Expectation vs Reality: Working From Home

When working from home suddenly became the norm after COVID (throwback!), I think I had a very Pinterest-worthy vision in my head of what it would be like…effortless productivity, carefully laid out desk with a home-brewed coffee and a neatly scheduled diary ready to conquer the day. I would be brimming with motivation now that my soul-sucking commute was gone, and I hadn’t had to avoid the cleaner taking the best part of an hour to tell me about her husband’s knee surgery. 

Reality, however, had a different plan. My ‘desk’ is a cluttered edge of a dining table, the dog won’t stop staring, the postman pops up hourly and my internet turns every Teams call into a guessing game…not to mention the social media and TV show distractions!

By 5pm a glass of wine seems to be the most productive part of my day – welcome to the chaotic truth of working from home!

🕒 The Dream vs. The Reality: Daily Schedule

Expectation:
I’d start work at 8:30am sharp after a leisurely breakfast, take stretch breaks, enjoy a short walk, and breeze through my morning tasks. I imagined preparing highly nutritious meals; overnight oats, smoothie bowls, balanced lunches full of colourful goodness, and feeling like I truly had my life together. Finishing on time with a sense of accomplishment.

Reality:
I roll out of bed at 10:30am, still in pyjamas, with coffee as my only real source of nutrition. The dog stares at me like I’ve personally failed him by not taking him out an hour ago. Laundry, dishes, and household chaos demand attention mid-email. Breakfast is whatever I can find in the cupboard that’s quick enough for me to still ‘appear online’. Lunch? Let’s just say it’s more crisps and leftovers than colourful salads. By late afternoon, I’m still staring at my task list, wondering where the day went, while Netflix whispers seductively from another tab.

💻 You’re on Mute…Again!

Expectation:
Quick, efficient calls where everyone is on time, the WiFi works perfectly, and we stick to the agenda like professionals. A couple of polite, friendly chats to keep things human, no awkward silences, no frozen screens and maybe even a laugh or two before wrapping up early.

Reality:
Every call starts with the same five words…“Can you hear me?” on repeat like a broken record. The dog provides background vocals, barking at pedestrians as if defending national security, and I’m instantly regretting booking my supermarket delivery slot the same time as the postman arrives. The real dread comes when I hear that TEAMS call sound. It’s always when my hair’s in a towel, my eyebrows are missing, and I’m in my old S Club 7 t-shirt, complete with toothpaste stains. Or worse, I’m mid-binge at a dramatic point in my new show, and now is not the time for a one-to-one with Steven about Q3 targets. I enter the call with my camera off, silently praying he’s done the same. Then it’s all smiles, nods, and “mm-hm”s, mostly guessing if I’m agreeing, disagreeing, or just stalling until I can hit “Leave Meeting.” At least my pyjama bottoms keep me cozy.

🪑 The Multi-Purpose “Office” (aka Kitchen Table)

Expectation:
A picture-perfect home office! We’re talking ergonomic chair, soft lighting, tidy desk, motivational quotes on the wall. A stationary drawer with pens, highlighters, and sticky notes organised like a tiny rainbow of productivity. A space that screams “I’m smashing this whole life thing!”.

Reality:
My “office” doubles as the kitchen table, snack bar, crafts corner and general dumping ground. Dog toys, unopened letters, toast crumbs and mystery cables all stage a hostile takeover of my workspace. My ergonomic setup? A dining chair with a cushion I optimistically call “supportive,” while my back files a formal complaint. On the plus side, the fridge is just three steps away – convenient for snacks, wine, and pretending I’m a responsible adult whilst ignoring the fact we’ve run out of milk.

🍷 Wine O’Clock: The Real End of the Workday

OK so working from home isn’t the Pinterest-perfect utopia I imagined. It’s a pyjama-clad circus, complete with a dog as the unofficial ringmaster and a calendar that resembles a battlefield. Yet here I am; caffeinated, occasionally productive, and somehow still employed. No commute, no awkward small talk, snacks and comfort always within reach. The small victories, like surviving a Teams call without freezing on a yawn MUST count for something. By 5pm, I pour a well-earned glass of wine, raise it to the chaos, and call it a triumph.

Thing is peeps, life isn’t always the perfectly curated version we imagine…and thank goodness for that! If everything were flawless, life would be dull (and this blog wouldn’t exist…which in itself, would be a tragedy).

On that note…

🍷 Today’s Wine Pairing is…

A light-bodied Gamay – Cosy, comforting, and perfect for the pyjama-wearing, multi-tasking reality of WFH.

Let’s CHEERS, to a little self-deprecating humor, and living unapologetically imperfect lives

’till Tuesday folks! 🍷

H x