This is not your regular “Why Working Online is Bomb and the office is not” article. Unfortunately, it is for a specific lot. The person that sits at the corner and often comes off as too agreeable. Well, if you do not fit this category, that is alright. You could grab your coffee and come with us on a journey through our office ‘struggles’.
Generally speaking, we can all agree that working online comes with a pack of goodies for everyone. Par say;
Homework over office
There is the homework feeling. Actually, this is a nostalgic reference to our childhood. It is a relaxed feeling of going through your milk and cookies and math problems simultaneously. This setting makes for an ideal working condition.
For instance, it makes you relax. Contrast this to the tense, fast-paced office environment. More so, if you sit within the eye-view of your boss. The anxiety! Otherwise, it does contribute to more productivity. This particular lot tends to be more disciplined in their work. Further, the activity-charged office environment is far from their ideal. There is too much frenzy.
Office-Lifestyle Grip
With capitalism came a world fueled by profit-making. To do so, there needs high productivity in the shortest time. A fast-paced life is a recipe for mental health disaster and that is where we are at. it is no accident that mindfulness and spirituality are becoming famous trends in the world we live in today. Talk of meditation and Yoga.
I for one enjoy cognitive behavioral Therapy. it is a behavior analysis and action plan method for an efficient life. the world is at its worst with mental health disorders. The suicide and homicide levels are at their highest. Kenya is in the top three. Can you imagine?
Get this, these cases are more prevalent in young people than they are in the older generations. Stress levels are at their all-time high and maybe, just maybe, the pandemic is here so we all take a chill pill. Working from home eliminates about half the reasons for adult stress.
Waking up early is categorized as number one on the adulting hate list. Second, we have morning rush hours; this one is regular with the ladies. career women get into the frenzy of getting babies ready, the spouse, and themselves in one morning. Scientifically you should be taking a dump at this time no offense.
No matter what type of hurry you are in, the most humbling experience must be traffic! That’s Nairobi for you. Consequently, there’s the humiliation of underperforming. Still getting a demeaning scolding in front of everyone else. Well, after that, you may still have a pitch to present in the afternoon at a board.
In the evening, traffic again. When we get home, there’s barely enough energy left to make a decent meal, shower, or sleep well because no one has the time to get freaky. Working from home eliminates all this and gives a better work-life balance.
Time Management
Office work makes time management an extreme sport between all these run-ins. In contrast, online work gives the platitude to be home when the kids come. This is the best feeling ever. Most people world pants down agree they would rather do their work when they choose to. admittedly, working from home does require iron-clad discipline.
Nonetheless, who is not motivated to work in a custom environment. there is a supply of everything you need in the brands you are used to. Not petty takes the right bag of chips to get me typing almost 10,000 words a day. Also, can we talk about the fact that we get to wear cozy to work?
I have seen the memes about how we are attending meetings nowadays. Albeit these scenarios can enable unethical behavior, but also, encourage higher productivity. The tussle really in the modern corporate world is between proprietary norms and productivity. It’s a winner-takes-it contest.
Now, it is time to get specific to the lot I introduced up there. What could be our reasons for taking online over office work?
Officially Anxious
Well, interaction is great for social currency. You know, ‘Your network is your net worth? Even so, working from home insures social anxiety. We silently dread walking in with such a bang that y’all go quiet and stare. Worse, it’s excruciating pain with all the eyes pinned on your back and your desk is on the end of the office space. Essentially, the expectation is to greet the whole lot. Man, thank God for the pandemic! Spectacular scapegoat.
Furthermore, office politics is unbearable. Yet, it is not the worst of it. No, we are not dumb, we play the Queen’s Gambit perfectly in our heads. Well, none of us get past the execution. I’m talking about the drama and the messy in-between of getting ahead. The pressure to socialize with your superiors to get ahead. Hence, modern work is more objective than it is subjective. Finally, we all have an equitable chance at a promotion!
Where it really irks
You asked, so here is the worst of it. Above all, there’s being everyone’s coffee bitch. The audacity! At the very least, you should know this is belittling! However, we carry out ‘our duty’ with a smile because one likes that one distasteful high-handed human. Why? Well, again office politics. By comparison, I guess we all envy her, SECRETLY. Ask Sherry Argov, it’s good for your mental health.
While we are on the topic, can we discuss the sometimes chauvinistic references? You know, the ones made to us with the assumptions that we are ‘good girls’? Well, guess what? Defining people is part of taking away their ‘Right to Choose’. A sworn feminist would never like that. I have powered through Ngozi Adichie’s, and Mona Eltahawy’s preposterous books. I think they are magnificent! My personal favorite is ‘Seven Necessary Sins for girls and Women’.
The monies
I make enough money to eat out every day. Even now, the thought of spending it haunts me. I guess it must be a psych thing. In hindsight, could be the way we keep to that corner space; dictates our spending habits. Must be quite a stretch from reality. Whereas y’all enjoy working in groups, we think that bus fare and lunch is too much a price.
Evidently, it costs way less to work from home. First of all, we know the food we eat will inherently cost us. Second, because the firm pays so much less in salary. Third, since we may not need to hire help around the house if time is managed well.
Last stop
Woe unto people who still hold on to the olden way of working. I say this because, this trend is catching on, fast! No matter how maverick it looks, now is the time to jump onto the bandwagon. I mean, one of the ways to be successful is to go where the world is going.
My two cents? I believe the future is freelance. The world will start hiring you for specialized skills. We are looking at signing NDAs and contracts and you are hired! While you can, get those skills, and experience, build a portfolio and if you are feeling ambitious, build a team and conquer the world. The future is online work!
Brilliant and articulate article. Thanks, eDatio for saying it exactly as it is. Indeed, the future is freelance.
Thanks Peter! It is always our pleasure to inform and educate our readers.
Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.