When you tell a recent grad they will be working from home, the first thing you get may not be a super exciting reaction. However, we are living during a pandemic, so the reasoning behind work-from-home is understandable. I have been working from home for the entirety of my adult career, approximately 6 months, and month 1-4 were very difficult for me. But, I have finally learned there are major positives to working from home. In this little article, I will share why working from home is not the worst thing ever.
1. You save money
I am the type of person that would get too lazy to make lunch every day to bring into work, so I know if I worked in the office, I would spend money on lunch at least once a week. By working from home, I can walk up to my kitchen and make myself something that I have in the house. A lot of times, my lunches are much healthier this way too. My favorite things to make include: salads, Caprese sandwiches, and protein bowls. Another way I have saved money is by not having to drive to work. This is a HUGE benefit. If I had to drive into work, I would also have to pay for a parking pass because my office is located downtown, and they do not offer free parking. So just by working from home, I save over $200 a month that would be spent on commuting and parking. This leads me to my second point, time.
2. You save time
Commuting to work for me would take 30+ minutes each morning, whereas walking to my basement and logging in only takes about a minute or so. Because of this, I can spend my morning sleeping in and being productive before work instead of sitting in a car on the highway in traffic. To be energized in the morning, I like to stretch and do yoga before I log in for the day. This has reduced my stress levels (slightly) and has given me a more optimistic outlook on the day ahead. Working from home doesn't only save time at the beginning of the day, but also the end. When my day is over, I can quickly change and get ready for my work out instead of being too tired to hit the gym after a less than exciting commute home.
3. Less embarrassment
Now I don't know if this one is technically true, but for me, it is. Each day I drink a gallon of water, which means I use the restroom very frequently. If I were in the office, I would personally feel embarrassed getting up every 20 minutes to use the restroom, whereas at home, I can take two steps to the toilet and no one even knows. And there is no embarrassment if I am taking a little long in the bathroom, if you know what I mean.
4. More productivity
When working from home, you are alone, so there is not really the ability to get distracted talking to co-workers like you could in an office setting. The fact I do not really interact with co-workers face-to-face makes me sad and less integrated with the company as a new hire, but it has led me to be very productive during my days and get all my work done before logging out.
5. Comfy clothes
I used to want to dress all business for work, but I was over it after a week of getting dressed up. For work every day I can wear a nice top or blazer with leggings on the bottom. This allows me to be more comfortable and still look professional when on calls with clients. I have also found myself not feeling the need to do my makeup each day because it is not very noticeable on camera whether I do or do not have makeup on unless I am wearing a bold lip. Because of that, I have seen my skin clear up significantly.
Please keep in mind that all of this is coming from an employee who doesn't know anything other than work-from-home. I would love to work in the office one day soon, but as for right now, I am going to enjoy these little positives. Thanks for reading XOXO Darian.
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