Working from home has been on the rise ever since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. For many, telecommuting has been a blessing in disguise, while others do not consider this an advantage.
But what does working from home feel like? Many connect working from home with overly optimistic lifestyle advertisements.
Of course, just like with anything else in this world, everything has its good and bad sides.
Working from home is not an exception and, in this article, you will find out everything there is to know about working from home, the cons, the pros, and you will even find tips that will help you improve your work-from-home routine!
Pros of Working from Home
Working from home provides many benefits and one of the biggest benefits that bring a huge change is telecommuting.
You will not have to commute to your office every day and statistics show that on average, people commute about 26 minutes to work.
While this might not seem like a lot, it is 9 days out of a month people dedicate only to commuting.
However, for those who commute for about 90 minutes, they dedicate more than one month out of 12 months to getting to work and getting back home each year.
With that being said, working from home is also eco-friendly.
And without having to spend time to get to work and get home back from work, you can have more time in a day to get some other things done.
And if you ever have time between meetings or you would like to spend a cozy work break, you can do that right within the comfort of your home.
While there are only some benefits, when you consider only these benefits so far, you can already notice that the expenses of working from home are a lot lower than the expenses of working from the office or field every day.
Depending on your living situation, you can set up your own office at home and retain better focus without any office distractions, but also have better attendance and better punctuality.
Who would not want to jump on the meeting when all you have to do is get out of bed?
Of course, working from home will improve your technical skills, but once you get a hang of it, you will collaborate better and even have more independence throughout your workday than usual.
Working from home can also lead to improved communication skills in a great environment – and all you need is a good laptop, a microphone, and a front-facing camera.
Cons of Working from Home
Depending on your personality, the company you work for, or even the clients you work with (if you work for yourself), anything can be a con.
While some people might find it easier to focus and stay productive when working from home, others do not.
However, some people might feel like they are not getting enough work done and they might often overwork themselves, losing the healthy life-work balance.
If you are an extrovert, less face time and increased isolation can definitely take a toll on you, especially since you might feel like you are disconnected from a workplace.
That is why some people feel overwhelmed or even actually burned when working from home.
I believe most people do not like commuting, especially early in the morning, but some would still do it to avoid working from home.
Working from home is definitely not for everyone, just like working for yourself is not for everyone.
Some other cons include costly equipment that you might not get provided with by your employer. Staying connected remotely can be a technical challenge that some people might not know how to deal with.
Even though tech communication can be efficient, it can be really inefficient for people who prefer face-to-face meetings, consultations, and relationships.
Difficulty to stay motivated, lack of motivation and management challenges are definitely some cons to keep in mind.
Having more freedom and flexibility in your workday can also be a downside for many as distractions are only a couple of clicks away.
Also, depending on your living arrangement, you might find it harder to concentrate at home than in the noisy office.
How to Make Your Work from Home Efficient?
Not everyone loves working from home, but if you have to do it – you have to do it and there is no way around it.
So how do you make work-from-home efficient?
Primarily, working from home gives you the freedom to work in your pajamas, but you should dress for success just like any other day you would do for your work.
Creating a space in your home you will only use for work (a small home office) can also be important for creating a healthy life-work balance, but also eliminating distractions.
Working right out of your bed or a comfortable sofa can seem like a great idea, but if you really want to get into the work mindset, getting ready to go to your home office (or at least a corner in your home with a desk and a laptop) can help put you in the right mindset for work.
If you have issues with overworking yourself and not knowing when to stop, setting an alarm for a break is a great idea.
Also, leaving all work in your corner (or even better yet, behind the office door) is super important if you aim to strike for a healthy life-work balance.
But here is one tip that might do a huge change to the way you work from home. Even though working from home cuts your commute down to zero, here is an innovative idea.
Think of the time you would need to commute to your work and still get up early to use the “commute” time efficiently.
Get dressed, make yourself a coffee, prepare your equipment, and enjoy some free time before getting down to work.
Lastly, all you have to do is stay focused.
You can use any of the focus apps to help you with that, or you can stick to a timer or a clock and not get your head up until you are done with all the tasks from your to-do list!
Is Working from Home the Next Best Thing?
Working from home is a double-sided sword topic where some employers and employees swear that working from home is the future, while others swear that it is only good as a temporary solution.
Some claim that work is forever changed due to (or thanks to) the pandemic, while other sources claim that this is only a temporary situation and are very skeptical about the post-pandemic work-from-home situation.
Unfortunately, not everyone can work from home, but those lucky enough to work from home might even demand it after the pandemic to keep working from home, or at least be able to do some work from home.
Employers who have invested lots of money to change the way their company works digitally might end up sticking with the work-from-home way, but some might revert to the old ways.
While there are statistics that show really good stats about working from home, there are also statistics that show really bad stats about this situation.
On top of that, some best publications in the world such as Forbes, Times, GeekWire, Global Workplace Analytics, and others have different opinions and views of the situation which leads to different predictions.
Oftentimes, these predictions also contradict other sources of information, so it is really hard to tell if work from home is the next best thing.
Even if it does not stick around, it will definitely be a lot more popular than it was ever before and some employers and employees might still stick to the work-from-home way.
What is a Good Reason to Work From Home?
If hearing about the days in a month or months in a year people spend only to commute to and back from work does not shock you, you might not find too many good reasons to work from home.
Working from home can be as efficient as working from the office for most companies and employees, so saving money on the gas, less pollution, being more productive, and working in an environment that you love distraction-free are some good reasons.
Having more productive meetings, and even striking a better work-life balance is a possibility. I
f you are an introvert, studies show how introverts end up being more productive when they work from home, versus the office.
And if you are initiative-taking, working from home can be a new, healthier, and more comfortable lifestyle.
Conclusion
Working from home is still on the rise and even though it is a fairly new thing, it is definitely helpful to have it around since not everyone can go back to the office and work as a part of a team.
While not all jobs can be done remotely, most of them can be, and work from home can be a blessing for some employees and employers.
Of course, not everyone might want to work from home is for them, but it is something it can take time to get used to.
But when you get used to it and you do your best to stay efficient, there is nothing to stop you from enjoying what you actually do for a living!
What are your thoughts on working from home? Did you work from home for at least one period and how do you feel about its future?
All the best,
Barbara
Founder/Creator: Living On Lean Means 💰
2
0
20