Working from home

短文笔记+问答练习，两天后问题答案会发到课程群。

Working from home 在家办公

 特殊时期，不管你愿不愿意，最好选择在家工作。本文讨论传统工作模式的革新。

Vocabulary

routine常规，惯例       commute通勤；   remote working远程工作
work-life balance工作和生活的平衡  ；doddle轻而易举的事情；log on登录
flexible working弹性工作时间；hard going很难做的……；

switch off停止，不理睬；clock off下班；self-employed自雇的，个体经营的
interact with交流，互动；agile灵活的；cost effective合算的，物有所值的
start-up创业公司；distraction干扰，影响；productive有效率的

1. What is it about technology that has made working from home easier?

2. What do more than 1.54 million people do from their home?

3. Other than home and the office, where else could people work?

4. True or false: Some companies have done away with offices altogether. 

5. Which phrase used in the article describes the traditional way of working fixed office hours?

scripts ：

If you go to work, you’re probably familiar with the routine of travelling to the office, hunting for an available desk, completing your tasks and then enduring your commute home. In many ways, it seems like an outdated working practice. And maybe that’s why more and more of us are now choosing to work from home.

There are, of course, many reasons for remote working, as it is also called. The demands of modern life and a desire for a better work-life balance has driven the trend, along with improved technology, which makes doing most tasks at home a doddle.

In the UK, figures from the Office for National Statistics show more than one and a half million people work from home for their main job. But, although logging on from the comfort of your sofa may appeal, especially if it’s part of a flexible working approach, some people are forced to work from home and find it hard going. Marketing consultant Mark Black told the BBC he struggled to switch offfrom work when he was based solely at home. He says: "I hated home working. You get up in the morning and stare at the same four walls, do your work, and try and clock off, but you can't." It’s true that being at home means you can’t physically leave your office behind, and as Emma Mamo from mental health charity Mind says: "Home workers don't always have the same opportunities to connect with people as their office-based colleagues.”

But remote working doesn’t always mean being at home. Cafes and workplace spaces offer a chance for workers, particularly self-employed people, to come together and interact with each other. There are also employees who have no choice but to work remotely because their companies have decided to do away with offices altogether to have a more agile workforce - it's certainly very cost effective and attractive for start-ups. But for those employed by businesses with a physical base, working at home provides a convenient alternative to the 9 to 5. And without the distraction of their colleagues, it can be the most productive place to work!