What are some of the reasons why independent professionals in growing numbers choose remote work? Is it the long office hours, toxic work environment or endless commuting? No matter what the reasons are, working remotely is likely to improve the overall quality of life for many people and continue to attract larger segments of the workforce in years to come.Perhaps you have been planning to switch to a remote job for some time or you have always wondered what the advantages of working from home may be. The truth is hybrid and remote working options are fastly becoming the new norm. According to a recent study, 10% of the working population in the US is now working from home. So in this new article, we decided to present to you some of the benefits of working from home and how working remotely can actually change your life for the good.
Benefits of working from home
Although the early history of remote working goes back to the 1970s, this form of employment has only recently been popularized by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The employees, solo professionals, employers and organizations have been discussing the potential benefits of working from home for some time now.On the employers’ end, working from home means increased productivity, cutting certain office costs, fewer sick leaves and efficient use of time. On the employees’ end, the benefits of working from home are improved work-life balance, avoiding the day-to-day frictions of a physical office environment, commuting less and greater autonomy. Overall, the benefits of working from home can be listed as:
- A healthy work-life balance
- More autonomy for employees
- Location-independence
- Saving more money
- Increased performance
- Improved mental health
- Taking better care of your body
Healthy work-life balance and more autonomy
One study after another shows that employees in various sectors and locations report working from home to improve their work-life balance. A recent survey in the US revealed that a quarter of the employees reported that their work-life balance improved due to working from home.Additionally, it was previously revealed that professionals coming from minority groups and marginalized communities expressed a great boost in various aspects of their lives thanks to remote working. Needless to say, working from home helps professionals to achieve higher degrees of autonomy without feeling the ordinary pressure that they felt when they worked at the office.
Being location-independent
You may be currently unemployed and looking for remote work or a long-time office employee who wishes to take a major step and switch to home-based working. One thing is sure that another perk of working remotely is to be location-independent.But what does it exactly mean to be location-independent and how can it improve your life? Location-independence is an umbrella term that implies any employee, solo professional or team leader can make a living from anywhere with a stable internet connection and a laptop.Being location-independent frees us from having to be stuck at a single place and a routine. This way, location-independent lifestyle covers solopreneurs, solo workers, freelancers and other professionals. We can hear you saying: but how can being location-independent improve my life?Being location-independent takes much of the pressure off and lets you choose the space where you work from and live in addition to allowing you to craft the flexible work schedule you always wanted. You can choose joining a coworking space, working from home or from a nomad-friendly destination. Not to mention that being location-independent allows remote workers to get employed at international companies.
Saving more money
Let's face it: very few of us expected to take up remote jobs or switch to remote positions before the pandemic. Having to adapt to the remote reality during the pandemic came along with certain challenges from separating our workspace and living space to taking care of children and pets in between Zoom meetings. But working from home also brought one of its major advantages with itself: the chance of saving more money.Some of the major items of expenditure for those who don’t work from home are:
- Transportation costs
- Clothing
- Childcare expenses
- Meals
Recently, 38% of the U.S adults who took a survey about remote work reported that working from home had a positive impact on their finances. Moreover, 57% stated that remote working helped them put their finances in order.The survey also found out that the overall credit card debts of U.S adults decreased by 17% since the beginning of the pandemic. With the current trend of remote work on rise, members of Gen Z and Millennials are likely to save more in the future.
Increased performance
The debate on the impact of remote working on workers’ performance is an ongoing one. However, one research after another demonstrates that both employees, team leaders and employers believe that remote working increases the overall performance and productivity of talents.Not having to spend excessive hours on public transportation, the efficiency of remote working tools, apps and software, not being exposed to stress caused by the workplace combined with the efficiency of means of virtual communication are thought to contribute to the increased performance of talents who work from home.
Positive effects on mental health
Working at an office full-time for 40 hours per week can have a negative impact on your mental health if your workplace, colleagues and the management is not supportive of the employees’ well-being.Microsoft’s February 2021 survey revealed that 56% of employees felt happier when working from home. Having the freedom to choose where and how they can work most productively empowers talents and increases job satisfaction. This translates to an overall improved mental well-being.
Taking better care of your body
Apart from all the other advantages and improvements that working from home can offer, it is definitely a good way to pay more attention to what your body needs and to take care of it more effectively.Being seated in front of a computer on an office chair for extended periods of time without moving can cause several health issues. Most common issues and problems people face are stiff necks and back pain. However, working from home can grant you the chance of taking better care of your body.By having more chances of integrating exercise and healthy nutrition habits to your daily schedule, you can prevent certain health issues. Whether you need to take regular breaks every once in a while, incorporate simple physical exercise into your daily schedule, keep a nutritious and balanced diet, or arrange your workspace in a way that will suit your needs, working from home will surely help you avoid certain issues that come along by default with working at an office.
Future of working from home
It may be difficult to comprehend at the first glance that partially or fully location-free modes of employment became prominent in such a short period of time but it is reasonable to assume that in the following decades working from home is likely to become more popular among future generations doing various jobs.If you are currently planning to change your job and find a new one that you can do from home, keep in mind that certain positive aspects of working from home such as a sustainable work-life balance, autonomy for employees, location-independence, the chance to save money, increased performance, improved mental and physical health make it worth taking the step!For all things autonomous and location-independent work, keep following our blog and connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
