5 Myths About Working From Home
So you want to work from home? I’m not gonna lie, I’ve pretty much got it made. I not only work from home, my employer is in a whole other state. But I do find that whenever it comes up in discussion, people seem to have a surprising number of misconceptions about what I do (or don’t do). Here are some of the biggest myths about working from home.
Myth 1: I drink all day
I understand why my friends might make this assumption, given the number of times they’ve witnessed me partaking in a little daytime drinking, but I don’t know why strangers look at me and ask me if I’m constantly boozing. Don’t get me wrong, the temptation to crack open a cold one is mighty strong (which is why I don’t keep cold ones in the house). It might even get the creative juices flowing and up my pun game in copy headlines. But I resist, mostly because, although my boss only calls me once a year, I never actually know when that phone call is coming.
Myth 2: I don’t shower
Honestly I do but not usually until JUST before my partner gets home from work. I used to spend all day in my pyjamas with a running conversation through my head that went something like: “You should get changed now” “Okay in a bit” “It’s midday, get out of your pyjamas” “Lemme just do this thing first”… But I solved this problem by getting two pairs of pants that and feel look exactly like pyjamas but technically aren’t which makes them a guilt-free work uniform.
Myth 3: I don’t get any work done
I admit that since I started working from home I know more about Beyonce and the Kardashians than I ever have before. And if an urgent question like “How tall is Bill Murray?” pops into your head, there’s nothing to stop you Googling it then and there (185.4 cm). And look, I do take the odd nap because anyway the Spanish do it and they’re getting along just fine. And sometimes the house needs cleaning and the shopping needs doing and the laundry needs washing… Come to think of it, when does everyone else get all these things done if not during work hours?
Myth 4: It’s lonely
Sweet lord, it isn’t. For someone who fears small talk, Wednesdays were my nightmare. On Mondays and Tuesdays, I could ask my co-workers in what manner they had passed their weekends and feign polite interest. On Thursdays and Fridays, I could enquire as to whether they had any plans the following weekend and muster a semi-enthusiastic response. But Wednesdays, I had nothing. Now I do extracurricular activities four nights a week which forces me to come out from under my rock, but I can ask people about their last weekend AND next weekend in one go.
Myth 5: You can travel all the time
OK this one is not a myth, it’s actually true. But even though you can and you say you definitely will, you probably won’t. And the one time a year that you do, you’ll forget to tell your boss and then wonder why on earth he’s calling you at 3am Paris time — which is why you always need to be vigilant about that YEARLY PHONE CALL.
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