One is the Loneliest Number

Don't we look snazzy!

My company just had our big awards-party-awesomeness called the H’Oscars, which was fabulous as usual. I managed to get sick but enjoyed myself despite this. It’s so great to see everyone from the different offices and get a chance to meet the new employees.

I had a bit of a moment though. I was talking to somebody, can’t remember who, and realized they didn’t know I’m no longer in the Arlington office but now working remote from Texas. I wasn’t surprised that they didn’t know. With my job, I’d be in and out of the office a lot anyway. Once they realized this though THEY were shocked. “I can’t imagine you being remote!” they said, “you’re such a people person. I can’t picture you not being in the office.”

When I first decided to go remote I heard this a lot, and figured it was just some platitude people felt the need to say when they heard you had the good fortune to work from home and they didn’t. This is partially because I don’t really think of myself as a people person. My brother is a people person. He can’t even play video games by himself anymore without either calling me or talking to one of his other friends through Skype. I like being alone.  Don’t get me wrong, I like people, but I like my alone time more.

However, I really do miss being in the office.

Not enough to want to move back. And I do adore working from home. There are a lot of benefits, the least of which is the ability to work everyday in my “work” pajamas. I no longer have to deal with a hellacious commute. I have more hours in the day, which is fabulous. When I have a weird schedule it’s easier for me to adjust and work a few hours, stop working, and then work again later. Plus I can have delicious things cooking all day for a super wonderful dinner at night after jazzercise.

It’s also less distracting, oddly enough. Nobody’s here to talk to me. I can play my music and just sit and work with nothing to steal my focus.

But I miss that! I miss distracting coworkers that stop and talk for 5 minutes that turns into 10 minutes that becomes 20… I miss the office gossip. I miss the random games and decorations.

I even miss just walking around the office when I went to refill my tea. I like to picture myself as a little office happiness fairy – flitting about spreading smiles and sunshine. Now I’m the house troll that emerges only every few months for big company events. Le sigh. 

Overall though I’d say if I had to make a pro/con list (which I’m trying hard not to do as often), the work from home pros totally win. I just need to be able to function on less sleep, so when I do get the chance to hang out with all my awesome work colleagues I can party all night. Work hard, play hard, baby!