Why I have chosen to work from home permanently

Working from home has become a trend during the pandemic. It has truly changed the way people work. But is it only for now or is it for long term?

Before I worked from home

Before the pandemic, people used to go to the office every day. I used to have a normal 9 to 6 corporate job and had to queue for an hour just to take a jeepney. I live in Cebu and the traffic jam here is not as bad as in Manila. However, what could have taken just a few minutes could take 2 hours. Sometimes, I chose to leave work late just to avoid rush hour. Back then, I really wanted to try working from home and spending time more efficiently.

When I started my current job, I work from 2 pm and 12 midnight. As a result, I have avoided rush hour and in my company we were able to work from home two days a week. I wasn’t able to take advantage of that since I didn’t have a reliable internet connection at home and my own workspace. I was comfortable with it too since that’s what I was used to.

Working from home during the pandemic

And then came the pandemic. Almost everyone who was able to have to work from home. People were working in their bedrooms, in their kitchen, or in the living room. In the beginning, I still wore my usual office clothes. I was still formal. I still put my makeup on. I tried to mentally trick my brain into thinking that I'm at work and not at home. Later on, it became more and more relaxed. I started wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I wore minimal makeup. (I still have to since I give online classes, at least a lipstick would do.) Then, my company decided to make work from home permanent. Consequently, I invested in an office chair and a desk, and settled in a spot where I would work. This was also an advantage for my company since they didn't have to rent a very big office and could save on electricity bills.

Five advantages of working from home

Not only employers but employees could also get some advantages when working from home, namely:

1. Saving time

We can all agree that this is one main advantage of working from home. No more long commutes, waiting for the train to arrive or running late to work. I have never been late for work ever since. I use the time I have saved on other important things such as doing exercise or learning something new. If you have children you could spend more time with them. You could spend your time on things that matter.

2. Saving money

With fuel prices becoming higher and higher, fares have become higher too. When you work from home you don't need to spend money on transportation. However, you do have to reallocate that budget to other costs such as the internet and electricity bills. Nonetheless, you could still save some money by preparing food at home. A home-cooked meal is better and healthier. Another thing is the clothes. You don't have to buy office clothes every time. I have already forgotten the last time I bought work clothes.

3. Being more productive.

Sometimes, we are more productive at home than at the office. When you are at the office, you could have a lot of 'coffee breaks' with colleagues. We must admit that some people love to chat and sometimes we don't get any work done because we talk too much. At home, you could focus more.

4. Working from anywhere

You could choose anywhere you want as long as there is electricity and good internet. I moved to the city because it's nearer to my previous workplace. However, I'm tired of the city which has a lot of pollution and a high cost of living. Working from home would give me the liberty to move away from the city and live a simpler life surrounded by nature which is more calming to the soul.

5. Having so many opportunities

Almost everything now is done on the internet. Therefore, many jobs have been created that didn't exist before. You just need a laptop, an internet connection, confidence, and skills. That's why I have been training with SURGE to be able to harness the skills needed as a freelancer. There are many possibilities in different sectors and you will be never bored.

Conclusion

Because of these advantages, I have said to myself not to work on-site anymore. Even so, this depends on each person as other people would prefer a different environment. It worked for me so I'm sticking to it. Furthermore, this doesn't mean I didn't experience the drawbacks that came with it. To see how I coped, check this link: Work from home challenges and how to cope.

Related topics

1. Work from home challenges and how to cope