I began WFH in October, 2018. At first it was a bit disorienting, and I found myself struggling with anxiety about my performance. Instead of "enjoying" and 8-hour day (minus a commute), I began working 10-12 hour days so I would feel productive. Even that wasn't enough - I kept slogging through, working on weekends, etc.
Eventually, I began to understand "remote culture" and that just because I was seeing others doing stuff, asking questions, committing to repos, etc. at all hours didn't mean I was expected to be "up and working at all times".
Once I made my peace with things, I began to see what advantages WFH brought. Once I understood what I really needed to be working on, I found that the quiet of my home office made me much more productive. I bought a standing desk (and, yes, YMMV) and it's been a great way for me to focus, especially early in the day.
There are still some advantages to going into an office. Two that stand out to me are:
• Early planning meetings where it's much more productive to brainstorm/whiteboard together.
• Water cooler conversations. Yes, you can still connect with your co-workers remotely, but it's a lot less organic.
TL;DR - Yes, there are times I find myself justifying running personal errands or other stuff that ends up deferring (procrastination of) the things I need to accomplish for my team/employer. However, I've learned that I'll feel much better about myself and work product if I'm "diligent enough" to do just that.
Comments
I began WFH in October, 2018. At first it was a bit disorienting, and I found myself struggling with anxiety about my performance. Instead of "enjoying" and 8-hour day (minus a commute), I began working 10-12 hour days so I would feel productive. Even that wasn't enough - I kept slogging through, working on weekends, etc.
Eventually, I began to understand "remote culture" and that just because I was seeing others doing stuff, asking questions, committing to repos, etc. at all hours didn't mean I was expected to be "up and working at all times".
Once I made my peace with things, I began to see what advantages WFH brought. Once I understood what I really needed to be working on, I found that the quiet of my home office made me much more productive. I bought a standing desk (and, yes, YMMV) and it's been a great way for me to focus, especially early in the day.
There are still some advantages to going into an office. Two that stand out to me are: • Early planning meetings where it's much more productive to brainstorm/whiteboard together. • Water cooler conversations. Yes, you can still connect with your co-workers remotely, but it's a lot less organic.
TL;DR - Yes, there are times I find myself justifying running personal errands or other stuff that ends up deferring (procrastination of) the things I need to accomplish for my team/employer. However, I've learned that I'll feel much better about myself and work product if I'm "diligent enough" to do just that.