The Covid-19 pandemic made many people rethink their current work arrangements. At first, many were against the idea of working from home despite regulations and restrictions. Replacing a routine in your usual office with a routine at home sounded like a terrible idea.
After all, how can you work in a place that you associate with leisure? Well, the reality is that you can, and more and more people are discovering why working from home is not as bad as it sounds. In fact, the new arrangements might be better than they expect.
Free Time
Let’s start with the fact that you do not have to worry about waking up extra early to drive to work. Nor do you have to worry about spending time in a traffic jam when you are finished for the day.
It is much easier to find a work-life balance when you have more time for yourself. Sure, there are those who treat these extra hours as an opportunity to start ecommerce business or another side hustle, but most people will likely treat that hour or two as a means to relax.
You can also make the most out of the additional free time to pursue your hobbies. Perhaps you could not play video games or read enough books before? If so, you should have an easier time now, thanks to working from home.
No Office Drama
The lack of office drama is one of the most underrated benefits of remote work. If you are fed up hearing gossip and getting involved in unnecessary conversations with coworkers who have too much time on their hands, you will not have to deal with that.
Of course, chatting with colleagues now and then, even if the conversation feels trivial, can be fun, but if the majority of your office dynamics revolved around stupid drama, you are unlikely to look back on those memories fondly.
Lack of Personal Supervision
Not needing to feel the pressure from in-person supervision is another example of a benefit that might not seem too obvious at first.
Some people will tell you that they perform much better under pressure, not to mention that they struggle when there is nobody to supervise them, and that leads to a loss of motivation.
Having said that, there is another side of the spectrum. If you are someone who cannot stand constant micromanagement and another person standing in front of you more than they should, you will love working from home.
Yes, it is unlikely that the supervision policy will change completely. Depending on your job, you will still likely have someone who manages you, but the overall situation is going to be less anxiety-inducing.
Fewer Expenses
As already mentioned, working from home means not needing to worry about work commuting. Given the current gas prices, it is understandable why people are reluctant to rely on their cars as much.
Another instance of where you can save money is by making your own coffee. Before, you would be in a hurry on your way to work, and stopping at a gas station for a cup of coffee was the choice. Such an approach adds to expenses, but working from home means the option to make coffee for yourself.
A similar thing applies to food. Cooking at home is cheaper than going out to eat, not to mention that improving your cooking skills is beneficial.
For many, the amount of wasted money becomes obvious only when they start working remotely.
Freedom to Customize Your Workspace
The odds are that your office had certain restrictions in terms of workspace customization. Thankfully, you do not need to adhere to those rules anymore because you are at your own home and are free to customize the workspace to your liking.
Do not go overboard too much, however. You still need to be professional and keep things neat and tidy, especially if video conference calls are part of your job. Appearing in a bad light in front of your colleagues will reflect poorly on you, so keep that in mind.  You can also explore an option of creating a smart workspace. This idea is new and quite revolutionary when it comes to remote working. Some of the benefits are increased productivity, safety and efficiency.
Your Choice of Work Location
As a remote worker, you do not have to limit yourself to the vicinity of your home. You are more or less free to choose to work from any location you want so long as it allows you to carry out your tasks.
It is common to travel to another country and work from there. So long as you have access to the internet, electricity, and other necessities, location restrictions are not really a thing.
Conclusion
All in all, despite certain challenges, such as no in-person communication, working remotely has more than enough advantages. If you were unconvinced about the idea before, this article ought to change your mind.
