DEV Community

Living with WFH.. 2 years later (a review)🏠

Adam Crockett πŸŒ€ on April 12, 2022

This is probably an unpopular opinion but, working from home, all the time it's the best thing that ever happened to me. Why you no like ...
Collapse
 
ben profile image
Ben Halpern

I work part time from home and now part time from a pretty chill and nice and nearby co-working space. I feel like I'm getting the best of both worlds and operating completely on my own terms these days. πŸ˜„

Collapse
 
adam_cyclones profile image
Adam Crockett πŸŒ€

Been meaning to try out a co-work space maybe meet some people outside of my org? But then again we deal with security and social engineering is scary, easy and real so I have to be wary who I talk to 😳

Collapse
 
ben profile image
Ben Halpern

But then again we deal with security and social engineering is scary, easy and real so I have to be wary who I talk to 😳

Well I certainly hope you find time somewhere in your life to meet new people!

Thread Thread
 
adam_cyclones profile image
Adam Crockett πŸŒ€

Mmm yes it's a small world at the moment, In September the little one is off to school, meaning I will probably find myself in all sorts of new places πŸ™‚ have a lovely eve / day Ben cheers for the good wishes

Collapse
 
gklijs profile image
Gerard Klijs

Same

Collapse
 
190245 profile image
Dave

At the start of the pandemic, I was exceptionally lucky.

We were told to work from home a week before the lockdowns started, as a trial in case things got bad. I immediately threw up a hammock & tarp in the garden, and happily worked from there for at least a year (underblanket and a relatively warm winter helped).

I loved it so much, that most nights I actually camped out in the hammock.

The work-life thing has grown into more of an issue lately, and that is largely a factor caused by us working on multiple projects at the same time, each having their own Sprint and ceremonies. That leads to more meetings. More meetings is less time writing code.

Then there's the problem that some meetings are in my calendar with 15mins between them - exactly what I'm supposed to do that's productive in those 15mins, I'm not sure.

Since the hammock days, I've moved and live on a farm, with our own water supply & sewage plant, backup generators, lakes and nearby mountains... if I could only get rid of 50% of the meetings, I think life would be perfect!

Some days I still go into the office, but usually that is on a "whenever I want to, for whatever reason I want to" basis.

Collapse
 
adam_cyclones profile image
Adam Crockett πŸŒ€

Wow your house farm sounds like one step up from my country 3story house, my dream house has land and lots of it, my son has disabilities and neighbors don't mix 😳

The hammock, that's a pretty sweet idea, I think the working world is now used to remote working so it's harder to work on a sofa (like I do) I feel an office space at home might be needed.

Collapse
 
190245 profile image
Dave

It's approx 400 acre - cattle farm - other people work the farm, and I just rent out the property.

About the worst part of it, is the really slow internet (but I'm still watching Twitch while I'm writing this reply). And lets face it, if slow internet is the worst of your problems, there's other folks that are in a worse position.

Re the working space - everyone needs a space that works for them, including their family situation. The hammock was a cheap/quick throw up, but as I added to it, I spent a chunk of money (but then also had the ability to cook out there, and now have an awesome camping setup).

Since moving to the farm, I've spent somewhere in the region of 2000 GBP on office setup (secretlabs chair, new curved monitor, custom made electric sit/stand desk, hue bridge lighting etc etc). My son (ASD) keeps telling me that his bedroom setup is better than mine - but he still uses my desk whenever he's got homework to do.

Thread Thread
 
adam_cyclones profile image
Adam Crockett πŸŒ€

About the worst part of it, is the really slow internet (but I'm still watching Twitch while I'm writing this reply). And lets face it, if slow internet is the worst of your problems, there's other folks that are in a worse position.

It could be 3G πŸ˜† sorry you are right there are worse problems for sure πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦

Collapse
 
tswiftma profile image
tswiftma • Edited

I've already commuted to the office for about 20 years, I'm not missing the traffic or crowded public transportation! The last 2 years of working from home has been excellent. Time and money saved on not commuting and by not buying my lunch out. I think that I'm very productive at home plus it's a better work/life balance.

On the negative side I guess that you do lose some of the social and collaborative aspects of working closely with coworkers. If a majority of my Development team was going into the office on certain days I would consider going in a few days per week.

Collapse
 
adam_cyclones profile image
Adam Crockett πŸŒ€

I think there's something else, when I used to get the train to work instead of play with them, I did got really inspired about all sorts of code related things, that head space was valuable, infact almost 200 of my posts where wrote while catching a train and using my phone.
Thinking about it though I have that head space all the time, the feeling of returning home and the relief doesn't exist because I never went out the door.

Finally there is no resentment about traveling so I'm likely to not go looking for more work for a good long while

Collapse
 
louiseann93 profile image
Lou Willoughby

I wrote a similar post about this recently πŸ™‚ we have a hybrid working style now so part office and part home which I prefer much more! Its been difficult finding the right balance but now 🀞🏻 I’m in a much better place with it πŸ™‚

Collapse
 
adam_cyclones profile image
Adam Crockett πŸŒ€

I will check it out!

Collapse
 
rajeshroyal profile image
Rajesh Royal

loving it ❀. More time with family, friends and leetcode πŸ˜€

Collapse
 
adam_cyclones profile image
Adam Crockett πŸŒ€

Rajesh, what is leetcode if you don't mind me asking?

Collapse
 
rajeshroyal profile image
Rajesh Royal • Edited

A platform to help you enhance your skills, expand your knowledge and prepare for technical interviews.

leetcode.com/

Collapse
 
pandademic profile image
Pandademic

exactly

Collapse
 
ianbromwich profile image
Ian B • Edited

Great post! Though for me the people I work with it's WFH being better is the the popular opinion :)

Positives:

  • No horrible commute, finishing work and being at home straight away is brilliant (especially during summer)
  • Not having unnecessary meetings
  • My setup at home is finely tuned and my equipment doesn't go walkies when I'm away.
  • Being able to do chores during my lunch break / the time saved not commuting has greatly improved my work life balance.
  • I don't have children but my friends have saved ££££ on child care by literally working from a different place.
  • No distractions (I love complete silence when working)
  • Lots of other stuff (saving money etc)
  • More productive
  • I'm taking less sick leave! Previously when I didn't feel well enough to go to work I'd have the day off, now I can work even when I'm feeling ill. Managers must love that!

Negatives:

  • I'm socially awkward (so I think) and not being around people has probably made me worse.
  • The moments around the water cooler where you bounce ideas off one another has no replacement.
  • Walking to and from the office gets you up and about and awake for work. (this can be fixed by creating better morning habits)

Since things have "settled" I've gone hybrid and it's perfect, the best of both worlds and the negatives of 100% have been addressed.