The Health Benefits of Working From Home

Have you ever thought of working from home and how it would benefit you, not only mentally and financially, but physically as well? Do you find yourself eating an unhealthy diet, rarely finding the time to work out and not having much of a social or family life at all?

Often when you really look at the big picture, what looks like a rewarding, full-time career may actually be more “draining” than you think. At the end of the week, you sit back and realize … you have drained your gas tank, your body is dragging and your newly deposited paycheck was quickly applied to your car payment, your clothes bills, your lunches out every day and your childcare bill. Too tired to cook, you pick up your dry cleaning and your children and head to the nearest drive-thru. Does that sound like you?  Maybe it’s time to take a second look at working from home, and once you finally find the right business, you will be amazed at how much it could positively impact your health and your life.

Here are some great benefits:

Save time on commuting – The average work commute is approximately 30-45 minutes. Multiply that by two to get back home at the end of the day, and you have spent close to 10% of your day just on travel alone (over 5 weeks a year!).  Working from home allows you save all of this time. It can help you get a bit more sleep in the morning and have more time for yourself in the evening for activities and leisure.

Save money on transportation and clothing – Arguably, the biggest money-saving benefit from working at home is the transportation cost savings, with the clothing often not far behind — no suits, no dry cleaning, etc.If you work from home, you may not even need a car at all.  

Expenses are deductible – This can work for both employees or self-employed people. You may be able to deduct your Internet, phone, supplies and even the square footage that you use in your home as an office. This saves you some of the cost of those items previously all considered personal expenses.

More flexible schedule – When working from home, you are not under the same discipline as office workers, who need to be working from 9 to 5 every weekday. Chances are, your schedule at home will be much more flexible. If you have appointments or need to run errands, you don’t need to take time off from work to do so. It’s much easier to tie in your personal schedule with your work schedule when you work from home.

Less stress and anxiety – Do you know people that have had to take extended time off from work due to stress-related illnesses, burnouts, etc? An office can bring about a lot of competition, gossip and backstabbing among co-workers. This type of environment takes its toll after a while both mentally and physically. Working from home will save you these headaches.

Increased productivity – With all the time that you are saving from not having to commute to work and not socializing half the day with co-workers, most people find themselves being much more productive when working from home. As long as you remain motivated and driven, working from home can be much more effective for delivering results.

More work-life balance – A work-from-home position can have big payoffs when it comes to finding the eternal balance between having a career or simply bringing in extra money and nurturing a family. According to survey conducted by Staples Advantage, more than 80 percent of employees say they now have a better work-life balance because they work from home. Women entrepreneurs are also making strides, at one and a half times the national rate. Technology has levelled the playing field for women finally and we are seeing women transform when they start working from home. Their lives suddenly become much more balanced.

People who work from home are more satisfied with their sense of freedom and control. They structure their time so they’re able to work out regularly and take breaks throughout the day, and they’re more mindful of themselves and what they need to lead a healthy life. 

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