Imagine working anytime you want, having more time for yourself and your family, not having to commute, and not getting stuck in horrible traffic. Sounds perfect, right?
Since the pandemic, working from home is easily becoming the ultimate millennial dream. Many are shifting to virtual work set-ups and some even started looking into remote occupations such as being a virtual assistant. Beginners usually have huge expectations when it comes to working from home. But some dreams and expectations also have a dark flipside of disappointment.
Here are some of the work from home realities that might shatter your expectations.
Work Schedule
You may think working from home means you can work any time you want. If you are a virtual assistant residing in the Philippines, that is not entirely true. Most of the available jobs need you to do graveyard shifts, depending on where your clients are located. If you are not a night-owl, you need to give yourself time to adjust to the new work schedule and remember to use caffeine wisely.
Work-life balance
Many people think that working from home exempts you from burnout. But according to Dr. Agnes Casiño of the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), maintaining work-life balance in a work-from-home setup is hard especially when you must take on different roles at different times in the same place.
Dr. Casiño said that before the pandemic, working in the office psychologically prepares you for the role that you will perform outside the workplace. You get to know when your work is done. But now, there’s a blurred line between your work and personal life. You can easily overwork yourself and sometimes feel like you never leave your job.
According to Dr. Casiño, creating a daily routine may help you adjust to your new working schedule.
Dealing with family members
Working from home gives you a great advantage of being available to attend to your family’s needs. But sometimes, it can be hard for your family members – especially kids, to understand that just because you’re home all day doesn’t mean that you are always available.
“It’s quite hard because, for example, I’ll tell my children, ‘I’ll move to the other part of the house because mommy has to work.’ Of course, the eldest will understand. The little one will not. ‘Mommy, mommy! I want to come.’ Then she will cry. Then I’ll check with her if mommy can go to the office instead. The little child will say, ‘No, mommy. I want you inside the house,’” narrated Sophie Sanchez, a BPO worker who has two daughters — a 17-year-old and a two-year-old.