The Joys of Working From Home

We all have to work because it is necessary to maintain a comfortable life. However, does it always mean busting your butt in the morning to get up, get ready, maybe eat, and then drive into the black hole of traffic to sometimes end up late for work; despite how hard you tried to make it on time?  Personally as an aspiring journalist, I’ve found some great jobs that only require a computer, internet connection and writing skills, making it possible for me to stay in the comfort of my home. Don’t fret if you aren’t in a type of writing occupation though, because there are tons of other jobs you can do from home as well! Here are even more benefits I’ve found from working at home.

House work– If you are anything like me, dishes and laundry tend to stack up pretty quickly. I find that when working from home, during my quick breaks, I can get a few things done so it doesn’t pile up by the end of the day. This includes emptying trash, cleaning the kitchen and emptying the dishwasher. Clearly these are not “takes up the entire day” tasks, but being home for most of my day definitely makes these remedial tasks a bit easier.

Beauty routines– Despite how much I love to take care of my skin, making time for it never seems to happen. A fantastic benefit from working at home is that no one sees you, so you can take care of that beauty maintenance while working. I can write a story, do homework, and edit a website all while peacefully sitting with a clay mask on my face.

Setting up your own schedule– This is really big factor for me because I ideally love finishing my work in the morning, if I am not at school. While being in your own home, you can work at your own pace and your preferred time. You can be done early or late; as long as your work is done before the deadline. You also get an easier vacation schedule! You can work from virtually anywhere.

Traffic- One of my biggest pet peeves is traffic. I encounter it every time I come home from classes on my drive from downtown Phoenix to north Scottsdale. Not braving traffic on work days is absolutely amazing to me. While a normal work day for most is 9am-5pm, traffic and commuting can add an extra two hours, or more to that work day.

Comfortable environment–  I am pretty introverted person. The ability to work from a comfortable environment without a ton of different energies surrounding me does wonders for my work output. I can focus better and also worry less about what everyone thinks of my work. In my case, for each of my jobs I answer to only one person, which is wonderful!

Time with pets or children– I do not have children, but I do have pets. It is amazing to have the ability to stay home with them and not worry about the possible destruction or separation anxiety they feel. As for children, you get work done and don’t miss parts of their development! Win, win; though I can’t say I have any personal experience with that.

Sick time– When I used to work for a bank, I can’t tell you how worried I used to get when I became sick. Not only was I constantly worrying about spreading the my illness through the money I touched, but I also had a fear of who would cover me if I couldn’t come in. When working from home, if you become sick you get your work done in bed or wrapped in a blanket on the couch.

Limits spending- College for me and normal day to day life for others is expensive. Toss in an employee birthday at your job and suddenly you are obligated to pitch in for a present. And heaven forbid that employee isn’t your favorite. Not having coworkers and not having to travel saves money on obligatory spending and gas.

No distractions– This was an input from my brother. He works in an office with a lot of people all talking and sharing ideas. He said freedom from distractions at the office would be a benefit to his production.

Work that isn’t really work- Not everyone is this lucky, but I am able to do what I love through my job. Doing it from home is just an added benefit that inspired my story.

Working from home is not for everyone.Some people need that human interaction during the day or actually enjoy the feeling of being motivated to get out of bed. I find my motivation in the excitement to open my computer and get to writing, but that’s not for everyone. I want to know, what  do you think the best part of working from home is? If you don’t work from home currently, why would you want to? Let me know in the comments below!