Unpopular opinion or #unpopularopinion is a trend that we’re seeing among professionals. Sometimes it can be comical like “I hate cheese” but sometimes it’s more thought-provoking. People offering their counterpoints, or unpopular opinions on today’s workforce, the culture, the opportunities, you name it. So, here’s an unpopular opinion that we’re hearing more and more – working at home stinks

Sure, there are some benefits. (There are benefits to a root canal, too…) Working in your PJs. No commute. Being able to throw in a load of laundry in between Zoom calls, or being able to have one eye on a baseball game on TV while you hammer away at your pivot table.

But more and more, we’re hearing from companies large and small that working from home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Here are three reasons why people are finding working from home sucks… plus a solution on what to do about it!

People are craving social interaction. Zoom calls tend to be all business. People are missing out on Monday morning banter over a cup of coffee, or lingering outside a conference room catching up with a colleague. Let’s be honest, leaning across the aisle and talking to your cube mate about Married at First Sight or last night’s Jets game happens at least once a day – but workers from home may not indulge in these little diversions over Zoom. (Although, scheduling “tea time” with your work bestie is a thing among millennials… look for it on an Outlook calendar in your organization.

People enjoyed the transition time. The commute. Sometimes it’s nice to have a cup of coffee, to listen to talk radio or a pod cast without a toddler climbing up your leg or needing to let the dog out. Many workers use their commute in order to mentally separate from work before arriving home to the stresses there. (Dinner, kids’ homework, cleaning up after dinner.) Having a few minutes of “me-time” whether it’s on the train listening to the Calm app with earbuds in, or sitting in traffic on 95 listening to Howard Stern – it can still be useful time for your mental health.

Sea of sameness. Monotony. Running to the cafeteria to grab lunch and eat it at your desk is still more fun than heating up last night’s leftovers and eating it alone. People like a sense of routine, but when days blur together and become monotony, that’s never a good thing. Even for the biggest introvert or homebody. Working from the office can stimulate your senses in ways you didn’t know possible. You note Wendy’s new jacket and ask her where she got it and learn about a new consignment shop in the area. Someone heats up Chicken Korma in the kitchenette and suddenly, everyone’s talking about the new Indian restaurant that just opened. You bump into Joe by the elevator who is on crutches and you hear about his terrifying injury that he sustained on a whitewater rafting trip. If you were at home, you’d miss out on all of these daily interactions – smells, sights and stories.

Do you think working at home stinks? Here’s a solution:
If you’re craving social interaction... if you need a transition from work to home... if you’re struggling with the monotony of working from home, then a part-time office or flex-space could be right for you. (And your mental health!) Sobon & Associates offers daily, weekly and monthly rates, as well as executive board rooms and training space for meetings and events. Conveniently located at the junction of route 84 and 691 in Cheshire, we’ve been proudly serving the Hartford area and Cheshire, Wolcott and Waterbury community for 30 years.