Day 9 – Thursday, March 26
As week 2 of remote work comes to a close, most companies from all over the world have moved to a complete remote workplace. For some, it has been a struggle to adjust but other companies, like Splunk, found the transition to be easier with their strong technology toolkit implemented into their workplace.
Before this mandated transition, a 2017 Gallup poll found that 43% of employed Americans worked remotely at least sometimes and the US Census shows that 5.2% of US workers (about 8 million people) completely worked at home. For me, moving to a work from home lifestyle wasn’t a major adjustment even though I go into the office on a daily basis. In fact, I find that when I do work from home, I’m able to be more productive and accomplish my daily to-do list faster than when I’m in the office.
Benefits of Working from Home
1. Your Office Can Be Anywhere!
You’re not tied to any location so you can work from a home office, kitchen table or from the couch. The locations are endless when you’re in a quarantine. But in all seriousness, when not stuck at home – coffee shops, the great outdoors or even a beach house in Miami.
2. Flexible Schedule
A lot of work can be done on a flexible schedule, so people can put in their 8 hours of work without having to start at 8am. Even if you need to work specific hours, you have flexibility with break times that will leave you feeling refreshed afterwards.
3. Work in Pajamas
Bust out those sweatpants, live in those yoga leggings or that college sweatshirt you have hidden in the bottom of your drawer.
4. Limited Distractions
While it is tempting to watch that next episode on TV or do a load of laundry, it’s easier to be more focused and get more work done remotely. By controlling your work environment, you don’t have to worry about unwanted distractions that occur in the office.
5. No Commuting
Cutting out a commute is not only a time saver but can reduce stress and help save the environment by reducing emissions. Saving time that would otherwise be spent sitting in traffic can be spent on exercising, sleeping or even on household errands making the time seem more productive.
6. You’ll Save Money
Save money on gas, car maintenance, a whole work wardrobe and even more than that – expensive work lunches! While these don’t seem costly at first glance, the bills can add up and even more so if you live in San Francisco where lunch can cost you $15-20 easily.
7. It’s easier to make calls
No more scourging for a conference room, a quiet corner or disturbing your fellow coworkers that you sit around with phone calls at your desk. While the addition of pets and children may be a distraction, it’s easier to find a quiet space at home rather than work for a meeting.
8. Strong technology
Working remotely encourages an organization to build a strong technology toolkit to keep employees engaged and connected as they’re spread across geographic regions.
