Need that extra push to start working remotely? We’ve got you covered. When it comes to thinking about the benefits of working from your home (or coworking space, or local coffee shop, or library!), we never stop. From traveling more often to spending more time with your family, here are our top 8 reasons to start working remotely.
1. Live where you want to live.
Always wanted to move to Spain and spend weekends taking the train across Europe? Do it. As long as you’ve got wifi, you can live wherever you want without your job holding you back. Who wants to be tied to one location for the rest of their lives? Get out, see the world, buy that dream home you’ve always wanted.
2. Avoid the commute.
Simply put, commutes stink. Literally, you’re breathing in vehicle toxins. But aside from that, they’re also huge wasters of time. Nobody likes being stuck on a freeway for two hours a day (or more!), and when you work remotely, you don’t have to. Travel when the traffic is light, avoid rush hours, and make driving an activity you actually enjoy again.
3. Take more breaks.
When you’re in an office, it can be tricky to step outside for some fresh air without getting the stare down from your boss or coworkers. When you work from home, this isn’t a problem. Get up, stretch, take a stroll around the block when you need to. Nobody should be chained to their desks for nine hours straight.
4. Create your own office environment.
Cubicle walls get real old, real fast. Open offices? Eh, they can be distracting. Working from the comfort of your own office at home? Perfection. Remote workers can personalize their offices to be exactly what they’re looking for in a work space. Set up shop near an open window, purchase a standing desk, put the cat tree to your left — whatever you want, you can do.
5. Spend more time with your family.
Obviously, if you’re in the middle of working, it can be tough to divide that time amongst your job and your family. However, because you’re eliminating a commute, allowing yourself frequent breaks, and lunching at home, you can still actually spend much more time with your family as a remote worker than somebody who works in an office.
6. Travel often.
Maybe you want to stay put in your hometown, but you still want to get out and see the world for more than two weeks a year. Understandable! There’s a lot out there to explore. Perhaps the biggest bonus of working remotely is the fact that you can constantly be visiting new countries and cities while still getting paid to do your job. Forget accruing paid time off, and instead, work while you travel!
7. Make your own lunch.
Brown paper bag lunches get boring and sometimes the office fridge is so gross you don’t want to put anything in it. When you work from home, you can cook up fresh, delicious food from your own kitchen every day. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were never meant to be an everyday diet. Fresh salads, filling sandwiches, and baked dishes were.
8. Enjoy more flexibility.
Inevitably, working remotely means having more flexibility in your life. From the times of day you work to where you work, remote jobs often allot quite a bit of freedom. While there may be some parameters you have to stick to (for example, Friday client calls or all-hands meetings on the first Tuesday of every month), there is usually lots of wiggle room for those who work remotely.
Why do you work remotely? Tell us what you’re top reason is for being a remote worker on Twitter!
This article was originally published on Remote.com