So recently I have had the opportunity to 'work from home' or what is now called telecommuting and I kinda enjoyed it. I don't understand how some organizations cannot fathom the immense job satisfaction one gets from working while wearing one's PJ's.
Even though I wasn't sitting at my home, but it was someone's home alright (the Angrez's to be precise) and it wasn't exactly a working day (yes, I am dumb like that), at least in the office I work from usually (Eid being a holiday in some offices and not in some regional offices and some jazz like that) but i still felt a sense of satisfaction when after about half a day's work and calls, I finally went to have a bath - for the first time in the day. The real achievement came when I successfully thwarted all the Angrez's efforts to catch a quick catnap. I'm not used to siestas but if I were to work from home, I would definitely like an occasional catnap.
But apart from the sadistic pleasure I derive from not letting friends sleep, work from home is an awesome way to work. It is particularly helpful when more than half the people in your office are bores and the stupid IT help people are no help at all and ban all research supportive websites (Read social networking websites. More than half of research work in think tanks like my employer are based on proved and unproved hypotheses and opinions of other researchers, which the organization has to pay for, while it continuously blocks the great repository of opinions that twitter and FB are and the amazingly informative content on youtube. You never know, I could be following the greatest minds on this planet).
Work from home is also a boon for people like me who are in constant danger of being delegated extra work on Fridays that needs to be completed over the weekend because 'we're in a crisis situation'. (and what exactly was the PI up to in the last 3 months?!)
You know, out of sight=out of mind.
You get to drink tea and coffee that is actually potable, work on machines that you know are reliable and listen to music if you feel like it or shut it off if it distracts you (as compared to the building wide music played in the office DJ-ed by a music committee, which can only inspire you to commit suicide or get married - same same, but different).
But on the flip side, people addicted to working on e-waste like desktops may feel frustrated working from home and some may also miss the privilege of being able to access company intranets, desktop mail clients and other such electronic paraphernalia (NOT!). Some might also be in the constant danger of being sent out on errands because 'all you do is sit in your shorts and stare at your laptop, go get 1/2 kg of besan or you wont get food!'
All in all, I'd like to work from home once in a while. If I could, I surely would.
