10 Unique Benefits of Working from Home
Not a fan of office life? Watercooler gossip, office politics, that guy who always has onion in his sandwich, the co-worker who insists on bringing their flu to work? We hear you!
Working from home for some or all of the week could be the solution you’ve been looking for.
In this post, we look at:
- What working from home means
- The benefits of working from home
- How to find work-from-home jobs
- How to become a freelancer
So if that description sounds like you, read on!
What Does Working from Home Mean?
During the various pandemic lockdowns, people started working at the kitchen table, on the sofa, in the garden, or even in bed with a laptop and cozy PJs. Working from home can mean that!
Since 2020, we’ve seen a huge rise in home and hybrid working (a mix of working from home and from an employer’s premises), and there are more opportunities than ever before for flexibility in your working life. That might involve working for an employer, or it could mean becoming a freelancer or having a portfolio career. And you don’t have to work at home to work from home. It means anywhere you choose, rather than an employer’s premises – so a cafe, a library, a park bench, your bestie’s garden … wherever you can do your job.
Top 10 Benefits of Working from Home
There are lots of benefits to working from home. Here are our top 10!
1. No Commute
The daily grind of the traffic jam, packed trains, overheated buses, and the anxiety of potentially being late for work need no longer be part of your working day. No commute means lower costs, more sleep, and time to put in a load of laundry, do the school run, relax with some morning yoga, or do whatever you choose to fill in that chunk of time you’ve now freed up.
2. Environmental Impact
No commute means a smaller carbon footprint and less pollution. The ability to control your own room temperature means you’ll probably use less power at home than in an office environment, where the air-con versus heating debate can rage on without you! You’re also likely to use less paper, ink, and other consumables working from home.
3. Personalized Workspace
At home, you can decide where to work and how to configure your workspace. Being able to personalize your work area can help you concentrate better and increase your productivity. Just having control over choices about your desk, chair, noise level, and room temperature can make a huge difference in how positive you feel about your work.
4. Fewer Distractions
Working from home tends to reduce the number of interruptions to your working day, allowing you to focus and work more efficiently. Meetings can take place remotely, so you can still contribute to your team.
5. Better Connections
It may seem counterintuitive, but not being present physically in an office can lead to greater connection with colleagues, particularly across very large organizations where you wouldn’t see some co-workers face to face anyway. Having more communication options can mean greater connectivity.
6. A Healthier Lifestyle
The greater control over the timing of your working day and breaks that comes with home working means you can be more active: take a walk, do some stretches, or get moving with some high-intensity training.
If you find a formal workplace uncomfortable with its office politics, staff kitchen complaints, and the like, you’ll probably find working from home less stressful, with all the health benefits that entails.
7. Dress Code
Some employers will expect business wear for remote meetings, but most of the time, you can choose what to wear while you work, whether that’s your most comfortable clothes, running gear so you’re ready for a lunchtime jog, or your warmest sweater and hoodie in the depths of winter.
8. Caring Responsibilities
If the kids are sick or you have an elderly relative who needs you, working from home can often allow you sufficient flexibility that these aspects of family life needn’t be major stressors. So long as the work gets done on time, many employers don’t mind when you do it. If it’s better for you to work once the kids are in bed, you can do that.
9. Flexibility
Are you a lark or a night owl? Do you prefer a long break in the middle of the day? Home working allows you to work at the times when you feel most focused and effective.
10. Improved Work-Life Balance
Home working can make you feel more in control of your life, which, in turn, helps your overall work-life balance. Working from home, especially as a freelancer, gives you total autonomy over your time and your working practices, enhancing your well-being and freeing up time for whatever you want to do.
How to Find Work-from-Home Jobs
If you’re already employed, ask your line manager or HR team if you can work from home for at least part of the week.
If you’re looking to change jobs, make sure you include appropriate keywords in your searches, such as home, WFH, hybrid, and remote. LinkedIn and job agency job searches allow you to choose remote and hybrid options.
If you want a complete change of career to allow you to work from home, you might need to retrain. In that case, focus your training on skills that suit remote jobs, particularly IT literacy.
Becoming a Freelancer
Complete autonomy in your working life is a given with freelancing. If that sounds great, take a look at our specialist courses, specifically produced to kickstart your freelance career. You can even sign up for a free trial!
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