Pros, Cons, and My Productivity

I considered a few subtitles for this blog post—“Do you guys know how loud you are?” or “My dog is the only real coworker I want”—but I have been the culprit of rambunctious not-really-work-related conversations, and I scold the dog for being annoying just as much as I mentally do my human coworkers.

But sometimes the office really is the last place I can actually get work done. Sometimes isolation is the only way to get uninterrupted time to focus. Sometimes I just gotta work from home (WFH).

But there are cons to that coveted WFH life. For me, the cons aren’t on productivity, but rather my own stability. Whether from my couch or a coffee shop, working remote isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be—and reports from other remote workers show that I’m not an outlier in that sentiment.

Sidenote: Not even that adorable, doofy Corgi face can alleviate some of the downsides of working from bed.

No matter the argument for or against, the bottom line of WFH is that my work is still contributing to the company’s bottom line.

But that balance of pros versus cons is a bit more delicate when it actually comes to my personal productivity.

Deadlines Dependent on Do Not Disturb

Not to be a cliche writer, but my ability to work truly is affected by my surroundings. Sure, I don’t actually need dim lights and Mogwai playing ambiently, but subtle things do enhance my efficiency (especially for those unexpected 24-hour turn around times). Sometimes deadline dedication does actually mean I’m waking up, grabbing my laptop off my nightstand, and not moving until a viable draft is ready to send off to my editor.

Forget lighting, musical accompaniment, and pajamas—working remote means less chance of encountering all the micro-distractions of an office. I can avoid the small talk, “quick” questions, and impromptu feedback loops that throw off my groove. I can turn off notifications and log out of email without the fear that someone will just waltz right over if I don’t respond right away.

Being subjected to all these office elements creates my biggest productivity deterrent: multitasking.

Source: www.uberoffices.com — *Source:* *www.uberoffices.com*

I admit that I am a terrible multitasker—but it turns out I wouldn’t be any more effective even if I was. Despite the best of intentions, studies find multitasking can actually reduce productivity by as much as 40%. And I’m not alone in this struggle with 98% of the population reported as poor multitaskers as well.

All this makes sense when considering that after an interruption it takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to refocus back to the original task. Undisturbed time—even 23 minutes of it—can be hard to come by in the modern open-concept office.

With rampant interruptions and unavoidable multitasking, it’s no surprise that companies are starting to recognize the value of letting employees work remote:

Two-thirds of employers report increased productivity for remote workers compared to their in-office counterparts
65% of workers said they would be more productive in a home office than in a traditional office space, with that number jumping to 77% for millennials
75% of people say they are more productive working remotely due to fewer distractions
Even removing commute time helps workers productivity, with 27% stating it is a waste of time that eats into their day
Companies even risk losing top talent with 61% of workers reporting they have left or considered leaving a job because it did not have that flexibility

I am one of the lucky ones that has the freedom to choose a “workplace” with no fluorescent lights, no chatter, and no “no shirt/no shoes/no service” policies. And don’t forget that cute canine coworker.

But the grass isn’t always greener on the other side—at least not all the time.

Writer’s Block, Runaway Assumptions, and Other Things That are Cured by Talking to Human Beings

While working away from office distractions can be crucial for me, I’ve realized that I am not cut out for the fully remote life for two very big reasons: in-person collaboration and my own mental health.

Although I do consider myself to be great at thinking outside-the-box, I admit that better outcomes usually occur from bouncing ideas off other people, rather than bouncing them off a wall by myself.

Source: https://www.eightieskids.com/10-things-you-never-knew-about-the-shining/ — *Source:* *https://www.eightieskids.com/10-things-you-never-knew-about-the-shini*ng/

The banter of brainstorming can inject that much needed creative spark lost when outside that group setting. Like they say, all work and no play can result in dull ideas, right?

Of course, getting a second set of eyes on things can all be done online these days, but for me, along with 21% of 2018’s State of Remote Work report respondents, collaboration and communication are better in-person. Plus, for all the fancy online tools out there, 78% said technical problems disrupt the collaborative experience.

Beyond curing my writer’s block, being around familiar faces can ease the self-appointed pressure of getting all tasks completed as fast as possible, even without a manic deadline. Assigning the same urgency to the non-urgent tasks is a symptom of unfounded, but common WFH paranoia—62% of remote workers report the fear that their onsite coworkers don’t think they are working as hard as other in-office team members, with 22% feeling unable to “unplug” even after their office-dwelling colleagues have checked out for the day.

Source: Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels — *Source: Photo by* *Oleg Magni* *from* *Pexels*

While the paranoia of being perceived as lazy can creep in quickly, extended stints of working out-of-office have been found to trigger loneliness that can lead to depression among other health issues. While you may not actually be alone when working at a coffee shop, any remote work can still result in feeling isolated and alienated from in-office counterparts.

For me, too much time alone, even while physically surrounded by strangers, can throw off my mental health: self-doubt hitting the moment I hit writer’s block, paranoia ringing with every ping, and the blues of just being by myself for too long.

I need time to focus on my work, but not so much time that I start focusing on my insecurities.

Team lunches are said to boost productivity by building interpersonal connections between employees, just like the connections those rambunctious not-really-work-related conversations build. Sure, that chit-chat may echo distractingly through the office (or directly pull you away from task-at-hand), but that solitude we often daydream of isn’t always the best, or healthiest, way to work.

Empathy—Not Locality—is the Real Key to Productivity

So maybe the key to productivity is a little more personal than pushing the WFH policy on everyone. The dynamics of getting things done aren’t completely hinged to a physical location—but efficiency and effectiveness can easily be swayed by it.

Whether in a traditional office, the comfort of your couch, or a bustling coffee shop, the ideal work environment rests on so many variables that you can’t assign a one-size-fits-all for all employees. Understanding of the roles and responsibilities and requests of workers can give a bigger boost to the bottom line than requiring better office attendance.

Honestly, when it comes to working from home, it’s not you—it’s me and my productivity.

And maybe a little bit of that corgi coworker.