Is work from home doable?

As promised in my previous post 'Working in Small Office Home Office (SOHO) For A Day', this post is all about my view after working at home for a day on 23rd September 2009.

1. Gain more hours in a day by eliminating traveling time to and fro from office.

During work day, my wake up time is at 6:00am. I left my house at around 7:00am and jam all the way along the journey to the office especially before and right after the LDP Sunway toll. It takes up approximately 3 hours per day on travelling time to and fro from work. Driving in Klang Valley at peak hours is not something enjoyable, it is very stressful indeed.

I wake up at 7:00am and start working at around 7:15am after I made myself a cup of hot coffee and a slice of bread. While most of the workers jammed up at the road, I had already started my work.

2. Maintain peak performance all day long

Since secondary school time, I found myself work best at the morning hours from 8:00am to 11:00am. This is also part of the reason I get very mad while stucked in the traffic jam at this period because I am losing the key hours of the day due to the ineffiency of the government.

After the midday meal, we tend to be sleepy and less productive. If you work from home, what best is you can relax yourself at the living hall by listening to music or you are also having a luxury option to go for an afternoon nap for 15 minutes that will definitely boost your performance to the peak for the rest of the day.

3. Full control on the schedule

If you are operating in a SOHO environment, you have full control on your time. Unlike the corporate environment where most of time is spent in meetings, discussions or adhoc enquiries which is treated as something super urgent and important but in real fact, it is just another low priority request from someone 'big' in the organisation.

I managed to work on my priority list as per planned with almost zero interruption while I worked from home.

Do you find yourself very unproductive even though you spent 12 hours a day in the office? The above might be the answer.

4. Work life balance & Healthy lifestyle

This may be the one of the major reason that drives the SOHO lifestyle especially in the western country. I stopped my work at 5:30pm and went for exercise with my wife and kids at the playground nearby.

I have done a survey and found that the most of the us who stay in Klang Valley arrived home from work is at evening hours after 7:00pm.

On 23rd September, I have already had my dinner at 7:00pm. I found myself energetic, stress free and closer to the family.


Do you think work from home is something doable?

In my view, companies in Malaysia shall provide such flexibility as it is a way to increase competitiveness as well as productivity at no cost incurred (in fact cost down). A part form that, I curse the road traffic system in Malaysia. The government is sinful because the hopeless road traffic system is burning our life and money (gasoline) and yet we got no choice but to pay for the toll and head on to the jam.