Why You Should Consider Working Remote

After having spent a few months being mostly remote and coming into the office a couple of days a week, which then turned into coming into the office one day a week, I am now 100% remote.

 

And

I

absolutely

love

it.

 

But I know It’s not for everyone.

People have asked me if I ever felt lonely or if it was isolating?

To be honest, no. But I am someone who enjoys spending lots of time by myself and from time to time can find social situations stressful and nerve-wracking.

My core work hours are relatively later than when most people start. I set my alarm a couple of hours earlier and spend that time reading, prepping for my fitness classes, going to the gym or working on the blog. So from time to time, I’ll work before I do my full-time work, which is normal for a lot of people who work full-time and blog.

 

However, with my previous job, I started at 6:30 am.

Say what?!?!

 

Yes, you read this correctly. 6:30 am. When you and the majority of society were still sleeping or just getting up, I was already at work. So when people would talk about getting up early to work out before work, I was like HELL NO. There is no way I am going to wake up at 4:00 am to exercise.

Ain’t gonna happen.

The main thing about working from home is that you get to skip that pesky commute. While my previous job had the early morning start, it was an easy traffic-free 15 min drive. When I was commuting to the office for my current job, it was over an hour each way. A combination that consisted of dropping off my car at the GO station, taking the GO train and then taking the TTC to work.

I can’t tell you how nice it is knowing your commute is to another room in your house. All of what is 10 steps away.

I don’t work in my pajamas. I actually dress like I am going to work (which is pretty casual to begin with), minus the fixing hair and makeup. Scary, I know but I rarely have meetings where video is used.  I think it would be pretty hard for me to actually get stuff done in my pajamas. I would probably feel like going back to bed.

 

You Don’t Have To Be Your Own Boss To Work Remote

A lot of people think the only way you can work from home is you have your own online business, are a freelancer or blog full-time, but that’s not true. A lot of startups and jobs in the tech industry enable you to work from home. You just have to know where to find them and also ask if the option is available with your current job. Skillcrush posted an article about the 25 best sites for finding remote work. 

People have also asked me if I ever get distracted or am tempted to watch tv.

Surprisingly, no.

If I know I have to get work done, I set my priorities straight. Classical music seems to be my productivity jam for focusing. I’ll sometimes have the dishwasher or laundry going while I’m doing my work.

Working from home is a privilege and the employer has put a large amount of trust in you to get your work done from the comfort of your own home. There is the expectation that you will be responsible and disciplined.  They also trust that you will be in constant communication with them and notify them of updates and issues.  Overcommunication and oversharing of information is actually a good thing in the world of working remote.

**Update: I am still working from home, but am now working for myself. 

 

Since I am also a personal finance nerd, I will list the ways that working from home saves me money.

 

Transportation

I do not have to spend money on gas to drive to the nearby GO station. Nor do I have to put a few hundred dollars on my Presto account anymore. While having the Presto is slightly (emphasis on the slightly), cheaper than buying a round trip ticket to your destination, the difference is quite minimal.

 

Food

I don’t spend that much money on buying food.  I spent more when I was in the office because of the location and because of the social aspect. It was nice to get out of the office and go somewhere for lunch. While this did add up, I should also make it clear that in my previous job I didn’t have the time to go out for lunch. It just wasn’t possible. So I brown bagged my lunch for almost 5 years, with the odd visit to their cafeteria.  Given the fact that I live in Suburbia and the nearest plaza doesn’t have that much choice in terms of food options, I almost always end up eating whatever we have in the fridge and pantry.

Sometimes, you just feel like having breakfast food (ie toast, eggs, and orange slices) for lunch.

Clothing

I still save money on clothes, which works out because I hate clothes shopping anyway.

Unlike many traditional jobs, the world of tech provides a wide range of opportunities that enable you to work from wherever. I know that with certain positions, (my previous job included), it is impossible to be a remote worker. And some people need to get out of the house and be around other people.

Waking up at a normal, even later time is a dream come true for me. So is working remote. I’m not sure I could ever go back to a job where I had to go to an office.

 

Do you work from home? What do you like about it? Would you want to work from home? Why or why not?

 

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