As you may have guessed from my website, I love working from home. For me, the benefits of working from home far outweigh the challenges that are often associated with remote working.
And it seems I’m not alone. The latest State of Remote Work report from Buffer reveals that a staggering 98% of people would like to work remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their careers. More and more people are realising the benefits of working from home, especially now so many have had a taste of WFH life during the coronavirus pandemic.
A staggering 98% of people would like to work remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their careers
State of Remote Work 2020
Don’t get me wrong, I have some fond memories of working in an office. Some of my best friendships were forged sharing office gossip over the ritual Friday night drinks trolley. However, for every joyful moment, there were plenty more when I wished I could escape the sterile confines of the corporate office.
Developments in technology, even over the last year, have made working from home an easy and effective option. With office rentals so high and remote collaboration tools more accessible, affordable and reliable than ever, employers are also starting to realise the benefits of working from home. By adopting more remote working, companies around the world can save huge amounts of money on office space and have a happier workforce. Sounds like a win-win to me!
My top benefits of working from home
I totally get that remote working isn’t for everyone. To be honest, it took me a while to get fully on board with it.
Now I’ve settled into WFH life, I can’t imagine switching back to an office environment full-time. And from the anecdotal evidence I’ve heard, there are many people thinking the same thing after working from home during COVID-19.
Since I’m such a big advocate of working from home, I thought it was time to put pen to paper and list all the reasons why I love it so much. So here you have it – my list of working from home benefits!
Being commute-free!
Only having to move from my bed to my desk to get to work (via the shower) has to be the number one benefit of working from home.
Gone are the days of being squeezed against sweaty strangers on a packed train for an hour to make it into work. The Ford European Commuter Survey found that most commuters find their journey into work more stressful than their actual jobs. Who needs extra, unnecessary stress in their lives!
Gone are the days of being squeezed against sweaty strangers on a packed train for an hour to make it into work.
Eliminating the commute brings much more calm to my mornings. Instead of rushing around like a maniac to get out of the house in time to make my train connections, I can ease into the day with a stillness you just don’t get with commuting.
Tasty home-cooked lunches
Food is a massive part of why I love working from home. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than creating a quick, home-cooked, nutritious lunch from scratch.
Home working means not having to endure overpriced, bland, beige food that is the staple of office life. I used to look at the sandwich shop aisles in despair, totally uninspired by everything they had to offer. Now I make all sorts of colourful, healthy dishes and it costs me far less money!
Lack of office politics
Office politics has always been a big turn-off for me. I’ve never engaged in it and don’t enjoy seeing relentless games of one-upmanship being played out in the office jungle.
Being extracted from what can be, in my opinion, a highly toxic environment has done me the world of good. I’m not a political player at all and have always been focused on delivering excellent work. At home, I can be left to do just that without having to fathom how on Earth I’m supposed to pick my way through the political minefield.
Freedom to create the workspace you want
In an office, you’re given exactly the same desk and chair as everyone else. Apart from being able to display the odd photograph or novelty desk accessory, everyone’s desk looks pretty much as sterile and boring as everyone else’s.
Working from home gives you the freedom to create a working space that works for you. I like a long desk with plenty of space to spread out with a kneeling chair to help protect my back. You just don’t get those opportunities to personalise your workspace in a corporate office. And with the amount of spreading out I do, it’s probably for the best that I do that at home away from colleagues!
Space to focus
Offices are loud. If people aren’t bellowing down the phone next to you, they’re playing annoying music rather too loudly at the precise moment when you have a deadline to meet.
The open plan nature of many modern offices means there is little escape from co-worker distractions. Before I started my full-time working from home job, I used to ask for a remote working day when I had imminent deadlines just so that I had the peace and quiet to concentrate. How ridiculous is it that!
Working remotely gives me the space and clarity I need to work to the best of my ability. It seems I’m not the only one. Around two-thirds of UK employees say they are more productive when working from a home office.
Don’t get me wrong, I like human interaction and talking to colleagues. But there are times when I just need to lock myself away and get the job done. For me, there is no place like home to do just that.
Ownership of your schedule
The ability to have a flexible schedule came out as the number one benefit of working from home in the State of Remote Work 2020 report. Working from home allows you to structure your day in a way that you would never be able to do when based in an office.
Not a morning person? Work more in the evenings. Want to do a home workout in the middle of the day? No problem. Need to attend to personal matters during the working day? Go for it!
When you work in an office, your time doesn’t really belong to you. People always want to have meetings or a quick catch up about something that just isn’t your priority at that moment in time. Corporates are also not known for being particularly understanding of needs to take personal calls on their time.
Despite still working fixed hours at home, I love being able to structure my day in a way that works for me. Yes, I often have video conferences and calls as I would in an office, but now I have the freedom to decide how and when I do my work.
Time to take up new hobbies
Not having to commute has allowed me to take up hobbies that would otherwise have been physically impossible. I started volunteering at my local theatre last year (which I absolutely LOVE by the way) and the only reason I can do it is because I work remotely. I would never make my shifts on time if I had to factor in a commute.
Being able to be a part of the theatre team has meant an awful lot to me. It has really helped to combat the loneliness that creeps in when working from home.
Exercise has also become a big part of my morning routine. I used to have to wake up at 5.45am to make the gym before work. Ludicrous! Home working means I can get enough sleep and exercise at a time that works for me.
More time for loved ones
My family is everything to me and home working frees up my schedule to be able to spend more time with them. Whether it’s being able to video call my parents straight after work or spend an extra hour or two with my boyfriend in the evenings, I’m very appreciative of being able to have that time.
Office life can totally take over your personal time if you let it. Working from home means you escape the pressures of the quick after-work drink (which often turns into a bottle of wine) and the networking events you feel you need to show your face at. While I totally understand networking and building relationships with colleagues is important, working from home allows you to approach this in a way that doesn’t consistently take over your life.
You can’t claw back time lost with your loved ones. Working from home can allow you to prioritise them in a way that simply isn’t possible when you’re commuting to and from an office.
What are your key benefits of working from home?
I would love to hear your views about the benefits of working from home. Maybe you don’t think there are any benefits! Either way, let me know in the comments below or get in contact.
1 thought on “8 benefits of working from home”
One of my favorite benefits of working from home is definitely ownership of my own schedule like you mention. I love that I can work when it’s best for me. Great post!