As many of us are now confined to our homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of us might be sharing mixed feelings about working from home for so long. Maybe some of us are beginning to feel a little restless and wishing for the days they can dress up for the office and leave the house, while others may be settling into the comfort of their home office. These are just a few of the pros and cons of working from home we’ve discovered from our clients, friends and coworkers insights.

Pro: Working in your pajamas
Yes, one of the many lovely things about working from home all day is the fact that you don’t need to worry about getting up early to get dressed for the office. It’s nice being able to lounge around in your comfiest clothes while getting your work done (unless of course, you have an important video call)!

Con: You feel “stuck at home”
Try not to think of it as being trapped in your house, but think of this more as being “safe at home”. We have so much to appreciate for our essential workers who are on the frontlines right now such as healthcare workers, postal workers, and those working in grocery stores who are keeping us safe and healthy. You’re not “trapped” but you are doing your part to help your community and to flatten the curve of the pandemic.

Pro: More free time
Now is a better time than ever to reconnect and spend more time with your family at home. Instead of spending time in traffic on your way home from work, hang out with your kids or work on a project that you’ve been wanting to do around the house. Find simple and new ways to enjoy your extra time. To avoid getting bored though, keep finding new and inventive things to keep you busy.

Con: You’re feeling stressed
At uncertain times like this, it’s normal to feel stressed. Many of us are worried about the future of our jobs and how long we may need to continue to work from home (or what will happen if we need to go on unemployment). However, it’s important to remember that we are all feeling the same way. With what is happening in the world right now, it’s almost impossible to predict what will happen next. If we want this to pass as quickly as possible though, the best thing we can do is stay at home and only go out for essential needs. You may also have kids and you’re worried about keeping them occupied or on-track with their academics. What’s great right now is that many art galleries and museums have free interactive online programs for people to enjoy online. As well, Ontario has just unveiled a ‘learn-at-home’ program for students to continue their studies at home.

Pro: More flexibility
One of the perks of getting to work from home is that you can be a bit more flexible with your schedule. It allows you to work during your most productive times and create a workflow that works best for you. Not to mention that technology now has made it so much easier to communicate with those you work with through online apps and portals. So if you need to conduct meetings or speak with team members, there are countless ways to do that either via phone, instant messaging, video conferences, e-mail and so on.

Con: Your daily routine is off track
If you feel that working from home has made a stressful impact on your daily routine, try to come up with a new one that works for you. As an example, maybe you’ve enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in a little later, but now you’re realizing this is impacting your work. It’s good practice to keep waking up at the time you usually would for work (maybe a tad bit later) so that things feel more like your regular daily routine. Also if possible, try to have a separate space for your ‘office’ in your house, that way you’re not mixing your home and work life too much. It’s good to have your work in a separate space in your house so that at the end of the day you can close the door and clock out. That way when you’re not working, you can focus on being at home. Or if you’re working, you can focus on just work and not what’s happening in your home.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made many different impacts on our lives already. The biggest thing to remember though as someone who is lucky enough to work from home is that you are safe, and you are keeping others safe by staying home and stopping the spread of the virus. Our FOCUS Employment Services centres are currently closed for the time being, however, if you are currently looking for a job or if you have any questions, check us out online or give us a call at 1-877-513-0187. Stay home and stay safe everyone!