In a post-COVID-19 world – it has opened up a world of possibilities in terms of operating remotely. Not only is there more flexibility than before – businesses that weren’t previously, are now doing business internationally as they discover the best remote tools such as Zoom and Skype. There are a lot of digital marketers who either working in a freelance capacity or as an owner of an agency who is going back to the traditional environment of office-based working – but is this the best way forward? Here we put forward some ideas as to why operating remotely could be the way to go.
Flexibility
When operating from home it gives you, and your team if you have one much more flexibility. This means that you no longer need to work on the standard 9-5 operating model. If you need to leave early to go to an event for example or pick the kids up from school – all of that is possible when you have the flexibility of operating remotely. Your calendar can effectively be scheduled however you would like, which can be incredibly beneficial if you are working across different time zones to communicate with members of the team of clients. It could also potentially mean you can free up some days during the week too if you’d prefer to do something then and work over the weekend.
Increased Productivity
We are all productive at different times of the day. Some people are more productive first thing in the morning before the rest of the household wakes up as there is a sense of achievement there. There are also others that would rather complete certain tasks first to get them out of the way before they sit down at their laptop or desktop. The fact that there are more online meetings occurring these days rather than face-to-face – also saves commute times to and from work and meetings. This means there can be more completed in each day as there is less time spent on travel.
Saves on Costs
When you work from an office, and/or have a team-based there – there are obviously additional costs incurred. You need to pay rent or a mortgage for office space, potentially rates, and all of the utilities that come with it. Not to mention the general operating costs for a team based office are much higher. Instead of this, you could invest in your home and potentially upgrade to a larger one if you’d prefer with more space for a home office or garden rooms to work from which are becoming increasingly popular. Do remember though, depending on the value of the home you own, there could be additional charges there – for example, stamp duty tax. Have a look at this stamp duty calculator to get an idea as to how much that may be for your dream property.
Improved Mental Wellbeing
With the flexibility of working from home, you can definitely improve your mental wellbeing – and actually fit time in your calendar to do things for you. It could be that before you start work you want to fit in yoga or meditation, or it could be that you want to go for a run and clear your head before a busy day ahead. As well as this, if you work from home – you are in complete control of your surroundings which can be beneficial for your mental wellbeing. You can have your home comforts such as family photos, plants around you that will make you feel much better overall and improve your work experience and wellbeing.
A Healthier Lifestyle
Often as a result of working from home – your lifestyle overall is much healthier. As mentioned, there is more time for exercise and extra-curricular activities – but also it can encourage you to eat much healthier. Let’s face it if you are in a busy city center where there are lots of fast-food restaurants or temptations – it can be all too inviting. When you can schedule what you are eating ahead of time, and have healthy options in your fridge, it can stop you from over-indulging in other things that you may do if out and about beside restaurants and cafes. If you do have a digital agency or are working as a freelancer and toying with the idea of whether you should be office-based or working from home – then hopefully this will give you some insight into the advantages of doing so remotely. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that things don’t need to be done in the traditional fashion. The best approach is to do what works best for you as an individual to make your working life more manageable.