As much as it can be great working remotely (no commute, can work in jammies, kitchen nearby, and saving that 💰), working remotely may or may not be right for you. Before you get started working from home, check out below for some of the benefits and drawbacks that I’ve noticed.
Benefits of working remotely
- Your education isn’t that important, so it’s alright if you don’t have a degree. Employers may put an education level in the job description to help weed out applicants. But what’s most important is that you have skills and experience that are relevant to the job. This will help them trust that you know what you’re doing.
- You save money. On transportation, and likely on food (since you can eat whatever you have at home). Sure, you can order food – but it’s more likely that you’ll just reach for something close by (leftovers are actually pretty great).
- You have more flexibility – usually. Although it depends on what you’ll be doing, you’ll usually have some flexibility as to when you can work, which helps to create a better work-life balance. In one role, I didn’t start working until after 1PM. That worked really well for me when my husband was on afternoons. Also, I am not a morning person. 😅
- There’s less pressure to look good. You work from the comfort of your own home. You’re comfortable, you don’t have to put on any makeup (if you wear it) or wear anything fancy to work (I literally wear my pajamas every day. And that works very well for me).
- You can work from anywhere – as long as you have an internet connection. You’re not tied to a location – if you want to live somewhere more affordable, you can!
- You have less distractions. In an office setting, there can be too many distractions pulling you away from work. Then, there’s the feeling that you’re constantly being watched😰. When you work from home, it’s a bit less difficult for your superiors to micromanage you, giving you the autonomy you need to work effectively.
- You have more time. You don’t have to waste half an hour (or more!) commuting to and from work. Once you’re finished, you shut down your computer, and you’re finished for the day. You can work out, garden, listen to podcasts, or do whatever you want to do – you have more time to do the things you love!
Drawbacks of working remotely
- It may cost a bit of money upfront – This depends on what you need to have your ideal home office. In fact, you might not even have a home office if you’ve never worked remotely (or you may not have space for it, which is another challenge on its own).
- You can work from anywhere, but not everywhere is best for work. Depending on your role, you may be tied down to your desk for the entirety of your working day. For example, a job that requires video calling with customers would need you to have a quiet place to work, a clean background, and look presentable (at least from the waist up).
- There can be too much flexibility. If you’re the type of person who needs (or is used to) a set schedule, it can be difficult planning out your tasks yourself. I mean, you’d know what you need to do, but it’s just when to do it.
- There’s too much scheduling. Some roles may require you to work shifts, which can suck if you’re someone who requires more flexibility while working. If you’re time tracked, it’s easier for your employer to see if you’re even a second late. 😳
- Your work-life balance can be worse. It can be easy to get caught up in what you’re doing, and end up spending an hour or two (or more!) working longer than you should.
- You can have more distractions. This depends on your situation, but it can become very easy to get distracted. For example, if you have children – nuff said.
- It’s easy to stay sedentary. After being at a desk all day, it’s easy to lose the habit of being active, which isn’t good for you physically and mentally.
It all comes down to personal choice.
I love working from home because of the freedom it gives me to work from anywhere (I can go outside on a beautiful, sunny day and work), saves me money (no commute), and gives me the flexibility I need to be effective.
I also feel more secure in my role – because I work remotely, I don’t have to worry too much about staying home with children (whenever hubby and I decide it’s time to start a family). Sure, I can take some maternity leave. But I can get started working again much quicker than I could if I worked outside the home, which means that I’ll miss out on fewer career opportunities.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to work from home, I’d recommend trying it out at least once to see if you like it. Who knows, maybe once you work remotely, you’ll never go back into the office. 🤷🏾
Ready to get started working remotely? Check out this post for the best places to find online work!