Technology is a wonderful thing! Where once we were confined to the four walls of corporate offices and by being geographically close to our clients, team and/or suppliers, now we can work from almost anywhere, with almost anyone with a minimum of fuss.
So if you’re considering getting out of the rat race in the next couple of months to run your own business – here are 7 of the best benefits that might come with choosing your home office and that new career path.
- A vastly reduced commute – usually about 5-10 seconds from the bedroom or kitchen to your desk. Beats being stuck in peak traffic for hours each week.
- Massive cost savings – if you own your business, you’re saving on rent, electricity and doubling up on internet and phone costs. You’re also saving yourself money on commuting or petrol, parking, lunches, coffees, etc.
- More thinking time. One of the things that people love most about working from home is they feel they get more done. The phone doesn’t ring as often, people don’t drop into your office for a chat and that can mean greater focus and the ability to get more done.
- Freedom. You can outsource help with your excess workload (as proffered by Tim Ferris in his book 4-hour work week) without the requirement of still having to sit at your desk whilst someone else does the work. Thus giving yourself more freedom to do the things you really need to do (business or personal).
- More freedom. You can go for a swim, paint, walk the dog, cook, play the piano, put on a load of washing, harvest your vegie garden, do yoga – or whatever else moves you (that’s at home or very close by) in your lunchbreak – again with few interruptions. And if you’re more than 1hr – really, who’s watching??
- You can be selfish. You can play your music, talk to yourself, sing or make as much noise as you need to make or you can have complete silence – whatever works for you – without having to make allowances for your officemates.
- If you’re juggling work and family, you’re on easy call if your children (or other family members) are sick. You’re not having to drop everything, wait for a train, bus or sit in traffic forever to go and pick them up losing at least 2 hours in the process.
I’m sure there are many, many more. Please share yours in the comments section. Next post we’ll look at the downsides to working from home.
