My work-from-home experience over the past 1.5 years in Singapore

Due to COVID-19, the past 1.5 years has been a roller-coaster journey for everyone in Singapore – front-line workers, students, businesses and office workers alike.

The main difference for many? Adjusting to a lifestyle where working from home became the norm for office workers. Initially, to many, it was a dream come true where one didn’t have to trudge into the office first thing in the morning. However, is working from home truly the best option when it comes to being productive?

Read on if you’re keen to find out about the main differences between working from office and working from home. 

The main differences between working from home and in office

• Working Environment

Instead of going into the office and doing work from your work cubicle or desk, working from home meant that work could be done from your bed, couch or table.

• Physical Meetings VS Virtual Online Meetings

Another big change that affected the lives of many office workers was the shift from physical meetings to online meetings that took place over programs such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom or WhatsApp calls instead.

• Working relationships

As everything moved online, so did the relationships between colleagues and co-workers. Daily lunches became daily zoom meetings, and physical interactions turned to WhatsApp chats or via the company’s communication platforms.

How has work life changed since working from home?

During the early stages of working from home, many revelled in the joy of being able to have the liberty to stay home and work from the comfort of their beds and sofas. This was a privilege hardly ever granted in Singapore, so when the pandemic struck, many office workers found that was the only good thing that came out of it.

However, is working from home truly a blessing? There are two sides to the coin, with advantages and disadvantages for both working from home and the office

To see if people really enjoyed working from home or not, I went on Instagram to ask friends aged 25-35 if they liked working from home and why/why not:

Yes

– Timing wise is more flexible. I get to wake up at 8.50 to start work at 9am

– Yes, I get more sleep and don’t have to spend time travelling

– Yes! Because I get to save money and time on travelling and I get more work done.

– Yes, I get to take zoom calls wearing whatever I want and wake up 10 mins before the meeting

– Yes, I can do things on my own time and own target

– I get to save transport fare and sleep in later

– I get to sleep in, nap during lunch breaks and save money on meals.

– Can do chores when waiting for emails and can also take care of my child at home.

No

– It makes you feel isolated without the usual interaction with people

– I’ll be less productive

– It’s easier to focus in office and I prefer meeting people in person

– Cannot bond with colleagues and it’s tiring because you don’t have a break between family and work 

While the majority chose that they enjoyed working from home more, there were quite a few who also chose that they preferred being in an office setting. Each individual does have their own work styles and preferences. Having introverted or extroverted personalities also play a huge role in the decision.

Working from home (Perspective of a 28-year-old office worker)

To share further on the ups and downs of working from home, I thought to share my own personal working-from-home experience over the past 1.5 years.

Being a 28-year-old executive who is working in the communications department of a company, writing emails and content is part of my daily life. This meant that my previous work routine was getting up at 7am to prepare for work and rushing in to clock my attendance before 8am.

I spent about $10 each morning commuting to work via Grab as my company was strict on punctuality and I could never seem to wake up earlier to take public transport. The hours went by fast in office, mainly due to the interaction and water-cooler chats with colleagues who were sitting around my cubicle. Productivity levels were not as high as the office setting was rather disruptive.

Hour-long lunch breaks were the saviour of the day as my colleagues and I would head out to have lunch outside and talk about office gossip or the daily happenings in each others lives. Work never ended on time and if there were meetings, it was normal for us to take transport down to the meeting place and spend an hour or two inclusive of travelling time.

When COVID-19 struck, everything changed. At first, the joy of working from home was undeniable. I was shocked at the amount of money saved from travelling to-and-fro office, as well as the cost spent on lunch.

It was also a welcome break as it meant wearing comfortable home clothes while taking zoom calls and not having the scrutiny of colleagues coming by my cubicle to chat about work. While there was freedom, there was however, now also the added pressure of having to amount about our work productivity to my boss. Random spot checks and calls became the norm.

Productivity levels were high as without distractions, I was able to churn work fast. However, the lack of interaction with my colleagues made us feel more distant as the only form of communication was via instant messaging.

Flower Delivery And Care Packages

Previously, whenever someone’s birthday came around, we used to bring the person out for a birthday treat. However, with the COVID-19 restrictions, this wasn’t possible.

Instead, we resorted to sending flowers and care packages to each other to wish each other on our birthdays and somethings, we would also send small gifts such as coffees and cakes to each other if we knew they were having a hard day. Another thing we would do was arrange some flower delivery to each other’s homes to surprise each other. Instead of giving physical presents, it meant that we would collate our funds and make an online purchase for an item or gift card/e-voucher to pass to the birthday guy/girl.  Being a recipient of such gifts myself during the past 1.5 years, these gifts truly meant a lot.

Though my company didn’t send any care packages, some friends had their companies sending them bento sets and some even, sent some flower deliveries to lift up the morale of their employees and to ensure that their mental wellbeing was taken care of.

What did I do to make my work-from-home experience a little more bearable?

Being around the same environment from the time you wake up to the time to head to bed, blurred the line between working and personal life.

While I was able to fall into a routine, I made small changes in my work setting and tried to take breaks at different areas in the house. Like delineating the ‘work’ from the ‘home’ with flowers

One consistent thing I did was to purchase flowers for myself to place around the house on a weekly basis. Though it was a simple action, I enjoyed looking at the blooms each time I needed a break from staring at the computer and could even do so during work calls. Lilies were a great option because they lasted long and were an economical choice. There are many ways to displaying flowers at home.

Adjusting to working from home was not easy. Dealing with parents, spouses, siblings and children at home, mean that there is no separation between work or personal life. And if we’re not careful, it would mean that we can inevitably get more stressed trying to separate or juggle the two.

Being away from colleagues or having a smaller circle of social support can also take an emotional toll on one’s wellbeing. Dr Paul Lim, Lecturer at Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University said: “We need to be around people”. It’s therefore normal to feel that way.

While the Government has eased up restrictions and with more people heading back to office, if you’re still working from home and feeling the fatigue, Dr Lim also advised some form of timetable or a routine and work your way around it. Don’t be so caught up in wanting to be so productive. You can watch more tips on how to survive working from home here.

Staying productive, healthy and happy

It’s not easy to strike a balance between work life and family. And working from home undoubtedly has it’s advantages and disadvantages.

It is however, important to value your emotional and psychological wellbeing even more during this tough period. For all who are facing a hard time adjusting to the new norm, reach out to your friends and families and share your struggles. Don’t be afraid to seek professional help if you need it too.

The world is still undergoing changes daily due to the pandemic. It’s vital to keep safe and as we move towards a new norm, to be able to take changes as they come even if it means moving towards a hybrid form of work (half office, half working from home). Be kind and if you have friends or families struggling, why not send them flowers to cheer them up? There is science behind the Therapeutic Nature of Flowers & Plants.

Today, there are an extensive variety of flowers, gifts and food products available for online purchase. 24hrscityflorist.com – a Singapore florist , an established florist providing same day delivery anywhere in Singapore everyday including Sundays and public holidays.

Written by: Elizabeth Tan