Ep 19. Pros and Cons of Remote Work From a Former Teacher

What if you could skip the exhausting daily grind, commute less, and transform your work-life balance entirely? That's exactly what happened to me as I transitioned from a traditional teaching role to becoming a Senior UX Researcher working remotely. In this episode of the UX Teacher Prep Podcast, I share my journey, recounting the joy of trading in my hour-plus commute for the freedom to choose my work environment.

Join me as I unpack the pros and cons of remote work. If you’re curious about making the switch to a remote or hybrid role, or just want to explore the potential lifestyle changes it brings, this episode is packed with insights that might just inspire your next career move.

Curious about the UX Research job overview? Listen to this episode

Want to hear why I left teaching after 15 years? Listen here 

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Transcript

Zee: 0:00

Hello teacher friends. Coach Z here and welcome back to the UX Teacher Prep Podcast. I'm on a mission to help teachers find the balance to unleash their creativity.

Zee: 0:10

The other day I was sitting at home working on my computer and I was looking back and forth between my laptop, which is my main screen, and my monitor, which is my second screen. It was one of those heat wave days here in New York and the laptop was just emitting too much heat. I thought about turning on the fan or even the AC, but then I said to myself wait a minute, you can go work at Panera. That's the beauty of working from home. You can literally work from anywhere. So I packed up my equipment and drove to Panera to work in the cool AC and get a break from the house.

Zee: 0:43

Working from home has its pros and cons, and I know a lot of transitioning teachers are thinking about leaving the classroom to work from home. Ultimately, the choice is up to you whether you want to work remotely, in person or in a hybrid role which is a combination of the two. In today's episode, we're going to talk about the pros and cons of working remotely, based on what I've experienced so far in the past two plus years. Stay tuned.

Narrator: 1:08

Welcome to the UX Teacher Prep Podcast, the ultimate destination for educators who aspire to break into the field of user experience and product design. Your host, zee Arnold, a 15-year teacher turned UX researcher, is here to guide, coach and mentor you through every twist and turn as you make your career transition into tech. If you're ready for a more satisfying career and lifestyle and you want the balance to unleash your creativity, this podcast is for you. Now for the show.

Zee: 1:46

First up, and my personal favorite, you get to work from the comfort of your own home. There's something incredibly satisfying about rolling out of bed and getting straight to work without the hustle and bustle of a morning commute. Well, I don't actually just roll out of bed and start working. Of course, I have to brush my teeth, wash my face, get ready, get my daughter ready for pre-K, but knowing I'm going to drop her off and come right back home to work is what keeps me going. Speaking of which, no long commuting. That's a huge perk. Not only do you save time, but you also save on gas money and reduce your carbon footprint. It's a win-win.

Zee: 2:22

When I was teaching, my school was actually an hour and 15 minutes away from my house on a good day, and that's because of traffic. If it was snowing, forget it. Commuting for two and a half hours a day is insane. I felt like by the time I got to the school building, I was already tired, and then, when I left the school building, going back home in traffic was just a mess. Another great thing is the flexibility to work from anywhere with Wi-Fi. If you want to work from a cozy cafe or a sunny beach, go for it. This freedom is something you just don't get in a traditional office setting or a school building, and one of my pet peeves about office settings is that they're always freezing cold in the summers and I have to dress like it's winter in the office. Why Not? Going into the office also means there's no need to dress up. I have 15 years worth of teacher outfits and I'm happily not using them on a daily basis. I like to be comfortable when I'm working. My work as a senior UX researcher doesn't have a dress code and doesn't require me to wear anything fancy. I love that. Now I do go into the office once in a while, or I go to our annual company in-person event, and for that I like to dress up a little bit, but nothing spectacular. I'm really a minimalist at heart.

Zee: 3:30

Now, in terms of socializing at work, if you're like me, you'll appreciate the lack of distractions from chatty co-workers. No offense, but those water cooler conversations, as fun as they are, can also throw you off your game and suck up valuable work time. I like being at home so I can hammer out my work without distractions. I feel like when I was teaching I had the most distractions. I mean between the endless announcements, calls from the nurse, metrocard distribution. I could never get a steady flow of thinking or productivity, even on my prep periods. I like to be in my zone when I'm working.

Zee: 4:04

The last thing I love about working from home is you get to build your own workspace. I set up my workspace with an adjustable standing desk, a super comfortable chair and all the things that make me comfortable and productive. You get to design a workspace that suits you best, which can really boost your productivity, and you can create the conditions for yourself to be successful. I mean, what's better than that? Now, I'm not going to pretend that remote work is all sunshine and roses. There are some downsides. So let's talk about the cons of working remotely and I want to give you some solutions as well, because I learned a lot along the way. First on the list is less physical activity. So without the daily commute or walking around the office or classroom, it's easy to become a major couch potato. I mean like a seriously bum.

Zee: 4:48

My first week of working from home, I remember my Apple Watch had to put me in check. I kept getting notifications that I needed to stand and my activity levels plummeted. I was getting more than 10k steps a day from pacing around the classroom and the hallways when I was teaching. When I started working from home, I barely got 500 steps a day. It was tragic. I like to stay active, so this was very concerning for me. So I had to come up with a plan. The first thing I did was I scheduled regular breaks for short walks each day I call them my vitamin D breaks and I got a walking pad so I could walk on my work breaks if the weather was bad outside. I did get that standing desk, I said earlier, but I honestly wanted to do more than just stand.

Zee: 5:31

Next up is the lack of social interaction. Now, if you like to communicate with others in person, this is going to be a big one for you. As a remote worker, I'm on Zoom and Slack a lot. I'm sure you know what Zoom is, but Slack is like a messaging platform that some corporate companies use to keep their colleagues connected so they can plan and work on projects and also socialize. These platforms are great for communication, but they can't replace the in-person sort of fellowship you get from being around your colleagues. They're just not the same, but they do help bridge the gap. So for me, to combat this. I set up virtual coffee breaks or, like I mentioned earlier, I go to public places with Wi-Fi, like libraries, cafes or restaurants, to work. That way, I can at least get a change of environment sometimes and also see other human beings that are not behind a computer screen.

Zee: 6:21

Another downside is the increase in screen time. Staring at a computer all day can be draining and bad for your eyes. One of the first things I purchased when I realized how much it affected my eyes, was a blue light screen protector for my laptop and for my monitor. I spend all day looking at a computer screen, whether I'm in a Zoom meeting, typing a research report, analyzing Zoom user sessions or planning for upcoming research, so I have to take regular screen breaks. Sometimes I just close my eyes for a few minutes. Other times I just step outside and watch the squirrels run around in nature. One trick I've read online is to follow the 20-20-20 rule Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds, and also consider using blue light glasses if you don't want to use the screen protector.

Zee: 7:07

Back to Slack. Slack notifications can also be overwhelming and distracting. You can easily get bombarded with messages, especially if you're working on multiple projects at a time or you join channels for multiple purposes. So my solution is to set specific times to check and respond to messages. You can actually turn off notifications when you need to focus and let your team know your availability. I always use the brain emoji as my status when I'm deep in analysis, because that's the time when I need to be in my zone and focus the most.

Zee: 7:38

Speaking of being in my zone, stable Wi-Fi is an absolute must. If you want to work from home, you need to have stable Wi-Fi. The most annoying thing is to be working on a report and then, all of a sudden, the wheel starts to spit on your computer and all you hear is that loud fan noise and you know that everything is about to crash. Or you're interviewing a teacher in a Zoom session and they start getting choppy and then you lose an important insight you were just about to capture. There is nothing more frustrating than a glitchy connection during an important meeting. So make sure you have a reliable internet provider and consider having a backup plan like a mobile hotspot just in case.

Zee: 8:14

But you'll have to follow your company rules to make sure you're connected to secure Wi-Fi. I've actually been looking into Starlink, which is a satellite internet service provider that a lot of people use, and I've heard that it works well for RV travel. You can also try to get wired internet by running an ethernet cable from your router to your computer. These are some ways to get a reliable internet connection at home. This might not be an issue for everyone, but for me. We have four kids and a lot of devices running off the Wi-Fi Plus. In the summers, when the kids are home gaming, that also affects the Wi-Fi speed, so it's something to consider.

Zee: 8:49

And lastly, having family members or small children at home can make meetings tricky. My youngest daughter is in school, but school ends at three, so I have to pick her up and bring her back home for the last part of my workday. For kids, the best approach here is to set clear boundaries and let them know you have your work times and then you can play after work time. Set them up on a routine that allows you to get the work done when they're home. But, most importantly for me, I try not to schedule meetings where I'm the lead late in the afternoon. Any meeting where I need to be off mute and lead a discussion or conduct an interview, I try to schedule earlier in the day if possible. If I have to do it later, I make arrangements for another family member to watch my toddler. So it takes some maneuvering and planning, but it can work.

Zee: 9:33

As for adults in the house, you just need to let them know you're working from home and, if needed, let them know your work schedule and your meeting schedule so they don't catch you off guard during a meeting. But ideally, the best scenario is to have a dedicated workspace where you can close the door if needed and focus on your work. So that's it, and despite the potential challenges, I feel like the pros of working remotely do often outweigh the cons if you're prepared and have strategies in place to handle the downsides. But I think if you're kind of stuck in between the two, hybrid is something you should consider because it'll give you a chance to get the best of both worlds. Thanks for listening and, as always, if you need help on your transition journey, you can reach out at uxteacherprepcom or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Narrator: 10:25

Hey, thanks so much for tuning in. If you like this podcast, hit, follow and scroll down to leave a five-star rating. Then share it with a friend. If you're looking for resources to help you on your tech transition journey, head over to uxteacherprepcom. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram at uxteacherprep for daily tips and motivation. Have a topic you'd like to hear addressed on the show? Send us a DM on Instagram. If you're listening on YouTube, like, subscribe and share. Until next time, be well.