Being able to work from home offers the ultimate flexibility and work-life balance.
There is no need to wake up earlier to commute to work, there are no office politics to deal with and you can work wearing your comfy clothes. However, more importantly, working from home also has many health and well-being benefits.
Typical nine-to-five roles do not offer the flexibility that people need which is why employers are becoming more open to flexible and fully remote work.
Nowadays if you have an Internet connection and a computer, working from home is a possibility.
Working from home provides a relaxed environment therefore motivates people to focus on their tasks better. Allowing people to choose their own workspace can increase their productivity and quality of work.
According to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) the number of UK workers who have moved into remote working has increased by nearly a quarter of a million over a decade. Furthermore, half the UK workforce is expected to work remotely by 2020.
So, with remote working on the rise, here are five health benefits of working from home…
Feeling Less Stress
The stress that rush-hour traffic can bring is not a great way to start your day.
Long commutes are even worse and can leave people worn out even before they have started their working day. Combined with the many pressures within the workplace, it can all add to your daily stresses and demands. By eliminating the daily commute, you can literally clock in and out of work in seconds. Remote workers can also feel many health benefits like: Extra time to sleep, go to the gym and have a proper breakfast opposed to a quick morning coffee.
Eating Healthier
Typical office food is not usually the healthiest. There are: Vending machine sweet treats, endless cups of coffee, colleague lunches to burger or pizza joints and of course the daily sandwich you take from home. They may all be tasty, but they are not very nutritious.
However, working from home means you can have a proper breakfast and lunch. Stock up your fridge with lots of healthy food, fruits and juices, so that you have lots of healthy options. This will give you more energy throughout the day.
Moving more
Sitting down for long periods of time can lead to many health concerns. It can slow down metabolism, which affects the way the body regulates blood sugar, blood pressure and breaks down body fat.
When you are in the office, you probably go hours without getting up from your chair. At home however, it is a completely different environment. You can get up as many times as you want to. Have a quick stretch, walk around the house or spend a portion of your day using a standing desk (or your kitchen counter.) Spending more time on your feet opposed to sat down hunched over your computer will help you feel healthier.
Feeling More Fulfilled and Happy
The overall flexibility of remote working has a positive effect on your personal well-being. You can work at your own pace and style with no distractions, which gives people a sense of fulfilment and happiness in their job. The relationship between personal well-being and productivity is a very important one. If you have that sense of fulfilment in your job, you are more likely to put in extra effort.
Less Exposure To Germs
Working in an office, where there are large numbers of people coming into contact with each other, can put you at a higher risk of picking up viruses.
New research revealed that an average desk contains 400 times more germs than a toilet seat. Furthermore, more than two-thirds of office workers are at risk of sickness due to dirty desks. Shared work kitchen areas are also full of germs. 2,483 germs per square inch were found on the handle of a kitchen kettle.
So by working from home you are not exposed to as many germs. Plus it is much easier cleaning a working area when there is just one person working there!
As a remote worker, it takes a lot of self-discipline and focus to make sure you are creating a productive and healthy work environment. However, once you have achieved this, working from home opens the door to a completely new lifestyle. The overall improvement you feel is not just good for your physical health but also for your mental health.
