Do you often fantasize about working remotely?
Do you imagine yourself working from the comfort of your front porch, laptop on your table and in the company of a furry little sidekick? Or sitting on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean sipping a glass of margaritas while on a zoom call with colleagues?
Social media is froth with images like these that try to romanticize the life of working remotely.
You see, they aren’t entirely false.
For what has seemed like an eternity we have lived as though our lives revolved around our jobs. Some parts of our lives are put on hold just so our jobs can thrive. This unhealthy practice has led to a plethora of problems: from the breakdown of physical and mental health to issues in our relationships.
And this is why the idea of working from a remote location is catching on. Fast.
Working remotely comes with a ton of profound health and lifestyle benefits that make it worth shooting for. If you are at that point where you are considering a remote job, you are in luck. This post might just be the thing that tips the scale in favour of remote jobs.
Now, let’s look at 5 ways working remotely can radically change your health and lifestyle.
How can remote work improve your lifestyle?
- Improved Work-Life Balance
Poor work-life balance is the bane of office-based jobs.
As an office worker, you spend more time at work than with your families and loved ones. Or doing anything else for that matter. In a year, you only get a few days off for vacation.
Given how hard you work, it sucks to get just a few days of rest in a whole year, doesn’t it?
Besides, you are a human being with a life that comprises several different moving parts. Devoting more time to one aspect than another is bound to lead to unpleasant outcomes, even when that aspect pays the bills.
With remote jobs, you have more freedom to choose when you want to work and where. You get a flexible work schedule that puts you in control of your time and how you work.
Now you can pick up your kids from school, attend that seminar, go on a vacay (in Fiji), take your dog out for a walk, or just sit on your porch in pyjamas and only work when you need to.
- Reduced Commuting Stress
Ah, for me, of all the benefits of a remote-work life, this one takes the cake.
When I worked an office-based job many years ago, this was the part I hated the most. I used to feel so stressed out (and depressed) just thinking about commuting to work the next day that I’d lie awake at night just hating it.
And there’s scientific research to support my claim.
A research-based article posted in the Time Magazine explains that long commuting times is related to health problems such as:
- Increased risk of depression (yes, I was).
- Increased cholesterol levels.
- Reduced sleep.
- Heightened blood sugar levels.
- …and a host of other unpleasant issues.
Lots of research has shown strong connections between long commuting times and a host of poor health conditions.
With commuting time cut down to almost zero, thanks to working remotely, you can give more time to your health and wellbeing. This could include exercising more and eating right.
Oh and, by the way…
- Say Goodbye To Junk Food
…At least for the most part.
As an office-based worker, how often do you eat healthy meals?
With all the rush to beat the traffic to get to work or a meeting early, where’s the time to prepare a balanced diet? All you can get your hands on are doughnuts and a cup (or 5) of coffee. And on weekends? You are probably too tired from stressing all week to prepare a proper (healthy) meal.
Sadly, stuffing your body with junk food is bound to mess with your gut health. You also run the risk of developing diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver and cardiovascular diseases.
Additionally, office-based jobs force you into daily routines that’d have you anxious most of the time. And if you don’t eat right, your anxiety could worsen rapidly. Here are foods that naturally help combat your anxiety without medication.
Working remotely avails you time to head to the grocery store or your local farm to pick up (organic) food materials to cook a proper meal. You’d also have time to plan your meals for the week or month.
The result is a healthy gut and long life… and delicious homemade meals, too.
Who can say no to that?
- Remote Jobs Put More Money In Your Pocket
Well, it’s more like ‘leaves’ more money in your pocket than puts. Some remote jobs pay better, but it depends on the client.
Working remotely means zero money spent on:
- transportation (bus/cab fares),
- parking fees,
- buying professional attires,
- car maintenance and gasoline,
- eating out,
- sleep and anxiety pills,
Wanna add more to that pile? Go ahead! There’s a ton of other expenses location-based workers incur on a daily basis that wrecks them financially.
On the other hand, remote workers save more than $4,000 per year on the above expenses. Now think about what you can do with some extra cash in your wallet.
Vacation, anyone?
- Location Independence
This is the main ingredient in the remote work recipe.
With (fully) remote jobs comes the freedom to work from anywhere you choose. This could be your home, a co-living space, coffee shop, hotel, an island beach somewhere in Thailand – you name it.
Location-dependent jobs usually require job-seekers to move to a new city. And that’s because most decent jobs are usually found in big cities. This means steep rent, high living costs, moving expenses, new school for the kids, etc.
Imagine doing this a few times in 3 to 5 years just to get a job. I don’t know about you but that’s not my cup of tea.
Enter remote jobs:
- You stay where you currently are without the need to move unless you want to.
- Zero £££ on rent, moving, new school (for your kids), etc.
- Maintain (and improve) your current lifestyle.
- Freedom to work wherever you find the most inspiration.
- Design your own workspace (rather than sit in a cubicle that’s about as exciting as watching paint dry).
- Have more time to rest between work times to keep your mind sharp.
There are several personal advantages we could add to the list that come with the remote work lifestyle.
In summary…
NB: this post is in no way saying that remote jobs are better than location-based jobs. Not everyone would be able to work from locations outside the office and that’s not a bad thing.
Due to the pandemic, many more companies are joining the remote employment train. There are more remote job offers available now than there were before Covid-19 hit and the number of remote workers is rising by the hour.
So get out there and start applying so that you can live the best (and healthiest) lifestyle you can.
Author bio – Anthony Odunze develops content strategies that get actual business results. Over the past 9 years, he
has worked with businesses from nearly every corner of the globe developing winning, custom
strategies. His articles have appeared on a number of websites including cnn.com/coupons,
Bluechew.com, Spotonwifi.com, notunhealthy.com, norcrossdentalassociates.com,
snoqualmieridgefamilydental.com, and many more medical/health websites.
