For the tens of millions of Americans who work remotely on any given weekday, every day is already a work-from-home day. National Work From Home Day just makes it official. It also raises a question worth sitting with: what did workers do with the time remote work gave back?
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 2?DH6C[ :E EFC?D @FE[ :D AC6EEJ 9F>2?] p =@?8\E6C> 2?2=JD:D @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3=D]8@G^5AC^H@C<:?8\A2A6CD^9@H\5:5\E96\C6>@E6\H@C<\C6G@=FE:@?\492?86\@FC\H@C<\2?5\=6:DFC6\E:>6]A57Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmp>6C:42? E:>6\FD6 52E2k^2m 7@F?5 E92E H96? E96 4@>>FE6 5:D2AA62CD[ H@C<6CD AFE E92E E:>6 E@H2C5 D=66A[ 4@@<:?8[ 6I6C4:D6 2?5 72>:=J] }@E DEC2E68J D6DD:@?D] %96 @C5:?2CJ DEF77 E92E >2<6D 2 52J 766= =:<6 2 =:76]Â k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 2=2C> DE@AA65 36:?8 E96 6?6>Jk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]4@H@C<:?84276]4@>^3=@8^C6>@E6\H@C<\H6==\36:?8\DFCG6J\a_ae^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm$6G6? :? `_ C6>@E6 H@C<6CDk^2m C6A@CE =@H6C DEC6DD D:?46 =62G:?8 7F==\E:>6 @77:46 D4965F=6D] p =@E @7 E92E 4@>6D 5@H? E@ D=66A] (@C<6CD H9@ 5@?’E 92G6 E@ 42E49 2 f 2]>] EC2:? 2C6 86EE:?8 >@C6 @7 :E[ 2?5 E96 5:776C6?46 D9@HD FA H6== 367@C6 ?@@?] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^36EE6C\D=66A\=:<6\2\<:5^Qmq6EE6C D=66Ak^2m >62?D D92CA6C 7@4FD 2?5 76H6C D:4< 52JD] }@?6 @7 E92E D9@HD FA :? 2 AC@5F4E:G:EJ 52D93@2C5[ 3FE 2== @7 :E 492?86D 9@H 2 H@C<52J 766=D]k^Am
k7:8FC6 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\:>286 D:K6\7F==Qmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^pE\2\8=2?46\A=2??6C\@?\2\=2AE@A];A8Q 2=ElQp A6CD@? EJA6D @? 2 =2AE@A 5:DA=2J:?8 2 5:8:E2= >@?E9=J 42=6?52C[ ?6IE E@ 2 C65 4@7766 >F8 @? 2 H@@56? E23=6]Q 4=2DDlQHA\:>286\agaf`gQ DC4D6ElQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^pE\2\8=2?46\A=2??6C\@?\2\=2AE@A];A8 `e__H[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^pE\2\8=2?46\A=2??6C\@?\2\=2AE@A\b__I`eh];A8 b__H[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^pE\2\8=2?46\A=2??6C\@?\2\=2AE@A\`_acIdfe];A8 `_acH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^pE\2\8=2?46\A=2??6C\@?\2\=2AE@A\fegIcba];A8 fegH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^pE\2\8=2?46\A=2??6C\@?\2\=2AE@A\`dbeIgec];A8 `dbeH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^pE\2\8=2?46\A=2??6C\@?\2\=2AE@A\`d_Igc];A8 `d_HQ D:K6DlQW>2I\H:5E9i `e__AIX `__GH[ `e__AIQ 52E2\A:?\>65:2lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^pE\2\8=2?46\A=2??6C\@?\2\=2AE@A];A8Q ^mk7:842AE:@? 4=2DDlQHA\6=6>6?E\42AE:@?Qm!9@E@ 4C65:Ei s6A@D:EA9@E@D]k^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm{F?49 3642>6 2 C62= >62= 282:?k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 56D< 8C2?@=2 32C :D 8@?6] x? :ED A=246i 2? 24EF2= >62=[ >256 :? 2? 24EF2= <:E496?[ 62E6? D:EE:?8 5@H?] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]96==@7C6D9]4@>^62E^C6A@CED^DE2E6@79@>64@@<:?8Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm$6G6?EJ\@?6 A6C46?E @7 p>6C:42?Dk^2m D2J 4@@<:?8 :D >@C6 DEC6DD\C6=:6G:?8 E92? DEC6DD7F=[ 2?5 gbT D2J 62E:?8 H:E9 @E96CD :D 36EE6C 7@C E96:C >6?E2= 962=E9] p>@?8 A6@A=6 H9@ A=2??65 E@ DA6?5 >@C6 E:>6 :? E96 <:E496?[ g`T 4:E65 962=E9 2D E96 C62D@?] %96 9@>6 <:E496? H2D 2=H2JD E96C6] (92E 492?865 H2D 92G:?8 E96 9@FC E@ FD6 :E]k^Am
k7:8FC6 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\:>286 D:K6\7F==Qmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ab^_c^w62=E9J\7@@5\=F?49\3C62<\@?\@77:46\56D<];A8Q 2=ElQ%9C66 4@?E2:?6CD @7 2DD@CE65 962=E9J 7@@5 @? 2 56D< H:E9 2 =2AE@A[ D>2CEA9@?6[ 2?5 A@EE65 A=2?Ej 2 92?5 C62496D 7@C D2=25 :? @?6 4@?E2:?6C]Q 4=2DDlQHA\:>286\ae`agbQ DC4D6ElQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ab^_c^w62=E9J\7@@5\=F?49\3C62<\@?\@77:46\56D<];A8 `e__H[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ab^_c^w62=E9J\7@@5\=F?49\3C62<\@?\@77:46\56D<\b__I`eh];A8 b__H[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ab^_c^w62=E9J\7@@5\=F?49\3C62<\@?\@77:46\56D<\`_acIdfe];A8 `_acH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ab^_c^w62=E9J\7@@5\=F?49\3C62<\@?\@77:46\56D<\fegIcba];A8 fegH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ab^_c^w62=E9J\7@@5\=F?49\3C62<\@?\@77:46\56D<\`dbeIgec];A8 `dbeH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ab^_c^w62=E9J\7@@5\=F?49\3C62<\@?\@77:46\56D<\`d_Igc];A8 `d_HQ D:K6DlQ2FE@[ W>2I\H:5E9i `e__AIX `__GH[ `e__AIQ 52E2\A:?\>65:2lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ab^_c^w62=E9J\7@@5\=F?49\3C62<\@?\@77:46\56D<];A8Q ^mk7:842AE:@? 4=2DDlQHA\6=6>6?E\42AE:@?Qm!9@E@ 4C65:Ei s6A@D:EA9@E@D]k^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 >:552J H2=< 3642>6 2 C62= E9:?8k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 4@>>FE6 H2D @7E6? E96 @?=J H2=<:?8 D@>6 A6@A=6 5:5 2== 52J] #6D62C49 @? p>6C:42? E:>6\FD6 52E2 7@F?5 E92E 6I6C4:D6 E:>6 :?4C62D65 7@C C6>@E6 H@C<6CD @? E96:C 9@>6 52JD 4@>A2C65 H:E9 H@C<6CD C6BF:C65 E@ 36 @?\D:E6] %96 >:552J H2=<[ E96 H@C<@FE 36EH66? 42==D[ E96 CF? E92E FD65 E@ ?665 2 d 2]>] 2=2C>i E9@D6 2C6?’E 2DA:C2E:@?2= 2?J>@C6] %96J’C6 @? %F6D52J 27E6C?@@?]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 A6@A=6 2E 9@>6 8@E >@C6 @7 E96 52Jk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|@C6 E92? e :? `_ C6>@E6 H@C<6CD D2J E96J ?@H 92G6 >@C6 C@@> 7@C 72>:=J 2?5 A6CD@?2= AFCDF:ED[ A6C E96 D2>6 C6>@E6 H@C< H6==\36:?8 DFCG6J] p 49:=5 86ED 2 A2C6?E 9@>6 367@C6 5:??6C] p? 28:?8 A2C6?E 86ED E96 4964<\:? 42== E92E FD65 E@ 72== E9C@F89 E96 4C24<D] p A2CE?6C 5@6D?’E 92G6 E@ 92?5=6 6G6CJE9:?8 2=@?6 3642FD6 D@>6@?6 :D 2G2:=23=6 2E b A]>] %96 9@FC E92E FD65 E@ 8@ E@ 2 9:89H2J 8@6D E96C6 :?DE625]k^Am
k7:8FC6 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\:>286 D:K6\7F==Qmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^*@F?8\>@>\H@C<:?8\2E\96C\=2AE@A\H9:=6\9@=5:?8\96C\323J0`e__Ih__];A8Q 2=ElQp H@>2? D:ED @? 2 4@F49 9@=5:?8 2 323J :? 96C =2A H:E9 2 =2AE@A @? E96 E23=6 :? 7C@?E @7 E96>]Q 4=2DDlQHA\:>286\agafa`Q DC4D6ElQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^*@F?8\>@>\H@C<:?8\2E\96C\=2AE@A\H9:=6\9@=5:?8\96C\323J0`e__Ih__];A8 `e__H[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^*@F?8\>@>\H@C<:?8\2E\96C\=2AE@A\H9:=6\9@=5:?8\96C\323J0`e__Ih__\b__I`eh];A8 b__H[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^*@F?8\>@>\H@C<:?8\2E\96C\=2AE@A\H9:=6\9@=5:?8\96C\323J0`e__Ih__\`_acIdfe];A8 `_acH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^*@F?8\>@>\H@C<:?8\2E\96C\=2AE@A\H9:=6\9@=5:?8\96C\323J0`e__Ih__\fegIcba];A8 fegH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^*@F?8\>@>\H@C<:?8\2E\96C\=2AE@A\H9:=6\9@=5:?8\96C\323J0`e__Ih__\`dbeIgec];A8 `dbeH[ 9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^*@F?8\>@>\H@C<:?8\2E\96C\=2AE@A\H9:=6\9@=5:?8\96C\323J0`e__Ih__\`d_Igc];A8 `d_HQ D:K6DlQ2FE@[ W>2I\H:5E9i `e__AIX `__GH[ `e__AIQ 52E2\A:?\>65:2lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^a_ae^_e^*@F?8\>@>\H@C<:?8\2E\96C\=2AE@A\H9:=6\9@=5:?8\96C\323J0`e__Ih__];A8Q ^mk7:842AE:@? 4=2DDlQHA\6=6>6?E\42AE:@?Qm!9@E@ 4C65:Ei s6A@D:EA9@E@D]k^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8QmxE 255D FA E@ >@C6 E92? 7=6I:3:=:EJk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6EFC?\E@\@77:46 5632E6 H:== <66A 8@:?8] qFE E96 H@C<6CD =:G:?8 E9:D 6G6CJ 52J 2=C625J <?@H H92E E96 52E2 4@?7:C>Di E96 36DE 9@FCD @7 E96 H@C<52J 2C6 E96 @?6D E92E FD65 E@ 5:D2AA62C 367@C6 :E 6G6? DE2CE65]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmy6??:76C p==6? :D 2 C6E:C65 4967 EFC?65 EC2G6=6C[ 4@@<3@@< 2FE9@C 2?5 ?2E:@?2==J DJ?5:42E65 ;@FC?2=:DEj D96’D 2=D@ 2 4@\7@F?56C @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m[ H96C6 D96 D92C6D 6IA6CE EC2G6= E:AD[ 4CF:D6 :?D:89ED 2?5 =FIFCJ 56DE:?2E:@? 8F:56D] p C64@8?:K65 4CF:D6 6IA6CE H:E9 2 566A A2DD:@? 7@C 9:89\6?5 6IA6C:6?46D 2?5 @77\E96\362E6?\A2E9 56DE:?2E:@?D[ y6??:76C 6IA=@C6D E96 H@C=5 H:E9 4FC:@D:EJ[ 56AE9 2?5 2 DE@CJE6==6C’D A6CDA64E:G6] w6C 2CE:4=6D 2C6 C68F=2C=J 762EFC65 @? E96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD (:C6[ %96 (2D9:?8E@? !@DE[ $62EE=6 %:>6D[ |$} 2?5 >@C6]k^Am
kAm%96 A@DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^C6>@E6\H@C<6CD\4@>>FE6\7C66\E:>6^Qm%96 4@>>FE6 :D 8@?6 2?5 C6>@E6 H@C<6CD DA6?E E9@D6 9@FCD @? D@>6E9:?8 ?@ @77:46 4@F=5 6G6C 8:G6 E96>k^2m 2AA62C65 7:CDE @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m]k^Am
