I Dare You to Stop Working From Home
At the beginning of this year, my company informally asked people to start coming into the office a little bit more. Nothing is enforced as of right now, but I decided that I would try to come in twice a week, upping it from the once a week I was coming in towards the end of 2023. One of my goals for this year was to be more proactive and present at work. It has been easy to feel disconnected from my job because I was working from home for almost 2 years straight. Coming into the office twice a week felt like a good change in my routine and a new way to feel more connected to my job and the larger community of New York City!
At first, it was a little difficult to get used to. I had to meal prep in advance and get a new backpack. My office is only 20 minutes away from my house, so it is easy to come in whenever I want. Some days I come in at 9am, others I take some morning meetings from my bedroom and come in right before lunch. This kind of flexibility is really nice and I’ve found myself messaging more of my coworkers to convince them into coming in.
A day at the office goes by so much quicker than at home. I feel like I am more productive and even if I’m not, I can talk to someone and get face to face social interaction! Revolutionary! It’s also so nice to be able to spread out and have more space. My office has a lot of great views and ample desk space. When I’m here, I do feel like I’m living that classic mid-twenties New York City working girl life, and I’m not gonna lie, it feels good!
I’m hoping to keep up this routine throughout the year, I might even start going in 3 times a week…who knows? For now, this routine is really working for me and I appreciate having a space to go to be productive.
