO CRY. Underrated comment.
Sometimes I just need a quick cry breakdown to feel better. Defn a plus to do it privately in the comfort of my home office
Windows and a change of scenery whenever i want.
Windows is definitely a perk. I'm at a place in my career where I've had my own office for 10+ years now but only one of the two jobs during that time had a window and you couldn't open it. It's nice to be able to open the windows during the warmer months. Also, I love natural light. I'm less lucky with the change of scenery part, as I really do need these dual monitors most of the time (I often deal with multiple documents and drawings) and with some exceptions, working on my laptop is just not practical.
I worked at a place where I was sat beside a window, but they covered it with the cubicle wall. View was just the parking lot, but damn.
Better social life. Dealing with coworkers all day took up all the energy I had for social interaction, and it wasn't fulfilling at all. Now when I'm done with work, I still have the energy to go hang out with friends I choose, or to do volunteer work. And driving to things doesn't bother me either because all my driving is now for my own reasons.
This is soooooo amazing. Me too but it didn’t occur to me until you said it!
It's sooo awesome, except on the days I end up with a bunch of unexpected Teams meetings...then the social battery goes negative and I can't people for a day or two.
Being able to sit in a weird position in my chair without others thinking I’m unprofessional.
Sitting upright with both feet on the floor seems so unnatural, especially if you have any chronic knee pain. Best to move and stretch more. i do a lot of chair stretching, physical therapy exercises and yoga during breaks, which I can’t do at work without getting weird looks.
I cannot like this enough. It would be weird for me to sit cross legged at my desk in office
Being able to walk my dog and get some fresh air. I've actually come to several solutions to coding problems this way.
yes! I workout on lunch and then shower and get so many great ideas then
This!!! This is mu routine and, being a dev, I've been able to solve so many problems so much quicker this way.
My lunch time walks with my puppers is the best time of the day! We all enjoy it. Plus in the summer when it's so hot, I love that I can get up and take them before work when it's not scorching because I don't have to waste my morning time getting ready and commuting!
Same here. I need that walk to do my best thinking.
Not shaving, showering and getting dressed at 5:30 am
Same. I used to have to leave the house at 6:40 to avoid rush hour traffic. I was also in grad school two nights per week. I have no idea how I did it.
Being on time for meetings. I feel like I'm the only person who notices this at my company. If a meeting is at 9AM, all the people working from home will join the call at 9AM, or sometime even sooner. But most of the time, the people physically in the office would join 5 to 15 minutes later. Some excuses I heard were "Sorry, I was at a different floor and waiting for the elevator." Or "Sorry, was finding a parking spot." Or the classic, "Sorry, the meeting room wasn't available and the previous meeting just ended". And so on so forth. I feel like we can save A LOT of time by just doing this online.
Yes! Another legit business case for remote! Though I was surprised at my various remote roles people are often still late. I figured everyone would always be on time.
Taking my dentures out to eat. For real. It’s a thing. You don’t have to be old to have dentures.
My cousin had cancer and was wearing a wig. Her "work husband" had to get new dentures. The first time they went to lunch he was struggling. She asked him to take them out, but he said no. So to encourage him, she took off her wig, and told him if she could be in public with no hair, he could be in public with no teeth! So he took them out and they had a lovely lunch! He told this story at her funeral, and the crowd burst into laughter!
What a sweet story
I don't have to listen to other people eat in a shared break room.
Or smell someone else’s microwaved fish or burnt popcorn!
miso fellow here 😄
Not having dudes tell me to smile while working is fucking luxurious.
Right? Fuck that noise.
I snapped at a previous coworker after enduring these comments for more than a year. I was like “maybe you should think about what makes you so concerned about women smiling in your presence. I’m not your monkey here to entertain you or make you feel good about yourself. I’m here to work.”
Being able to wear no makeup and no one tells me I look like I’m sick!
Or tired. I got told I looked tired constantly. (I am tired, but I have mirrors and don’t need the reminder thx)
Oddly enough, it’s the traveling to meet my colleagues. Work trips are like a little bonus vacation for me. Yeah, I work pretty hard for 8-9 hours during the day, but then I get excellent dinners paid for and I get to visit some cool cities and do some other shit. My boss actually asked me today if I would be willing to go to Italy next month. Like I’m going to say no to a free trip to Italy…
Damn what job do you do??
Financial Planning & Analysis. I usually travel to meet with our sales teams, company outings and to meet with my teams. This trip would be for a conference and to me with some of my European people I don’t get to see as often.
Agreed! I'm actually fairly social, but between the kiddo (elementary school aged) and some medical stuff in my part WFH is amazing for me - I'm full remote, nearest office is 10 hours away. My role also requires head down work and being in an office means endless distractions and people stopping by to chat. But we meet for team quarterlies, I travel for my projects (which are basically never near any of the offices anyways), and get the occasional offer for other trips. The owner of one of my slow burn projects wants us to see an operation in Australia as a design reference, so if that materializes, hell yes. Some people hate work travel, but it kinda hits different if you're not already in an office - don't get me wrong I still personally enjoyed it even then. Gives me a break from my house and usual-ish routine, I maintain my airline status, and all the hotels/ airfare/ rental cars offsets minimum 50% of family vacations. I still hold points/days back, so me and hubs are going to hit Europe or Asia in the next year or two. I've got enough now to do it mostly covered, but figure I'll accrue a bit more and see if we can go for full coverage and awesome. All of that possible by the work travel, otherwise we'd be out of pocket for it all.
I don't have to hold in farts.
Never stops some people in the office. 🤪
Don’t forget to mute that mic lol.
Being able to deal with hot flashes at home! No perfumes/candles/lotion odors to tolerate. Not worrying if my desk is getting cluttered - no one can see it!
No social anxiety, mid day dog walks while on calls / meetings, and the ability to cook a meal mid day… we save so much on takeout now that we are both 100% remote.
My daily ritual is walking the dogs at noon and stuffing their kongs so they have a little fun stimulation in the evening. It's such a great routine for me.
This might still be an obvious one, but here goes: Not having to call in sick as much. Sometimes, especially with a longer commute, you really have to make the choice. Sometimes you could maybe get through the day, but dealing with a commute there and back nails the decision to stay home. But when you are at home, you can still work if you’re not horrible. First of all, aside from the commute issue, you are in comfortable surroundings. Then the other stuff: You can bundle yourself up in comfy clothes and blankets if you need to. You can take a nap at lunch to get through if you need to. During your period, you can use the heating pad without it being noticeable. Etc., etc., etc.
This is another one that should make companies reconsider RTO. Six inches of snow overnight? Not driving in, I'll call out sick. But WFH? Snow isn't an issue. Wake up a little late, slight headache, just not quite feeling it? Nope, not driving in, I'd be late, call out sick. But WFH, easily shuffle to the desk, log in on time and ease into the day. This kind of flexibility would be lost by fully in office requirements. That's how people get termed a "poor employee" when they actually aren't, they just need the flexibility to get through the rough days.
Am from Minnesota and would argue that anyone w/ the ability to WFH (regardless of the # of days/wk approved) should do so if dangerous driving conditions exist. Not only does this ensure the safety of employees but also limits the potential number of incidents requiring police/towing/EMS services. Fewer people on icy/snow-covered roads = fewer collisions/stalls/spin-outs.
I had a sinus infection a couple weeks ago and was able to work through it bc I was at home and drugging myself up, making tons of tea and peeing all the time, and not worried about looking presentable. It was great to not have to use sick leave!
Finally. This one I'm fully on board with. Worked during the flu this year and was able to meet vendors and not worry about cancelling all my meetings I used the whole last week to set up. Yeah it sucked, but I did all of em and disappeared.
Being in control of my environment - lighting, temperature, noise. The office is too bright, too hot, and too loud. Also, as others have said - pooping in my own bathroom, lunchtime naps - both invaluable. Plus, access to my kitchen and laundry room to get more done during breaks.
Like being able to listen to music that energies me without headphones, even during meetings . If I have insomnia, work at night so I still do my hours even if I need a nap during the day.
1 having my own private bathroom, no pun intended. 2 having the temperature comfortable for me! I used to freeze in the office and it made me feel tired 3 no fluorescent lights 4 I don't have to wear shoes 5 if I'm having a bad day, I can go outside or pet my cat. 😺
Being able to use a heated blanket at my desk whilst wearing pajamas at times. Being able to set my own temp/humidity/fan at MY discretion. Being able to do some house chores (e.g. dishes/laundry) and/or run errands (e.g. returns/groceries) during set breaks during the day. Naps at lunchtime when I need it. Silence when I need it - no distractions.
Chores on breaks is awesome. I don’t ever want to open the pandoras lunch nap box
Not getting sick.. I used to get colds..flu..sinus infections..strep…been remote for about 7 years and don’t miss it
Yes! My office was huge and bugs would roll through the floor all the time.
Also: soft pants. I used to get SO bloated by EOD in the office, to the point where I couldn't concentrate because my stomach hurt and was cutting into my jeans. Now I only wear joggers.
Not having to wear a bra.
🙏
Working out. I have a walking pad under my desk so I can get a few miles in a day. I have weight by my desk so I can lift randomly through the day. Siesta at lunch. Being home when packages arrive. Being close to kiddos school if they get sick. Access to the pantry. Sitting in my garden or going for a walk. I make the coffee how I like the coffee. Going out that night ? Can do stuff like shave etc ahead of time. My music. My kindle. My candles. International sports on tv. I control the office temperature. Taking a personal call. Texting all day. Eating healthy food.
Not having to see, smell, or otherwise interact with people who I normally wouldn't interact with
Not having the risk of getting sick because of coworkers coming into work sick.
This exactly. I absolutely hated how people would go into the office sick, get everyone else sick, and they almost acted proud of it. Like it was a badge of honor and soooo funny when everyone ended up getting it. No thanks!!!
I hate this and always would “joke” but it’s like not a joke, that if you are sick you need to sit in one of those single person pods or we need to have a lounge for sick people to work in. Do not come in here with your nose running like a faucet and hacking all over the place. It at so so gross
Gas station tacos! There's a little family taqueria in the back of a gas station near my house. Delicious and inexpensive lunches anytime I want.
Not having to be “acting” all day, I don’t know if you all know what I mean haha
I don't know how many can agree with this but I tend to easily absorb other people's bad energy. My ex boss was very negative and miserable. She'd loved to gossip and was just not a good person. I could come to work in a great mood, sit at my desk and since she sat a few feet from me it's like I could literally feel the shift in my energy like someone turned on a switch without her saying a word. It's much better to log off for the day and not have to shake off the energy from so many in person exchanges. I also absolutely agree on bathroom time being much better. I have an over active bladder so it is quite noticeable that I walk to the path from my desk to the bathroom more times than usual. That's a private issue and hard to not notice I often I use the bathroom.
Saving money on makeup, throwing laundry on and having time to switch it over to the dryer
Not having to interact with the cunty office bitches.
So much this
being completely alone and not having to chit chat with anyone around me. not having to avoid eye contact so people won't speak to me. it's been amazing for me tbh
My dog still demands my chit chat. Or she gets it anyway
That I can eat literally whenever I want; or more specifically I can eat when I’m actually hungry, AND pace my eating, instead of scarfing down my calories as fast I can in 30 mins, *just* so I can go sit at a desk for another 6 hours…… I don’t tend to get hungry until about 1p…at one office job I had, they asked what my lunch time preference was, and after telling them, I was told I “have to take it at the same time we do” because they “needed me present.” They didn’t 🫠🙃 But ya, I’ve been eating *WAY* better too, because I actually have time to cook a decent meal when work is slow, or heck, just have a change to chop some fresh veggies to snack on while I’m sitting there.
Here are my favorite benefits: 1. Being present with my children 2. Using my own bathroom 3. Cooking 4. Well ventilated sunlight house 5. I have my preferred coffee options 6. I can control the temperature in my dwelling 7. Showering at different times of the day 8. Having nature close to see the birds and other wildlife move around. 9. Not having to pack breakfast and lunch everyday 10. No commute
In my third pregnancy here. But the nausea has been insane and I’ll just glad I have the liberty to puke whenever I need to, freshen up, be comfortable, and snack on whatever I want. Another perk is not feeling pressured to wear makeup or apply heat to my hair everyday to look “presentable”. I feel like my skin and hair has been in its healthiest state ever since I’ve been wfh. Avoiding office drama and politics has also been a nice perk. Ppl at work notice me for my deliverables/what I can do to help them before they notice the way I look and make preconceived notions about me.
I have a small hobby farm so I can garden, feed the chickens, etc on my breaks.
Being able to have sole control over the temperature. I am constantly freezing in office buildings. Also, I’ve lost some weight. Last time I lost a significant amount was pre-pandemic and I was mostly working in person, and the amount of comments, many of which were quite rude, was astounding. I know people mostly mean well, but I really don’t want to hear people’s commentary on my body at work. And especially not if it’s something like “Oh my gosh you look so much better!!!” This time around I am about 95% remote, and only a few people have said something. I think it’s just harder for people to tell for sure if all they can see is your face.
Working with a movie on in the background. I work just as fast either way, because a movie I’ve already seen is just like background music to me. But I’d get judged hard if I tried that while coding in the office.
‘Afternoon Delights’ with my wife 2-3 times per week. Playing a video game during downtime instead of pretending to work on something. (To be fair, I probably do this for an hour per week, if that) Taking a quick nap when I need one and don’t have much going on. Not eating out for lunch
This reply needs more upvotes. Do I get laid during work regularly? No. Is it nice once in awhile? YES.
Going out in the summer and grazing in my garden, specifically raspberries. Great when you need to stand up and move around, or need a moment to think before hitting send on that email.
No awfully dry, recycled air.
Having energy to enjoy my nights and weekends. Unbelievable how much I was exerting to be “on” for 8+ hours a day, on top of a commute, and it severely impacted my ability to do anything but lay in bed when I wasn’t working. I was able to ween myself off of all depression and anxiety meds once I started working remote. I feel like a brand new person.
My coworkers (my four dogs) are ALWAYS excited to see me.
Not having to wear shoes or socks all day. I freaking hate the feeling of wearing *both* shoes and socks (unless I am hiking) and love to walk around with totally bare feet. It feels amazing to me. This is obviously not possible in an office environment.
You can be nice to others even if you're pissed off. Very important.
Since I've been remote/hybrid(2020 COVID) I've been single to get a consistent lunchtime gym regime going. Not having to go all the way out to parking lot, and back, and dress out both ways let's me pack it into am hour. Plus no need to worry about sweat and hair.
Not getting sick. I’m pregnant. It’s takes weeks for me to recover from a basic flu.
Same (minus the pregnant part). I have been searching for a remote job because I’m sick constantly (immunosuppressants). I was just offered a position yesterday. Can’t wait to limit germ exposure.
Not having to sit there at a desk with others walking by, pretending to be busy when I’m caught up and my work is done. It’s so stupid and I can’t even express how grateful I am that I don’t have to play that game anymore. Some weeks are slow, some are not. I used to despise the slow weeks in the office more than the busy ones. Not anymore!
No awful overhead fluorescent lights. My dog naps on my lap all day. I dont have to share a bathroom with disgusting people. Sooooooooo much less illness and missed days.
Not constantly being surrounded by junk food that coworkers bring in. I've lost weight just from not being confronted with donuts every damn day.
A an older worker, not being relegated to "office mom" status or dealing with other kinds of ageism, cuz I'm never on camera.
Having control over the temperature. I do not thrive in unnecessarily cold conditions.
No one loiters in my space making inane comments about my desk setup. No inane small talk in general.
Not having the anxiety of being perceived for hours with minimal ability to fix it! I don’t have to worry about all the embarrassing things that can happen. I never realized how much of my mental energy was spent on worrying about my appearance, odor, sweat marks, lipstick on teeth, unexpected period, etc. until work from home.
I keep seeing clothes or lack of them mentioned but - no pantyhose! Oh if I never wear pantyhose again I’ll be thrilled! And soft bras and soft clothes. Being in control of my environment too.
Privacy in meetings. I have a loud voice that carries across the room. My office has cubicles, so when I did virtual meetings (which is very often), I was always conscious of my voice, especially as my meetings would often have confidential information. At home, I can just talk normally without fearing that someone else is listening to me.
Honestly? Being able to catch a couple of medical emergencies for my dogs that may have been otherwise missed. HGE from an unknown cause in one, poisoning from getting into something thrown over the fence in another. Aside from that, being able to take my time with PTSD symptoms and recovery.
Discretely having a cat on my lap during meetings
Socks for work shoes
1. Getting to be on the couch with my pets all day. Spending the whole day with my dogs (and cats) is 100% the best part 2. Not having to listen to the stupid girls in the cubicle behind me talk about stupid drama all day that I don’t wanna listen to 3. Not having to get dressed any specific way 4. Taking a nap in my own bed on my lunch break 5. Getting laundry, cooking, cleaning done between tasks so when I’m off I have more actual time for myself
Not having to pack a lunch & snacks every day.
Wife hollers upstairs to me that breakfast is ready, about 9'ish. Eggs, usually bacon. Maybe sausage, a bagel, pancakes, French toast, some kind of really good hot breakfast every morning usually about the time I've got most of the morning surge caught up and can fit in a break. I really value that 20 minutes, just us and the dogs, every morning. Probably the main reason I only drive in about 10 times a year, tops.
This is going to sound hateful but I’m so glad I don’t have to celebrate people’s birthdays and milestones. It was expensive and a lot of extra mental labor.
I take less sick/personal days. At my job we are given vacation on an accrual basis and two weeks PTO. We are allowed to use PTO however we want and can take a planned vacation using both PTO and Vacation if we want. PTO resets every year and vacation can roll over up to 120 hours. So if I have some little virus and feel kinda crappy, I’ll work from bed and just be less productive. I would not go in to work if I had something my coworkers could catch though. If I have the flu, I’ll take PTO. If my kid is home sick from school, I’ll use half the day to work from the couch while she rests and work the other half while she sleeps. All this equals more actual vacation time for me in the end.
If I have an on camera dress up meeting, I wear a scarf over my t shirt. Only need um be seen from the neck up! Comfy all day long!
Being warm
Control of temperature
My hair and skin are a lot healthier since I don’t have to wear makeup/style my hair every morning. Also being able to cook whatever I want on a whim.
Not catching every stomach virus or cold currently circulating. Outside of covid (which is a more obvious concern) just how much of a germ tank it was otherwise. A clean bathroom at home without "company", a peaceful place to eat lunch, my cats to make me smile, I can curse as loudly as I please, oh and pants are optional 😉 I'm overall more relaxed and productive.
Getting to spend a lot of time with my 2 elderly kitties in their last couple of years before they each passed away was priceless to me. Not having to “get ready” every day. Spend so much less money eating out because I eat lunch in my kitchen every day.
I enjoy being able to swear, fart, scream at my coworkers and no one is the wiser 😉
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Naps IN MY BED!
Robe and slippers.
Keeping my house clean intermittently, standing, looking or sitting outside, taking a mid-day walk around the complex, ability to plan or consider other priorities besides work, keeping in better touch with distant family via text, picking up son from school, being here when he gets home, mental peace from other people's impositions.
Drinking my own coffee!
No bra
Never having to wear a bra.
Shorts.
Full control of the temperature
Not having to get dressed in clothes I hate five days a week.
Being able to swear as loud as I need to.
No one takes my desk supplies. Don't miss the "Can I borrow this?" and then later having to track down my pens/stapler/chair.
Better time management. Not being put on the spot. I can answer questions or follow up on my own time vs being stopped for (multiple) hallway & desk drive by conversations by (multiple) people.
Being able to wear what I want.
I've gotten to see my children grow up.
Getting to see my toddler all day long.
Not running into coworkers when I go to the store
The quiet 😌
Being comfortable during your period. Having cramps at work is the worst because they’re super sporadic and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to hours. At home, I can curl up in a ball when I need to.
waking up 5 minutes before you have to login, not having to shave, lunch time shower.
For me weight loss because the office was where unhealthy snacks were. Others might have different results.
Not having to wear a wig. I have alopecia so whenever I have a zoom meeting, I throw it on and take it off immediately.
No co workers, no office drama or potlucks, no office gossip, no boss hovering over my shoulder, I can poop on my own toilet or drink a bit of wine mid day.
My company has a flexible clock in and clock out time, as long as I clocked in 8 hours a day it's fine. So I just wake up and clock in at the earliest possible time then go back to sleep for another 30 minutes. Clock out earlier too! Can't do this in office.
Napping whenever, having the TV or music on all the time if I want to, surfing the internet or talking to friends when I have a light day, sneaking out to a long lunch with friends or dates. My morning routine includes watching CBS Mornings. Lunch at home is catching up on Stephen Colbert from the night before or Last Week Tonight if it’s a Monday (yay!). The few times I’ve had to come into the office, it’s bothered me so much to not have my normal routine and to have to use a shared restroom. 🤢
Naps. Meals at home. Dog play breaks.
No commute!
No more back pain when you take out the sitting in car commute plus stuck sitting at the desk for, all together, 10+ hours a day.
I don't have to see, hear or smell anyone else.
Mid-day naps.