The era of working remotely is upon us with a number of people questioning if they will ever return to a traditional office. There are so many advantages to working remotely with skipping the commute being a huge benefit. In cities like Austin, Texas there are traffic jams daily and going a few miles can be a nightmare to say the least. Living wherever you would like as long as you meet the requirements of your employer can allow for massive savings. Making a salary that is competitive in San Francisco while living in rural Georgia can allow for a much higher quality of life in a smaller town/city.
Starting and Finishing Early
There are a number of companies that have flexible schedules for remote employees. This could mean that you can wake up early then finish work early in the afternoon. Other companies just require employees to work for a certain number of hours weekly. Being able to set yourself up for a three-day weekend every week can provide that work/life balance you have been searching for. It isn’t uncommon for an extremely productive remote worker to pick up a side gig to supplement their income.
Taking Vacations Where You Still Work
Being able to work when traveling is a huge advantage. You could want to take a trip domestically but do not want to miss work. You can work during the morning hours or at night then explore during the day. As mentioned above, you might be able to get in all of your hours for the week in the first 3 days of the week leading to a 4-day vacation. This will take discipline though as the last thing that most people want to do is work when they are in a new location.
Working from a Park or Beach
The ability to work from your favorite park or beach for a few hours during the day can break up the monotony you dread. Taking advantage of various Wi-Fi networks throughout the city can allow you to explore where you live. There might even be a place to work for digital nomads if you live abroad. Locations like Chang Mai are hotbeds for digital nomads who take full advantage of being able to work remotely.
Getting Home Improvements/Repairs Done Without Taking Off of Work
The last thing that many professionals want to do is have to take a day off to be home for a home repair. HVAC repairs are a great example as an entire family doesn’t want to come home to a sweatbox of a home after a long summer day. The ability to have things fixed immediately provides convenience to an usually inconvenient circumstance. With this being said, these home repair professionals or contractors can still be a distraction due to noise or other questions.
The advantages of working remotely differ for everyone as individuals want different things out of their remote job. Some want to land an office job while others have stayed at their current company due to the remote work opportunities.