People talk frequently about how hard it is to concentrate at home (kids, spouse, demands of other things) but the interesting thing is that many of us who work remotely find onsite offices to be far more distracting than our homes. This paradox has always struck me. Nonetheless, it is all contextual.
It really is a fine line. If I get in the zone at home I will get more work done in a day than I will likely get done in 2-3 in the office. But on average I do find being in the office to be beneficial, even if it's just for the social aspect.
This got me thinking - perhaps it's less about the place exactly, and more about what you're used to.
It took me a long time to feel productive working from home when I went freelance 6+ months ago. Refining my routine and workspace is still an ongoing project and days can still be wildly productive or unproductive (damn you Google Stadia!!). But the line is definitely trending in a positive direction. Now, working in an office and having to deal with watercooler chit-chat, tea rounds and people dropping by for a chat feels crazy to me.
That said, having people around to bounce ideas off is worth its weight in gold, and one of the best perks of working with others. And unless you're working for a company that specialises in the specific thing you do, it's not always a given that you'll have the right people around to workshop ideas within an office environment. As I was making my exit, I made a point to seek out other people doing similar work as me, and now have a nice little working group of buddies to call, run ideas by or meet over a beer.
Agreed it's definitely what you're used to! If you've been working from home around kids for years, you've probably built up habits around interaction. Same with colleagues at the office.
But I think it's also how you process sound. If you're like me, and need quiet to concentrate, working from home is perfect. But if you thrive in a noisy environment, then you're going to want to work wherever provides you that.
People talk frequently about how hard it is to concentrate at home (kids, spouse, demands of other things) but the interesting thing is that many of us who work remotely find onsite offices to be far more distracting than our homes. This paradox has always struck me. Nonetheless, it is all contextual.
It really is a fine line. If I get in the zone at home I will get more work done in a day than I will likely get done in 2-3 in the office. But on average I do find being in the office to be beneficial, even if it's just for the social aspect.
I have to say, I definitely miss the social aspect.
This got me thinking - perhaps it's less about the place exactly, and more about what you're used to.
It took me a long time to feel productive working from home when I went freelance 6+ months ago. Refining my routine and workspace is still an ongoing project and days can still be wildly productive or unproductive (damn you Google Stadia!!). But the line is definitely trending in a positive direction. Now, working in an office and having to deal with watercooler chit-chat, tea rounds and people dropping by for a chat feels crazy to me.
That said, having people around to bounce ideas off is worth its weight in gold, and one of the best perks of working with others. And unless you're working for a company that specialises in the specific thing you do, it's not always a given that you'll have the right people around to workshop ideas within an office environment. As I was making my exit, I made a point to seek out other people doing similar work as me, and now have a nice little working group of buddies to call, run ideas by or meet over a beer.
Agreed it's definitely what you're used to! If you've been working from home around kids for years, you've probably built up habits around interaction. Same with colleagues at the office.
But I think it's also how you process sound. If you're like me, and need quiet to concentrate, working from home is perfect. But if you thrive in a noisy environment, then you're going to want to work wherever provides you that.
Stay tuned for tips on that last paragraph!
It's all about your personality, I find. Some people thrive in a noisy office, some people thrive in a quiet home. Or a quiet office and a noisy home.