The allure of working from home is undeniable. Right? After all, who wouldn’t want to take advantage of sleeping a little longer, working in pajamas, and never having to endure another soul-sucking rush-hour commute again?
In the modern-day workplace, you can choose to work from home all the time or just a few days a week. You can do it just as you want to and below here you will find 6 reasons why telecommuting – working from home – might suit you.
A growing number of studies are showing that employees are more productive and happier when allowed to work from home. In a study conducted by Stanford University, it was found that working from home led to a 13% increase in productivity.
Another study, conducted by FlexJobs, showed that employees who worked from home reported higher levels of job satisfaction, better work-life balance, and less stress. They were also less likely to leave their jobs.
It’s clear that allowing employees to work from home is beneficial for both the company and the employee. Another study published by Forbes shows that employees are up to 20% happier when allowed to work from home.
So, if an increase in your overall happiness sounds appealing, then working from home might be the right thing for you. Remember, you don’t have to be absolute about it. One or two days at home and the rest of the week at the office can make up a great week where you reap the benefits of both remote and on-location work.
The benefits of working from home that make you love it
There are plenty of benefits to working from home. From saving time on your commute, to being more productive in your own environment, to taking care of personal errands during the day, working from home has a lot to offer.
But one of the best things about working from home is that you can make it fit your own personality and lifestyle. For example, if you’re a morning person, you can get up early and start work right away. Or if you like to take breaks throughout the day to exercise or run errands, you can do that too. There’s no need to stay glued to your desk just because you’re working from home.
Actually, there are plenty of ways of making working from home more fun.
Save time on your commute by working at home
Working from home can save you a lot of time on your commute. You don’t have to worry about fighting traffic, finding parking, or paying for gas. It can also save you money on childcare and other work-related expenses.
It is probably one of the main reasons that people choose to take a day at home. And, actually, it can also help you broaden your job search. You can look for jobs in a larger geographical area.
The reason for this is the flexibility that working from home gives you. Commuting more than two hours each day can seem like a lot for most. But if you only have to do it for two or three days each week it may be a lot easier to cope with.
Avoid disturbances by working from home and stay more productive
There are many benefits to working from home, especially avoiding disturbances and being more productive. Distractions can be a major issue when working in an office environment. Colleagues stopping by your desk, the printer running out of paper, or someone eating their lunch at their desk next to you can all lead to a loss of focus and decreased productivity.
When you work from home, you can avoid these distractions and remain focused on your tasks.
But you also need to focus on not getting distracted yourself. There are many benefits to working from home, yes, but it can be easy to get distracted if you’re not careful. Here are a few tips to help you stay focused and productive:
- Make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish for the day and focus on one task at a time. If you are unaware of where to start the day such a list can help you.
- Set boundaries for yourself and stick to them. For example, don’t work from home in the evening if you normally reserve that time for family or friends. Working at home can feel a bit like blending free time and work time and setting boundaries will help you make clear when you are working and when you are off duty.
- Take breaks every hour or so to get up and move around. A short walk or some stretching can help clear your thought and get back to producing at a high level and pace. If you sit in your office room all day it can get a little exhausting cause you don’t get any sort of recreation. So get up once in a while and avoid being disturbed by being too stationary all day.
Take breaks when you need them while working from home
When you work from home, it can be tough to separate work time from personal time. You might be tempted to work all the time, but that’s not healthy or sustainable. It’s important to take breaks when you need them. And this is one of the main benefits of working at home: You can take a break whenever you need it and have time for it.
If you feel like you can’t take a break because you’ll fall behind, try setting some ground rules for yourself. For example, tell yourself that you’ll take a break for every hour of work. That way, you know you’ll get a break no matter what and you won’t feel as guilty. And you shouldn’t. Everyone needs their breaks also when they work at the office.
You can strucutre your breaks so you make sure to get up from your chair during the day. You will not get your daily disturbances because you are not in the office and as such you need to kind of disturb yourself. In a good way. Because breaks help you refresh your focus and energy.
You can set a timer for specific periods of time and work until the timer goes off. During that time, focus exclusively on your work and don’t allow yourself to be distracted.
Then get up and walk around every hour or so. Taking a break to move your body will help you stay alert and focused when you return to your work.
You may not be able to take breaks in the same way in the office so remember to take advantage of this when working from home.
Get the best out of the flexible working hours at home
Flexibility is one of the main benefits of either working all the time of some days from home. It gives you flexibility over your daily life as you can adjust your schedule to best fit your needs.
Personal errands is one of those needs.
You can take you children to daycare or kindergarten a little later. You can take your dog for a walk. You can shop for groceries. You can do a lot of stuff as long as you keep doing your job and what is expected of you.
In a modern workplace you are mostly hired to do a certain number of tasks. Not a certain amount of hours each day. That gives you a lot of flexibility during you working day from home.
Work later in the evening or early in the morning
For many people, the 9-5 workday is not a good fit. Maybe you want to be able to spend more time with your family, or you need the flexibility to work from home occasionally. In any case, if you can’t work the traditional hours, there are ways to make it work for you.
One option is to start working later in the evening. This can be a challenge if you have children who need your attention in the morning, but it’s definitely doable if you can get them on a schedule. Another option is to start working early in the morning
The key is to create a schedule that works for you and stick to it. That means setting specific hours for work and not letting yourself get pulled into other tasks during those times. It can also mean working on different days of the week so you’re not always stuck at home when you’d rather be socializing or relaxing.
It’s all about being flexible and working when it best suits you at home and not being confined to 9-5 at the office.
Combine working from home with working out
Working out has many benefits, including improving your productivity. A recent study found that people who worked out just a few times a week were more productive and in a better mood than those who didn’t work out.
But what if you could kill two birds with one stone and work out from home? Working from home allows you to set your own hours, which can make it easier to fit in a workout. And thanks to technology, there are tons of great workouts that you can do without leaving your house.
The next time you’re feeling guilty about not working out, try working out from home instead.
You can help yourself get your workouts by scheduling them. Schedule your workouts like you would any other meeting. That way, you’ll be less likely to skip them. And you can make time for them.
If your home office can fit it you can, too, mix your office with what you need for work and what you need for working out. Then it makes it even easier to get your workout done while taking care of your work.
My name is Frederik
I am a passionate marketeer who loves the freedom that comes with working from home whenever I choose to do so.
I love getting nerdy with every single detail about making everything related to my home just a tiny bit better.
That is what motivates me to write about home stuff on this blog.