I can’t say I miss the daily commute and workplace drama which automatically make the work from home benefits all-the-better.
I’ve been doing this a while — the whole remote thing.
I’m very much at peace in my pajamas and laptop.
For the first time in forever, I had to run errands around that 7-8am time… and it sucked. I was feeling road rage, everyone seemed miserable, and getting stuck at lights is its own personal hell.
I remember, when I was in the office, everything was drama. Plus, there was always someone stopping by, chatting, and throwing off your flow. Add in a boss helicoptering and it made perfect sense why I started getting anxiety so early on in my career.
Look, I know I’m in a unique position.
I’m very thankful that I have clients with no problems with me working remote. I know it’s a lifestyle many don’t get to do. But, for those that can… the benefits of working from home are simply amazing.
You Can’t Deny These Work From Home Benefits (Based on My Experience)
I’m not even going to bother with stats about working from home. I rather just share what I’ve experienced over the years and what remote work is like in 2018 (at least for me).
I’m hoping this list might inspire some of you to ask your employer for a trial period of working from home. Maybe they’ll see how well you work and let you continue with a day or two — maybe this can turn into a full-time thing!
Anyway… this is what I’ve got:
It’s a Stress-free Environment
Having someone (or a bureaucracy of people) managing everything you do is stressing as hell. The stress gets too much you start making mistakes, this compounds the stress because of the potential reprimand.
Working from home doesn’t have that stress besides deadlines.
You’re in your environment, dressing how you want, setting your hours, and without having to deal with all these external forces. You can focus on work without feeling impending doom — meaning you get more done.
It Saves Money for Both Parties
One your end, you’re saving:
- Gas
- Lunch
- Wear-and-tear
…and all those little expenses that make up your day. It’s pretty easy having an hour or two of your work funding the daily routine. Working at home makes controlling your budget a breeze. Plus, you’re not getting tons of advertising and marketing messages jammed down your throat, getting you to buy junk.
For employers:
- They can hire people anywhere
- They can save on things like health insurance
The financial benefits of working from home are a great way to pitch your employer. Show them how much they’ll save with you not being in-office and they may jump at giving you a day or two trial.
It’s (Usually) Healthier
We already know stress is a killer but so is feeling forced to be at a desk 8 hours a day. This isn’t good for your heart. This isn’t good for your bones. This isn’t good for your mental wellbeing.
Since you’re choosing your time, you can:
- Get extra sleep when you need
- Get up and move to stay active
- Plan your meals better
The only disadvantages of working from home I see health-wise is that it’s quite easy to snack. You have the kitchen right there. You’ve got to show resolve. Plus, sometimes having to go into an office means a lot of walking — which you’ll probably skimp on if you’re in PJ’s all day.
It’s Fulfilling
Having time to stop and relax, work on a personal project, or have more time with loved ones are more than enough valid reasons to work from home.
You’re setting the schedule so your day could include:
- Jumping into a hobby
- Reading a book or watching a movie
- Doing errands without rushing before they close
- Trying some of those slow cooked meals
- Spending time with pets
- Working on gigs to make extra money
…and the list goes on and on.
Hell, even getting one day a week to do remote work could boost moods I think. Imagine if work only felt like 4 days because the 5th is from home. I bet people would pour effort into it especially shaving that 2-hour commute off a Friday.
It’s Green
For years I didn’t have a car because I didn’t need it for my daily driving. I also found myself going fewer and fewer times to fast food joints or eating out — eliminating a lot of waste from the food industry.
I figure I also wasn’t contributing to power costs at a business. At home, I controlled the consumption and got it down to a minimum. I also saved tons of money not having to constantly update wardrobes.
Working from home is a lot like a minimalist lifestyle. You have your basics and that’s enough. You don’t have peer pressure to consume.
It’s Not Hard
Staying in touch is easy with all the communication tools we have.
- Uberconference for group conference calls
- Skype for one-on-one calls
- Slack or Discord for team chats
- Asana for project management
…and of course your phone and email.
The level of communication we have today is one of the drawbacks of working at home since it’ll feel like you’re always wired in. This is why you need to set cut-off times, by the way.
Ultimately, if the job is mostly done at a computer screen then it can be done from home (given security and all that). So, making the transition isn’t hard.
How to Pitch Remote Work at Your Job
I’m not guaranteeing it’ll work but…
- Research if others in your job do any remote work
- Talk to your boss/manager about a “trial” period
- Connect with IT about how you’ll process work
- Give the trial day a run and track your progress
- Show your log and share your thoughts with higher-ups
What they’re probably looking for is if you’re hitting the marks. Showing numbers will get them on your side — it’s hard arguing when you’re performing as good or better than being in the office.
Then… see if you can extend this by a day or two or three or the week or from here on out. This doesn’t apply to everyone but give it a shot for those it does.
Good luck! And hey, share this post if you found it inspiring or helpful.