What Are the Advantages of Working from Home?

With the way the world is going, almost everyone has been relegated to working from home. Many businesses now have to manage their workforce out of many locations.

It is a change that many people did not see coming but it isn’t necessarily a bad one. I’ve compiled this list to shed a positive light on things.

There are some great advantages to working from home and they far outweigh the disadvantages.

12 Benefits of Working from Home in 2020

1. Time Wasted Via Commuting is Eliminated

Depending on the city you live in, you could be spending half of your life in traffic.

Working from home, you don’t have to commute for a bazillion hours in horrendous traffic anymore.

The last time I dangled in the corporate world, my commute was 2 hours each way and I hated every second of it.

Less commuting time also means less money spent on fuel and car maintenance.

2. You Don’t Have to Dress Up When Working from Home

You don’t have to dress up to go to work and you don’t have to dress up to impress people anymore.

You can work in comfy lounge pajamas or casual clothes while spreading out on your sofa with a random show offering background noise.

3. Save More Money Working from Home

Working from home means you’re saving money because you’re spending less. No more lunch out, drinks or coffee with colleagues, shopping on the way home from work.

No more refilling the tank or other travel expenses. Leaving the house every day costs money. If you’re not leaving the house, you’re spending less.

I know my wallet is happier. I’m not a spendthrift but I work out of coffee shops a lot and it required buying a coffee and snack at least.

4. Avoid Office Politics and Be More Productive

Office politics can be deadly and it’s one of the reasons I opted to start working from home. The backbiting, plotting, and subterfuge is another full-time job.

When you’re at home, you don’t have to deal with any of that crap anymore. It’s just you, your laptop and some music. You can stay focused and be more productive.

Stanford University conducted a two-year study that concluded working from home boosts productivity. The professor who headed the study describes his findings in the video below:-

5. You Don’t Have to Deal With Frenemies Anymore

We all have them in an office. The one that smiles to your face but speaks ill of you to other people. The person you can’t stand because they’re just awful.

Working from home means you don’t have to see these kinds of people every day anymore and your mental workspace is free from drama. Your stress levels will also be greatly reduced.

6. Your Schedule is Flexible When Working from Home

Even if you have a set work time of 9 – 5, you can still be impromptu about it. You can get up and grab a snack, eat, chat a bit without the restriction of being chained to a work desk.

You can even get a few chores done such as laundry or organizing something else when your desk is light.

7. Take Power Naps

You remember that time you were tired and needed a nap in the office but it wasn’t possible to do that at a desk?

You can do it at home. You can go over to the couch and take a 30-minute power nap if there’s nothing urgent on your desk.

8. No More Tedious Meetings

I believe we’ve all sat through at least one meeting about something that could have been resolved with an email.

These meetings can go on for an hour or more with nothing being resolved. They are a massive waste of time.

Working from home, you are freed from the shackles of pointless meetings.

Sure, people can still arrange conference calls or Skype calls but those are a lot less exasperating than sitting in a conference room to listen to endless ranting.

9. More Time With Your Family

You’ll have more time to spend with your family, your pets or with yourself. The kids will be home with you and you can pay a bit more attention to them.

I’m sure they will also be happy to see more of you instead of early in the morning or for a little bit at night before going to bed.

10. Less Stress, Better Health When Working from Home

Many things in the workplace contribute to stress. I’ve mentioned some on here. Increased stress means health issues.

I discussed my half-dead mental condition by the time I quit my job in 2019 at The Importance of Sleep.

Working from home, you won’t have to deal with all the stressors anymore and the superficial issues will disappear over time. 

11. You’re Less Distracted When Working from Home

When you’re in an office, there are loads of things that can distract you from completing a task effectively or on time.

I once had a manager that interrupted me at least twice every hour with random things that weren’t really necessary. He was quite a nuisance and didn’t help me work better at all. 

Chatter from the desks of nearby colleagues can also be quite distracting. All this is eliminated when you’re working from home.

12. Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

You’re driving your car less or using public transportation less, which means you’re reducing your carbon footprint. This is good for the environment.

You also don’t need or use as much equipment as you do in the office when you work from home.

Despite all the perks, it can still be a challenge getting yourself into the work-from-home mindset.

Sticking to a routine when a boss isn’t glaring over your shoulder or colleagues watching can make you lackadaisical.

You might also miss something important while away from your computer or your wifi is not working optimally.

I’ve compiled the best tips for working from home effectively in this article. These tips will help you maximize efficiency, maintain focus and prioritize accordingly.

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