How remote work helps your work life balance

Having a stable and harmonized work life has always been a constant struggle for working professionals. This skirmish arises due to monotonous corporate pressure and an unfathomable travel schedule. What if your refrigerator was your lunchroom, your living room your cubicle, and a daily commute of less than 20 steps? All this is possible when you indulge in ‘Remote Work’.

Remote working, also known as telecommuting or telework, is exactly what it sounds like- carrying out a regular job from anywhere but the cubicle in your office. The concept of remote working has been around since a few decades and is also gaining prominence with every passing day. What started as a practical choice for freelancers in digital economy jobs is fast developing into a movement where skilled and educated professionals from all fields and different age groups are embracing a brave new lifestyle.

One of the major advantages of remote work is that it helps the working professional save a significant amount of time which otherwise was spent non-productive activities like getting dressed, commuting to work, walking to office from the parking lot or the subway station. In metropolitan cities, a person can easily waste a total of 2 hours in daily office commute. Remote work helps one save this time and getting work done faster with a stress-free mind. Remote working gives you back hours in your day. So with all the non-productive work time saved in your day, you are free to add in more ‘lifetime’ and utilize the same in playing with the kids, going out to watch a movie, learning a musical instrument etc.

Working in a comfort zone is always cherished. The work gets started in a much better frame of mind as one is not burdened with the baggage of negotiating traffic and elevator queues etc. Contrary to common perception, remote workers are more focused on the job at hand as they do not get distracted by office gossip and frequent coffee/smoking breaks.

Remote workers are not only more focused and productive but also have an incentive to work efficiently. As per studies, over the last decade, the productivity of remote workers has been on the rise. Many large organisations have data to show that productivity of their remote workforce is up to 15% higher than the regular office-based employees. Increased productivity leads to better growth in their jobs, leading to financial gains. This allows such remote workers to save or invest the spare funds or use it for discretionary spends.

According to a report from Global Workplace Analytics and Flex Jobs, a remote worker could save up to US$ 4000 p.a. on commuting and other related costs.

Remote workers are healthier both, physically and emotionally. This allows them to enjoy their life while working productively. They are less likely to call in sick or feel the need for an extended vacation. A 2011 study from Staples found that employees who worked from home experienced 25 percent less stress. Employees also reported that they were able to maintain a better work-life balance, as well as eat healthier. When not constrained within the office hours of 9-5 one is able to go to the gym in the middle of the day, take a walk, do errands and feel more focused when he/she sits back down to work.

The lowered need for an extended vacation to break the monotony of the mundane life of remote workers is because life is everything but monotonous with remote working. Also, many times these remote workers choose to go on ‘Workations’, where they travel to a destination of their choice and work remotely during the day, keeping their spare time free for some enjoyment.