A week of working from home was all it took for one woman to rethink her daily office routine. Her viral Instagram video, in which she described feeling happier, more productive and less exhausted while working remotely, has reignited the debate over whether WFH offers a better work-life balance than the traditional 9-to-5.
The woman, Sneha, posted a video on Instagram after completing a week-long training programme that allowed her to work remotely. Reflecting on the experience, she admitted she had underestimated how much of a difference working from home could make to her everyday life.
“I finally understood why people fight for work from home. So last week I had a training and I got to work from home the entire week. And honestly, I wasn’t
prepared for what happened,” she said in the video.
According to Sneha, the biggest change came from not having to spend hours commuting to and from the office. The extra time allowed her to focus on activities that had become difficult to fit into her routine while working from the office every day.
“I suddenly had time. Time for my morning walk, time to go to the gym, time to read, time to actually enjoy my evenings with a cup of tea. I felt like I had unlocked some secret version of adult life,” she said, describing how her schedule felt significantly less rushed.
The video also featured the on-screen text, “The WFH hype is real,” while its caption read, “POV: you get one week of WFH and start questioning everything about your 9-5.”
Sneha went on to say that, contrary to the common perception that employees are less productive while working remotely, she found herself accomplishing more during the week. She said she felt happier, had more energy throughout the day and no longer felt as though she was constantly racing against time.
“By the end of the week, I wasn’t less productive, I was more productive. I was happier. I had more energy. And I wasn’t constantly racing against the clock,” she said.
She ended the video by asking whether others had experienced a similar shift while working remotely.
“Now I’m officially jealous of everyone who gets to work remotely. And does anyone else feel like they become a whole different person when they work from home, like peak productivity? Or is it just me?” she asked.
The post quickly gained attention online, with many users sharing their own experiences of remote work in the comments. While several agreed that working from home had significantly improved their quality of life, others pointed out that the experience depends on individual circumstances, such as family environment, company culture and career stage.
One user joked, “And then there’s me….. Remote work is so flexible that even my family isn’t convinced I’m employed anymore😂 They see me roaming around with a laptop all day and think, This fellow is jobless but acting busy🤣”
Another wrote, “So Trueee💯, WFH feels like heaven 🫠🫠”
A third user commented, “The truth is organizatiin management and govt everyone will know this but still they manipulate with some excuses like work culture bond productivity and all…..this is business😁”
Meanwhile, another user simply said, “Not jealous at all😭”
Sharing a different perspective, one commenter noted, “If spent lot of a time in the project/company it’s good..if you are new, then it’s pain,” highlighting that remote work may not be equally beneficial for everyone, especially those who are new to a company or project.
