現如今，在條件允許的情況下，越來越多的人選擇在家工作。人們向往現代化的生活，渴望工作與生活的平衡。與此同時，科技不斷發展，在家里辦公變得輕而易舉。但是，所有人都適合在家工作嗎？本文討論傳統工作模式的革新。

Vocabulary: work 詞匯：工作

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 In many ways, it seems like an outdated working practice.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 off from 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!

詞匯表

routine 常規，慣例
task 任務，工作
commute 通勤
remote working 遠程工作
work-life balance 工作和生活的平衡
doddle 輕而易舉的事情
log on 登錄
flexible working 彈性工作時間
hard going 很難做的……
switch off 停止，不理睬
clock off 下班
colleagues 同事
self-employed 自雇的，個體經營的
interact with 交流，互動
agile 靈活的
cost effective 合算的，物有所值的
start-up 創業公司
distraction 干擾，影響
productive 有效率的

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

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?

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. Thanks for inviting us to dinner – finding your house was a _______ using my new sat nav!

commute                        doddle                       agile                              hard going

2. Work is really stressful, so I only really _______ when I am on holiday.

switch on                        switch off                   switched off                   clock off

3. Driving around the city in our 4x4 vehicle wasn’t very _______ - so we’re trading it in for a smaller car. 

agile                               productive                  cost-effective                commute

4. My new job has improved my _______ - I can now pick my kids up from school and work in the evenings.

life-work                         working balance          work-life balance           work-life

5. My daily _______ involves buying a coffee and croissant from my favourite cafe before I start work.

commute                        routine                         tasks                           doddle

答案

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。  

1. What is it about technology that has made working from home easier?
Technology has improved, which makes doing most tasks at home a doddle.

2. What do more than 1.54 million people do from their home?
In the UK, figures from the Office for National Statistics show more than 1.54 million people work from home for their main job.

3. Other than home and the office, where else could people work?
Cafes and workplace spaces offer a chance for workers, particularly self-employed people, to come together and interact with each other.

4. True or false: Some companies have done away with offices altogether.
True. Getting rid of offices is very cost-effective.

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

2 .  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. Thanks for inviting us to dinner – finding your house was a doddle using my new sat nav!

2. Work is really stressful, so I only really switch off when I am on holiday.

3. Driving around the city in our 4x4 vehicle wasn’t very cost-effective - so we’re trading it in for a smaller car.

4. My new job has improved my work-life balance - I can now pick my kids up from school and work in the evenings. 

5. My daily routine involves buying a coffee and croissant from my favourite cafe before I start work.