Working from home has its ins and outs

AMMAN — The novel coronavirus has not only confined people to their homes, but has caused a shift to home offices, leading employers and employees to figure out their own customised guides to working from home, in order to stay on task amid the uncertain reality.

“Working from home cuts through the complexity of office routines and helps me escape the daily grind, but freedom also comes with a few drawbacks,” Salma Ali, a Jordanian general manager at a fitness centre, told The Jordan Times on Thursday.

Ali, who is also a yoga instructor, said that her glazed balcony is her new home office where she enjoys her morning coffee, does a 20 minutes yoga stretching and starts her remote work routine, by doing some paperwork.

“I have the perfect working environment and I am currently blessed with this beautiful weather which allows me to remain energetic in this difficult crisis,” she expressed, adding that she has remained productive, but as everyone else she has her own distractions at home, particularly when it comes to the needs of her kids and personal boundaries.

“The current reality is hard because I have my three children here all the time, while simultaneously I am trying to check in with my employees, as well as get familiar with what is becoming the new norm,” Ali said.

Maria Al Malak, a Jordanian accountant in her mid-20s, said that the on going digital transformation has made her gaze at her laptop screen for long stretches, therefore she tries to take breaks every so often.

“What I might accomplish in four hours of work during my days at the office, I now complete in an hour,” Al Malak said, adding that working from home has helped her become more productive and faster, due to not having coffees with her colleagues or spending hours in meetings.

“For me working from home seemed like an impossible task, but here I am enjoying jazz, while doing my job from my living room,” Al Malak expressed, adding that she sets her own limits and working hours, using time management applications as well as other tools that help her improve her remote working skills amid the “disruptive” outbreak.

Baraa Ahmad, an assistant manager at a company based in Amman, told The Jordan Times that her bedroom is her new office, adding that she tries to keep adequate communication with her employer, in ordered to tackle their next move.

“We always find a way to communicate whether via Skype, email or messaging apps,” Ahmad said.

“Currently my sleep schedule is unreasonable, but what helps me is that I have the freedom to set my working hours as long as I do my job,” she added.

Abeer Nofel, a 23 year old graphic designer, told The Jordan Times that the lockdown has been an “eye opening” experience, showing her how she could do her job easily from the comfort of her room.

“I’ve designed visuals, posters and some social media graphics for friends since the lockdown was announced,” Nofel said.