HomeEntrepreneurshipWork From Home Permanently? Yes, Please!

Work From Home Permanently? Yes, Please!

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Working from home is definitely nothing new, but as of late, many more people have opted to make it a permanent part of their working routine. But, why is that?

Work from home is, actually, rather rewarding, enjoyable, and allows for additional leisure time. Merely the time spent on commuting and morning preparations accounts for at least three hours wasted each day.  

On top of it, with the gig economy on the rise. Remote work allows for a far wider choice of projects and employment types than traditional models.

 Are there no downsides, then?

There certainly are, with the great majority of people citing low productivity due to procrastination. This habit is mainly due to the misconception that since work is being done from home, there is plenty of time, even if they take a break every half an hour. For the most part, people waste time browsing social media and reading incoming emails non-stop. In truth, the same can be said for office workers, with the only difference being – someone is watching you.

Let’s see why and how working from home can benefit each and every person and how to overcome initial procrastination and prejudices.

Make a Daily Schedule

As already mentioned, the amount of work one has to perform daily is not shrinking only because the setting has changed. That’s why the first step towards achieving productivity and establishing a sustainable tempo is – drafting daily schedules.

The truth is that many employees feel overwhelmed and stressed out due to the number of daily tasks. The key is in proper planning, namely in sorting tasks by their importance. The key skill to be achieved here is – being realistic. By assigning too many tasks, one will achieve nothing except being annoyed, so the focus should be on efficiency.

If you can perform only two important tasks per day but do them properly, then assign only those two tasks to yourself and stick to them. Further out, if there is some (but insufficient) time left, don’t start with the next task. Even if you do that, you will accomplish nothing, because if you stop in the middle, you’ll have to familiarize yourself all over again the next day. In this sense, this practice would be an obvious waste of time.

Keep Communication Alive

Many people working from home name the lack of social activities as the greatest downside. In most cases, these are the people who are new to the lifestyle. Freelancers and digital nomads actually keep in touch regularly and even attend team-building activities where applicable (more team members in the same country).

Digital nomads are known for forming vivid ex-pat communities and enjoying numerous activities (on top of sharing crucial information invaluable for everyone). Namely, when living abroad, there are numerous regulations to keep in mind, so it is always best to hear it from experienced colleagues.

With the magnitude of online tools and apps making communication easier than ever, there are no excuses for feeling isolated. Many people working from home have both an established meeting schedule (depending on their actual role in the company) and laid-back activities for the sake of socializing.

Keep Learning

As mentioned above, the gig economy has a long way to go until reaching its full potential, meaning that growth opportunities are close to limitless. With an increasing number of online learning platforms and universities offering free education online, there is no reason to not improve your skillset.

First, professional and personal growth is a lifelong process. Secondly, the opportunity to choose the exact projects you are interested in is one of the greatest benefits of remote work.

Don’t Forget to Exercise

Another huge problem for people working from home is that they tend to forget all about working out. Excuses are numerous, but none of them are actually sustainable.

If you used to work out after work, don’t look for excuses only because you’re at home. In fact, novices to remote work soon come to discover that they have more free time at their disposal and eventually learn to plan it well. It’s only at first that people are under the impression that they have all the time in the world and hence tend to waste it.

It may be helpful to make a schedule for your leisure time at first, too. Include all the after-work activities, such as reading, watching TV, and cleaning. In this way, you’ll be able to see that there is enough time to chill and work out.

Worried About Insurance? Don’t Be!

Many former employees turned freelancers and digital nomads have initial doubts about insurance policies. And while it is true that regular employment grants certain benefits in this regard, it is by no means true that insurance policies have to be less beneficial for people working from home, especially younger ones.

Digital nomads may have a difficult time shopping for the best policy, true, but the key thing is to remember to compare offers.

Depending on the country of your residence, there may be multiple options that are actually better than the ones back at home. Ask the ex-pat community for advice.

Conclusion

We have mentioned some of the basics of a successful work-from-home routine. Depending on your lifestyle, employment type, and aspirations, other options may also come to mind.

The last tip we’ll leave you with is – be tech-oriented. Ensure that you always have access to a stable internet connection and keep your devices serviced at all times. Also, always have a backup option. It is really a general tip as it applies to all situations, but for remote workers, a broken laptop may make all the difference between survival and a good salary, especially if they have relocated.

Learn on the go, enjoy your new-found free time and keep learning! Make the best of your remote work while enjoying life to the fullest!

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Angela Ash
Angela Ash is an expert writer, editor and digital PR specialist, focusing on numerous topics related to business, productivity, mental health, travel and much more.
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