Working from home is ‘the dream’, isn’t it? Loafing about in your PJs, laptop in one hand, doughnut in the other... it’s like a duvet day only every day, right? Except it’s not because you actually have to work sometimes. For some people it’s totally amazing and productive but for the rest of us it’s a one-way ticket to crazy town.
Here are some of the struggles you’ll recognise if you’ve ever worked from home…
1. People think you never get out of your PJs
Ok, some days this is true, but not all the time. In fact, your PJs don’t always make for the most practical workwear. For one thing, if the postman pops by, you don’t want to be greeting him in your nightdress. Also, it’s pretty hard to think ‘professional’ when you’ve got bunny slippers on.
2. When you try to do athleisure but look more like Vicky Pollard
Some canny people approach the PJ dilemma by exchanging one set of loungewear for another: athleisure. They’re comfy, they’re on trend, and best of all, they’re exactly where you left them the last time you did yoga... still in your yoga bag. Sadly, though, not everyone can pull this off. Pop to the supermarket and you might get that unsettling feeling that you're more Vicky Pollard than post-workout Victoria's Secret model.
3. When people ‘surprise’ visit you
People who don’t work from home assume that those who do, don’t actually work. Even if you say you’re working, they may still choose to pop round during the day for a chat – no thought at all to what else you might have on. If you’re in your PJs this only compounds the problem. This is why it helps to have a ‘working from home outfit’ prepared – when they see you in it, they’ll know you mean business. (And if they don’t, ‘GET OUT!’ might also work).
4. Ditching the underwear – and then feeling weird when you have to put it back on
No, no, we don’t mean no knickers (although that might be a necessity if you’re not up to date with your washing) – we’re mainly referring to bras. At first it feels freeing, liberating even. But then you have to leave the house. The bra goes back on and your boobs are left wondering what happened to their sweet freedom (that or you forget to wear one on altogether – a very great mistake, the severity of which you only realise when you end up having to run for that bus...).
5. Finding a place to work that’s comfy... but not too comfy
When you started working from home, you had a Pinterest board full of pretty workspaces with flowerpots and cute little box files from Paperchase. You really did think about buying that desk, before you migrated to the sofa – only you couldn’t stay there because the lure of Loose Women/Judge Rinder/Jeremy Kyle etc. was too strong. So then you tried working from bed – and fell asleep. The floor seemed like a good option for about ten minutes, before you got pins and needles and found you couldn’t get up again. So now you do a never-ending circuit of all of them. Sigh.
6. Getting distracted by your pet
Picture this: you’re alone with no one to talk to. All day. EVERY day. So you get a cat or a dog to keep you company. Pretty soon they know more about your life than your own mum. They’re like the best replacement for the office gossip because you can guarantee they won’t tell anyone else when you reveal something juicy. The only problem is that they tend to come with a lot of hair and drool.
7. Getting distracted by other people’s pets
In an office it’s pretty hard to spend an hour looking at cat videos on YouTube. At home -ha! - there are no such restrictions. Whole days have been lost looking at Grumpy Cat memes. Not so conducive for work, but what the heck, they're amazing.
8. Ending up doing housework (yes really)
The prospect of cleaning out the kitchen cupboards or descaling the kettle suddenly becomes a lot more attractive when there’s a work deadline looming. You’ll feel a massive sense of achievement for about... five minutes. Then you remember you still have to do that work. Damnit.
9. Having to actually wear something nice to leave the house
Sometimes home-workers are dragged out of their houses for meetings. This means real life people are actually going to see your outfit. After so much time alone, deciding what to wear for these occasions is a Big Deal. Huge. Gigantic. You end up changing your outfit several times (several hundred times), and settling on a dress and heels that’s probably a little bit OTT. You'll also arrive 30 minutes late, perspiring slightly.
10. Separating your week day from your weekend wardrobe? You don’t.
When you work from home there is no workwear/weekendwear. It’s wear everything all the time – which makes for some interesting combinations when you’re behind on your washing. Halloween costume dress with bed socks, anyone?
Despite it all though, working from home is pretty bloody brilliant... Just don’t come round unannounced, expecting that cuppa. Got it?
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