Work from Home: A boon for the introverts?

Remote working during Coronavirus Lockdown: Blessing in disguise for Introverts?

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The sudden outbreak of the coronavirus made the whole world come to a standstill and forced most of the employers to opt for remote working. While some workers work from home is just a recipe for disaster. To some, it is a great boon. One of the major reasons for this can be that the former is most probably extroverts, and the latter is most definitely introverts. Remote working benefitted the introverts during the lockdown.

Many of you must be wondering how come work from home be so enjoyable? There’s not a single colleague around to chat and go to lunch together. How come one work day and night sitting in the corner of his/her room, locked away from social life with no parties with friends and colleagues at the weekend? So dull, isn’t it?

Well, it is the very nature of the way introverts do their work, that makes it possible to enjoy such working condition. 

1. Introverts prefer privacy over the open-concept office

In an attempt to create a more conducive atmosphere for social interaction, modern offices are designed in such a way that has practically no privacy for employees at all. What these employers don’t understand is that a significant portion of their employees needs their own space. Introverts will never be much productive when they are constantly thrust into a group setting, daily stand up meetings, and focused teams, etc. They need a quiet environment to ideate or recharge themselves.

An open floor office with no privacy for employees | Source: NYCoffeesuites

How many of you have put on headphones to tune out the noise of open offices? How many times have you felt that you are always watched and hence chose email over an in-person chat to communicate? How many times the lack of privacy at the office motivated you to work from home whenever you can? I bet many of you have experienced these in your regular life before the lockdown. 

How are you feeling now, my introvert friends? Aren’t you enjoying the quiet corner of your room? With no boss to stoop over your shoulder and watch silently from the back, and make you feel eerie when you discover him by turning back? Of course, I didn’t mean remote working is giving you more time to indulge in watching YouTube videos instead of doing the office works seriously! What I meant is that this lockdown has given the introvert employees a chance to enjoy some privacy during work from home.

2. Introverts can now thrive in quiet environments of their home

Yes, introverts do love solitude while brainstorming for critical projects. They prefer independent thinking and creativity, which is discouraged in a modern office where employees are forced to sit together for groupthink.

They need the freedom to be self-reliant before being group-minded if they are going to do their jobs well. 

The locked-down life due to coronavirus outbreak has given ample opportunities to the introverts. They can now spend their time at home for deep thinking and grow self-reliance. 

3. Introverts are now able to do the job without constant hand-holding

Do you remember the times at office when your boss wants to check in on you, with you, about you, for you while in return, they want you also to be ready to check-in — when all you want is some space to get stuff done? Well, how many times did you try to avoid those nagging colleagues and small talks with your boss and co-workers and concentrate on your much-valued office works? I bet you tried several times. 

Feeling that you are constantly on display and need to prove your value to the team and company is a common workplace problem faced by the introverts. Work from home option gives the introverts the freedom to operate in a more secure way, devoid of a daily download of fake smiles and oversharing.

4. Introverts dislike the idea of constantly expected to be social

Modern open offices have become one big social space. In the office, everywhere you go, you’re expected to be social to impress your colleagues and bosses. There’s nowhere you can go to get a few minutes to yourself when you needed a sensory break from this onslaught.

Here, in your cozy room, tucked under the warmth of your quilt and pillow, you can now take a breath of relief, sip a cup of coffee quietly and ponder over your tasks that are to be managed while working from home. Isn’t that a huge gain during the lockdown? 

5. Introverts prefer spending long periods on their own 

Extroverts love interacting with people as much as possible; else, they feel bored and anxious when they are made to spend too much time alone. While extroverts draw energy from being around with people, introverts have a strong preference for spending long stretches of time on their own in secluded spaces for completing tasks that do not require the company of others. They prefer reading, writing, solving crossword puzzles, playing video games, gardening, doing yard work, or cooking in between their heavy office works that relax their brains. They are less susceptible to the adverse effects of unwanted solitude on mental and physical health.

Though long confinement is usually discouraged by psychologists and doctors due to its adverse effects, yet, a temporary situation like this can be actually beneficial to some, if they are able to handle and use the situation appropriately. When forced to stay at home, introverts can thus continue doing what they do best provided their family members to understand their nature of doing things done. If some of you are introverted and have been working from home quite recently, then you must have already enjoyed the blessings of it.