By Corina Manea
Working from home has always been seen as “would love to, but impossible: thing to have.
Then technology evolved and improved our lives so much that, today we not only are able to work from home, but to work with people all around the world.
On the other hand, mentalities haven’t changed as fast as technology (unfortunately). There are still managers and employees out there who think that working for home is for the lazy ones.
News flash: It’s about the people, not the environment!
A couple of years ago, Richard Branson wrote a rather disturbing (for some) article called, One day offices will be a thing of the past.
I remember reading the article and talking about it with my then coworkers. While I agreed with him, they were outraged, saying it wasn’t possible, they could not do something like that and so on.
Now, only two years later I work from home with people I love and, guess what, they happen to be across the Ocean.
So, you see it is not only possible, it is doable.
Working from Home is the Future
It maybe difficult now to imagine a world without offices. We are still very much used to going to a brick and mortar office.
Every piece of advice you find on the Internet for working from home inevitably has a part that says: Make an office into your home, designate an area, dress for work, and more.
So, you see, we still have the “go to an office” mentality.
But working from home is the future for the real benefits that brings into our lives, such as, time with our loved ones, healthy habits, flexible schedule, less stressful environment, and a quieter atmosphere.
The Benefits of Working from Home
No commuting
Commuting is not fun anymore. We waste way too much time in traffic, whether by air, road, subway, or train.
And don’t tell me you enjoy it, because I don’t believe you.
Yes, I can understand taking advantage of the time while commuting and reading, listening to audio books or podcasts or simply listening to music, but actually enjoying it? I don’t think so.
In my last job, I wasted three hours per day.
Three hours commuting and believe me it was no fun, especially after a long day at the office, when I was tired and super willing to get home.
Working from home eliminates that and the costs that come with commuting.
Flexible schedule
You make your own schedule no matter if you’re work for yourself or for somebody else.
You decide when to wake up, when to work or finish working.
You also decide how healthy you want to be.
You have the chance to eat healthy food, to exercise.
You can do it at home, like I do, at a gym or in nature, but it’s up to you and nobody else.
No more “I am tired from commuting” excuse.
You also have the chance to read, learn new things, and keep up with your industry at your own pace.
When working from home you can attend conference calls while on the treadmill, or taking that walk in nature.
That’s the beauty of technology: It enables you to do your things while still being present at work and productive.
More time with family
While many will argue that family interrupt them when working from home, I came to realize how important is the time we spend with our loved ones.
Up until last year, the only time I was spending with my significant other was one hour in the evenings and a few hours during the weekend.
As for my family, I’d see them only every now and then.
It was hard and I was unhappy.
Now, as my significant other and I both work from home, we get to spend a lot of time together. We train together and eat together.
As for my family, we now see each other every other day.
To say it’s an improvement is putting it mildly.
Less stressful environment
Of course, it is fun to go to an office and chit-chat with your colleagues by the water cooler, but have you asked yourself how many times you were annoyed by that colleague who always spoke loudly on the phone and therefore distracting everyone else?
Or about the unnecessary interruptions, unimportant meetings at 5 p.m. when you were ready to go home?
Been there, done that.
When working from home, all that noise disappears, you have a quieter atmosphere, and you can think and organize your own time to be productive.
Working from Home = Productivity
You see, no matter how much some argue that employees are not efficient if they aren’t monitored, I disagree.
Because it’s not about the location, it’s about the people.
If your employees are happy with your company, if you choose the right people for your business, they will work from anywhere and still be productive.
However, if you didn’t choose the right people for your business, you can work side-by-side with them and they still find a way to do less work and complain more.
Your turn now: How do you feel about working from home?
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