Work from home

The past two days have been great on the work front. I've gotten to produce work I'm extremely happy with (good feedback is starting to trickle in, too) -- all while working from home.

So now I'm all warm and fuzzy about working from home, thus this post. Working from home is something I have wanted to do ever since I first saw Marlon's company grant him the privilege of working from home one day a week, plus a budget to set up a small home office.

Six years ago, it seemed far-fetched and decadent, like something only an deep-pocketed, ultramodern multinational leviathan could handle.

But technology has improved and mindsets have shifted. Employers are more open to the idea that you don't have to be physically present to do good work. And so working from home has become, happily, a part of my working life as a freelancer -- even now that I'm working what is essentially a 9-to-6 day job.

I love working from home for its many perks. Foremost is sleep. My morning primping and commuting time is added to my sleep time. My bed is less than three feet away from my desk, making a hasty escape from the heavy-lidded unproductive desert that is siesta time oh so easy.

Second is, time. I work at my own pace and at the times I am most productive. Although I don't like to pigeonhole myself as a morning/afternoon/night person (why would I want to limit myself?), I like to sleep late and get to thinking after a slow start. Still, I can get up early and hit the ground cracking if I need to; working from home isn't for people who can't manage their time, that's for sure.

And to be honest, I work fast most of the time. There have been times I find myself done with what I need to do and just kill time until the "respectable" hour to go home arrives. Trust me, maraming nai-imbiyerna kung mabilis ka; kasalanan ko bang hindi sila efficient? Among these are the creatures who wear their extended work hours as a badge of honor, the ultimate proof that they're working hard (never having heard of working smart).

Working from home allows me to cut out all that useless crap. If I'm efficient at my work and am done for the day, then I'm done for the day. No raised eyebrows, no wagging tongues.

Third is, simply, home. Since I never feel the need to physically get out of the office (admit it, sometimes it's a real and pressing urge, isn't it?), sometimes I even end up working later into the night, and for longer hours, than I would at a regular office.  I've had days so packed, I've had to crawl out of bed at 7am and keep to a strict hourly schedule until midnight. But I don't think I could do that at an office and still feel good at the end of the day.

I have my cat to bother or cuddle or be tormented by; I have a beautiful sunset right outside my window to mark the end of each day  The comfort of home makes a huge difference. And that's what makes working from home work for me.