True Confessions of People Working From Home
CBS Detroit - Millions of Americans across the country are working from home due to the Coronavirus, too many it is a blessing in disguise. Such as more flexible time schedules, more time to take breaks, or just perhaps being in a work environment that has a pants-are-optional dress code.
Ina blog by Mental Health America, the benefits of working at home are numerous. Such as flex-time, citing mental health and our work are often intertwined.
The blog cites a 2018 study by Flexjobs.com, that says out of 3000 respondents, 86% think flex-time or telecommuting would help save money and stress.
However, for many companies during this pandemic has meant for businesses to rethink their business models and find creative ways to serve customers and keep employees working. But one has to wonder what the effects will be after this is all over? Will companies be more open to employees working from home or telecommuting after the quarantine is over?
With Americans usually commuting an average of about 27 minutes per day-each-way, that's a lot of time lost, and work-related stress says the Mental health America blog. Commuting from home reduces that stress.
In addition to better work-life balance, working from home promotes health and wellness. Whether that's getting outside to walk the dog or 10-15 minutes to doing yoga in the living room, the benefits of exercise can have real benefits to the companies concerning sick time, employee morale, and health insurance costs, versus being stuck to a cubicle in an office for long periods.
In a bulletin board forum called DC Urban Moms and Dads, many shared their experiences of working from home during the COVID-19 quarantine. One anonymous poster wrote,
"Mine: today is my first day working from home, ever. Uh, it turns out I don't do much work at all. I'm literally sitting here with my work laptop open and checking emails that come in. I emailed two clients, rearranged a conference call, and filed a couple of things electronically. That's it for the last four hours. I ate peanuts for breakfast. I did a face mask. I've been using my Macbook to surf the web all morning. I watched Youtube videos. A lot of them. I coconut oiled my legs. I swept the kitchen floor. Some of my coworkers have said they're much more productive at home because of fewer distractions. I feel like there's a lot more to DO in the office. I'm doing nothing here at home. How wrong would it be to turn on the tv and just start watching?"
Another anonymous poster says they did a mud mask while on a conference call. One person writes of taking a nap and watching Late Night TV. One woman commented that their teen is still working, and the husband wants to put them both up in a motel to avoid bringing the Coronavirus home.
Another post commented on getting into homeschooling their kids:
"My confession is that I've always had an interest in homeschooling and am a little glad to get to try it. It's only possible thanks to my incredibly understanding workplace, which I know is a blessing. But it's only socially acceptable to complain about how the kids are driving us crazy, so I can't tell anyone IRL that I'm enjoying making lesson plans and getting started on family projects."
One person writes being thankful for not having to shower or get dressed. Others are commenting on unwise food decisions, such as eating a healthy salad for lunch, followed by donuts and potato chips for dessert. Others though, have been hit negatively by COVID-19 and have been laid off. Wishing they weren't at home.
What are your thoughts and experiences about working from home? How have you had to adapt to the Coronavirus? Share your thoughts and experiences here.
© 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Some information from DC Urban Moms and Dads, Mental Health America, NPR, and Flexjobs.com contributed to this report.