Whether you’re working from the comfort of your own home or you’re on the other side of the globe, watching the world go by from a café in a bustling city square – there’s no escaping the fact that working away from an office gives you more freedom.
Leaving your regular 9 to 5 behind is the dream for many, whether you want to set up your own business or work remotely in your very own living room.
However, many are wary of working in a remote capacity. Does it affect your productivity? Isn’t it difficult to separate work from home life?
As someone speaking from experience, I can tell you that the pros certainly outweigh the cons.
So, if you want to know more about the pros of working remotely, read on.
Benefits of Working Remotely
1. You don’t need much equipment!
When you work in a big office set up, the amount of tech and software involved is often overwhelming. When you’re working from home, you can manage the basics and still perform well.
A laptop, internet connection and proofreading software are all easy to get hold of. If you’re working remotely then a simple email set up, and chat software such as Skype or Messenger will allow you to get in touch with your fellow colleagues in an instant, no matter where you are.
2. You can work anywhere!
From a private water villa in the Maldives to your own bedroom back home. If you’re working remotely, your office can be anywhere in the world. It also means that you can travel across the globe and still have a job back home. All you need is a good internet connection.
3. Your hours are flexible
When you work remotely, you are no longer confined to the standard 9-5. Your hours are flexible, which means you can work at times to suit you.
Whether that’s when the kids are at school, late at night or even early in the morning, you can take full advantage of your most productive hours and whether you’re a night owl or an early bird, when you work remotely your working day is no longer restricted.
4. Your productivity increases
Of course, when you’re at home there are many distractions. But creating the right office set up can help you eliminate those.
When you work in a traditional office environment, there’s no escape from annoying co-workers, constant noise and unproductive meetings. When you work remotely, you can work uninterrupted and maintain a higher level of quality in your work.
5. No more commute!
No more stuck in traffic. No more extortionate train fares and no scraping ice from your frozen car at 7am.
When you work remotely, you don’t have to worry about going far. Clocking in on time has never been easier. And you can work as early or as late as you wish!
6. It can save you money
Not only can you write off some of your home expenses when you file your taxes, but if you have children at home you no longer have to worry about using half your paycheck to fund their childcare fees. It’s a win-win!
Now that you know why working remotely is a great choice, let’s see how to make the most of it, especially if you work from home.
How to Stay Focused When Working from Home
Working from home certainly has its perks. You can make your own hours. You can be that perfect PTA mom or dad. You can wear what you want to wear. And you can swear as loud as you want when something doesn’t go your way.
But, it’s not all sunshine and roses. There are some hurdles to overcome when you are working from home.
One of the biggest ones is staying focused.
Remember when you were in college, and you had a class to go to, and your friends were free? You had to exert that self-discipline to go to class instead of taking a meaningless road trip to the river or hanging out at the student center. That’s what it’s like working at home.
It’s great if you can stay focused and get the job done. Otherwise, now work, no pay. And that can be bad.
You don’t want to be asking questions about your mortgage like, “How do I sell my note?” You need to pay the mortgage bill instead.
Take a look at these five ways to stay focused while working from home.
Turn Off the Television
Some people think that having the television on in the background is a great way to drown out distractions. However, the opposite can quickly occur.
You may not be interested in the latest daytime drama. But, one paternity test on Maury can easily lead to an hour of lost production. Just shut it off.
If you need to drown out the noise, find a streaming music station and play it quietly.
Turn Your Cell Phone on Silent
Random group texts or notifications from Facebook or Instagram or SnapChat can send you off into a zone of the unnecessary. Don’t get caught up in Facebook feeds.
Go to a Quiet Place
Don’t try to work in a high traffic area of your home and expect your family to walk on eggshells. You will just get frustrated, and they will only be anxious to be around you.
If you have an office, do there. If not, find a nook away from the noise and call it your office.
Turn off Push Notifications
Push notifications on your computer are a great way to get reminders. But, they are a massive distraction too.
A new Groupon that will benefit your family can lead you down a dark rabbit hole of deal shopping. Shut off those notifications.
Read also: 7 Careers That Allow You to Be Your Own Boss
Make a Schedule Every Day
One of the biggest perks of working from home is making your own schedule. The critical word in that statement is “schedule.”
If you have to take the kids somewhere, adjust your schedule. Don’t try to balance working and running.
Instead of working from 8-3, work for 7-12. Or divide your day, and work from 8-12 and then work from 7-10.
It doesn’t matter how you schedule your day. Just make sure to schedule it.
Read also: How This Dad Quit His Job 2 Years After Starting a Blog
Conclusion
If you can manage to work from home and stay focused, it can be the ideal situation. You just have to remember to discipline yourself.
That means you can’t look at your work hours like something you have to juggle between being a stay at home parent. If you are working from home, you are working. It’s the same as if you are commuting to the office.
Now, that’s not to say that your hours have to be typical 9-5 hours. You can work while your spouse is home if childcare is your issue.
Nevertheless, those are still work hours. So you have to follow the tips above to stay focused and disciplined. Otherwise, you don’t get the job done. Whether you’re commuting or telecommuting, employers expect progress if you want to be paid.
Stock Photo from Jullia_L @ Shutterstock