The concept of remote work originally wasn’t widespread until the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to stay in the confines of their homes for public safety. Before the pandemic, you were expected to show up to your workplace five days a week for eight hours each day and there were no true options or opportunities to work remotely. It was the norm and no one could imagine completing work anywhere other than at an office desk or cubicle. 

When the world shut down, companies had to adapt and change. People couldn’t physically get together in fear of sickness so developing ways to continue work remotely was very important. It opened a global market for remote work in a way that no one could’ve foreseen or predicted. And now, three years later, remote work has increasingly grown in popularity. 

Personally, I would be just fine never stepping another foot in the office since I rely on Microsoft Teams, email, and video calls to stay connected to my coworkers. I definitely wouldn’t miss that horribly long and annoying commute, and I would have more time to sleep since I wouldn’t have to get up super early. Working remotely has benefits that far exceed just the scope of normal job duties. Being able to stay at home provides more opportunities to get outside and be physically active, a customized working space to provide better back and wrist support, and more time with loved ones.

Right now, my normal schedule is three days in the office and two days at home. I would love to one day be able to complete all of my job duties from the comfort of my home without going into the office at all. For one, it would help the dogs out tremendously. They would never have to get in their cages on Tuesdays since someone would always be there to supervise them. Second, it would save me ample money since a tank of gas would probably go twice as far because I’d be driving significantly less. And finally, I would enjoy being able to complete my favorite homemaking chores like cooking, cleaning, and prepping the house for Krissy without feeling super stressed or rushed.

Naturally, I prefer my home office over the traditional office environment since I get to wear cozy clothes, sit on my comfy couch, and have my dogs at my feet. I also get to have ambient lighting to truly set a zen and calm mood or blast my speaker whenever I need to lock in and focus on a task. 

Hopefully one day more business owners will fully embrace remote work and offer a full time remote schedule to provide a better working experience for the employees interested in that type of option. Studies have also shown that people who work from the comfort of their homes are on average more productive than those that work in the office. Thankfully, the quality of work usually doesn’t drop off while working from home. In fact, sometimes it increases since there can be less distractions. 

Having more flexible and fluid work schedules can accommodate childcare, doctor’s visits, and any other personal appointment that requires being addressed between 8 AM - 5 PM. For some sectors of work, there are opportunities to complete all daily tasks well before the traditional 40 hour work week, giving people more time to focus on deeper tasks that require more creativity or thought. 

By learning new technologies and adjusting with the times, we can ensure that no matter what happens, we will be connected with our coworkers, companies, and management through ever changing methods of communication like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, email, and AI. People will have more time with their families, feasible ways to prioritize their health, opportunities to save money on gas and childcare, and have an overall happier work life balance. 

Signed, 

Jessica Marie