A global pandemic has turned our lives upside down. Suddenly, leaving home after days of self-isolation became an event filled with excitement. As our work, social and family relations rely on the WiFi, the Internet connection plays a huge part in our everyday’s routines. But this is only the beginning. Remote work proved to many previously unconvinced employees and employers that it is a way to stay in business – and it also showed how wonders of technology could completely change our lifestyle. For some, keeping the right work-life balance has always been challenging – switching to remote work might have solved that problem. And many more.
How to Start Location-Independent Work?
Some professions might allow you to pursue your career from home. For instance, marketing or social media specialists in most cases can fulfill all their work responsibilities remotely. In these more digitized fields, remote work was often already an option before the pandemic. Tools such as Zoom, Slack or Google Meet can simplify the communication process in the team. You can easily conduct online meetings and presentations, share documents and work on them together with your colleagues. All you need is a relatively good computer, stable internet connection and a little bit of peace and quiet.
However, for many employees, this type of work still doesn’t give enough independence. If that’s your case, then maybe it’s time to start your own business? You can find plenty of information that will help you understand all the basics of running a company before you decide. Websites like Drip Digital provide insights into different aspects of being your own boss and pursuing full independence.
Why Do People Choose to Work Remotely?
Pursuing your career from home becomes more and more popular these days. People working in the fields like marketing, IT or sales can undoubtedly limit their time at the office and complete most of the tasks from home.
But why do they choose to work remotely in the first place?
Right now, with the need for social-distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic, for many people and companies, this may be the only way to stay in business. They needed to adapt in order to survive in the industry.
Additionally, numerous people on the job market may have problems with finding their dream job in the area. When they can’t move to another location for various reasons, remote work becomes the only option for them to chase their dreams.
Friendly environment and flexibility might also be the right answer. Moreover, we all know how much time we usually spend getting ready in the morning and commuting (not to mention the money). Once we eliminate that, we can invest this additional time in bonding with our loved ones or in much-needed self-care.
Then, this form of work can bring benefits to both sides of the agreement. Employers might notice a huge productivity boost in their employees and the results they deliver. Workers, on the other hand, will be able to organize their daily routine better, which could positively impact their mental health.
Perks of Remote Work
Working in a different place than your office might benefit you in many ways.
The friendly and stress-free environment can effectively boost your productivity, which might help you come up with brilliant ideas or solutions, get promoted and simply achieve more on your career path.
Also, have you ever spent hours in the traffic on your way to work? Commuting might be pretty time-consuming. That is why working from home might give you some extra hours during the day! As we know, time is key not only when it comes to your work progress but also in terms of taking care of your private life and mental health.
Furthermore, location-independent work gives you many options when it comes to your residence. Imagine a lovely sunrise on your balcony in South France with a laptop on your table and a cup of coffee. Sounds better than working from a dull office cubicle, doesn’t it?
Nowadays you can work and travel at the same time with a little help from the Internet!
Disadvantages of Working from Home
Just like everything, remote work also has some negatives, the worst being the lack of direct contact with your team. It’s hard to work as a community and build team spirit this way. As we still might work with other people, the contact with the members is strongly limited. Some may find it demotivating to only have virtual contact with their coworkers.
Plus, uur homes are filled with distractions. During remote working hours, we are more likely to take much longer breaks than we initially planned. Easy access to a bed or tv might be a challenge for your productivity; you may also feel tempted to clean or wash your clothes then. Some people find it easier to focus on their task when they’re in the office and working from home can negatively influence their work progress.
The Future of Remote Work
More and more employers start to realize what the real benefits of remote work are. Lowering the costs of office maintenance and a chance to build a team with specialists from different locations can positively impact their businesses. More companies offer remote positions for experts from all around the world. Considering its growing popularity, we can guess that this form of work will only get more popular with time. Therefore, this global trend might become a long-term reality, not just a solution for the time of pandemic.
The Final Words
Downsizing the offices to expand the global network of remotely employed people is becoming a real thing. We don’t feel the urge to go to our workplaces when our homes become them. The technological progress will make working remotely much more comfortable as more management tech tools might enter the market, improving the company’s overall performance. It’s impossible to foresee the future of the world, but one thing is sure: remote work will play a significant role in the development of working routine and the whole job market.
