5 Articles on… Working from home

Working from home, or telecommuting, teleworking, virtual working or remote working - it is the norm for some people and at the moment as those who can must try and work from home.

Whilst working from home I thought I would research working from home (using eResource Discovery Search) to see if I could improve upon my current situation. (I think not having teenagers in the house would vastly improve things!)

Things I have learnt -

• Working from home during a pandemic is not a new concept. Sir Isaac Newton worked from his countryside home in 1665 to avoid the Great Plague. He claimed this was some of the most productive time of his life - he came up with theories on calculus, optics and the law of gravitation.
• Working from home can be called telecommuting, which means according the Oxford English Dictionary To work remotely using telecommunications technology. I like this term - sounds very 1970s, but also very scifi-ish, like teleporting. I also like the term remote working, although it would be better if I was really remote like in the bush or in the jungle or on a tropical beach.
• That to be successful you need to establish a routine, which involves getting dressed - no working in your pyjamas. Have a schedule for your working day and stick to it, and have a dedicated work zone.
• Work-life balance is harder to maintain, especially if you are responsible for childcare, or other domestic duties.
• Some people love working from home and find they are more productive and some people hate it.
• Taking care of myself and my family is my number one priority. (Although I am still getting my work done!)

Here some articles that will give you some information on working from home.

1. Telecommuting
   Ruth.A Wienclaw. Research Starters: Sociology, 2020
   Database: Research Starters accessed via eResource Discover Search (eDS)
   A good general overview on telecommuting and the flexibility it offers not just through lockdown but beyond.
2. Remote Work 101: 5 Golden rules to set yourself up for success when working from home.
   Thibaud Clement. Home Business Magazine: The Home-based Entrepreneur's Magazine. Summer 2020, Vol 27 Issue 3, p10-40. 6p.
   Database:Small Business Reference Center accessed via eResource Discover Search (eDS)
   Some guidelines to set you on the right path, make your virtual work day more productive and enjoyable.
3. Researchers working from home: Benefits and challenges
   Bakazs Aczel, Marton Kovacs, Tanja van der Lippe, Barnabas Szaszi. PLoS ONE. 3/25/2021, Vol. 16 Issue 3, p1-13. 13p.
   Database: Academic Search Elite accessed via eResource Discovery Search
   This article discusses working from home for academics, whether they are more productive and how this effects work life balance.
4. Burnout: Helping Employees avoid & weather the challenges of working from home.
   Griffin White. Professional Safety. May2021, Vol. 66 Issue 5, p16-19. 4p.
   Database: Business Source Elite accessed via eResource Discovery Search
   As people are forced to work from home, this US study looks at how many employees are experiencing burnout. Burnout is defined as when someone is exposed to more stress than they can cope with. This article looks at how burnout manifests itself, whether mental or physical.
   
5. A compilation of short takes on working from home
   Bryan Birchmeier, Erika Dyck, Kathie Porta Baker, Sarah Buhler, Olivier Lebert. Journal of Scholarly Publishing, 11989742, Jul2020, Vol. 51, Issue 4
   Database: Academic Search Elite accessed via eResources Discovery Search
   A collection of short essays from five contributors, who write about their experiences of working from home. The essays are a great insight in how other people juggle working from home, kids and home life.

Related information

• Current alert level information for libraries
• Our Careers guide