Work from home is becoming more common among employees and employers. According to the State of Remote Work 2019 by OwlLabs, 62% of people said they work remotely. That same study found that 42% of remote workers plan to work remotely more often than they do at the moment in the next five years.
Like with any other trend or movement, remote work comes with a set of benefits and challenges. A flexible schedule comes at the price of loneliness. More time with family comes at the expense of unplugging after work.
Let’s take a closer look at the most noteworthy pros and cons of telecommuting:
5 Benefits of Working Remotely
Flexible schedule
Did you always want to walk your dog instead of commute? Or catch that mid-morning gym session? By working remotely, you’ll be able to do so. You can plan your own schedule and work around it.
In fact, according to one study by Buffer, 40% of remote workers said that a flexible schedule is the most significant benefit of remote work.
For example, if you’re a software developer or a content writer, you can do your programming or writing whenever you feel the most productive as long as you meet your deadlines.
Working from any location
The same study by Buffer found that 30% of employees believe location flexibility is the second biggest advantage to remote work. Thanks to technology, you can live and work where you choose as long as you have a working laptop and a reliable internet connection.
You can complete your day-to-day tasks from your home office, a coworking place in the center of town, or a beach bar in Bali.
If you’re in your 20s or 30s, chances are you place a higher value on experiences rather than possessions. You want to travel more often, spend more time with friends and family, and work on your hobbies. Remote work can support all the important aspects of your life.
More time with family
When you have to attend a 9 to 5 job, you often miss out on valuable family time. You’re wasting time in traffic, rushing to make it to your son’s baseball game, or your mother’s birthday.
What people have found after starting to work remotely is more quality time with their family and less pressure to maintain a work/life balance.
Greater productivity
Open offices are a haven for distractions. From noisy coworkers to phones ringing, the newest research indicates that there are many cons for employee productivity.
Open space offices were initially designed to improve collaboration, productivity, and happiness. However, research suggests that open workspaces fall short on those promises.
A recent study funded by Harvard Business School found that open workspaces decreased face-to-face collaboration between employees by 70%. They feel if they speak to their employees, they will distract them. So, instead, they stick to their workstations and collaborate online.
Moreover, another study found that 20% of employees find it challenging to finish the work that’s expected of them. Nearly 29% feel distractions hinder their productivity, and 17% think that office noise negatively impacts their creativity.
Although people expected that remote workers would have a drop in productivity, the opposite is true. Remote employees stay productive by taking regular breaks, setting their own working hours, and not commuting. 
It’s good for your health and the environment
It can be challenging to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle when working a 9 to 5 job. How many times have you just grabbed something from the nearest restaurant instead of bringing something from home? How many times per week have you gone to the gym?
Working from home can benefit your health in a number of ways. By having a flexible schedule, you’ll have more time for physical activity and eating healthier meals.
On the plus side, you’ll be less likely to be exposed to stress or suffer from employee burnout.
If you’re a person who is eco-conscious, chances are you’re always on the lookout for different ways to make a positive impact. But did you know that remote work contributes to a greener environment?
One research found that Americans spend an average of 392 million gallons of gasoline every day. As there are 25 million people who work from home, this means that remote workers are saving around 30 million gallons each working day.
What’s more, the Global Workforce Analytics discovered that by working at least half of a week remotely, we can lower carbon emissions by up to 54 million metric tons per year.
3 Downsides to Working Remotely
Unplugging after work
The State of Remote Work 2019 study by Buffer discovered that the biggest downside to remote work is unplugging after work.
As all of the collaboration happens online through digital apps on our laptops and phones, the work notifications sometimes never stop. You feel pressured to read your emails and messages, answer video calls, even outside your working hours or over the weekend.
The boundaries between your professional and private life might get blurred. If you don’t set expectations about your availability and turn off notifications, you’ll have difficulty disconnecting from work.
Loneliness
The second biggest disadvantage of remote work is feelings of loneliness. In fact, 19% of remote employees report suffering from feeling lonely. Workplace flexibility is not always cocktails on the beach and walking your dog in the park. It can be a feeling of isolation, anxiety, and depression.
When working in an office, you’re surrounded by people at all times. You enjoy watercooler conversations, share a few laughs, and form interpersonal connections. From office parties to after-work events, social interactions are plentiful.
On the other hand, remote work can sometimes be lonely. It can affect one’s ability to make social connections from a personal and professional level. You might feel disconnected from your peers, your company, and society.
Spending time alone all day can take its toll on your mental and physical health.
A lack of discipline
Working from an office can be motivating. For one, you see other people around you working, so you’re motivated to be productive yourself. Secondly, if you’re avoiding work and slacking off, your coworkers or managers can see that you’re not engaged in your work. So, in order to avoid problems, you do your best to finish your tasks for the day.
On the downside, when you work alone from home, that social office environment pressure is not present. There are no coworkers around to remind you that work needs to get done. Your managers are in another corner of the country or the world, not being able to check up on you.
With no motivating people around you, you have to motivate yourself. Meaning, working from home is more suitable for people who possess self-motivation skills. You have to be able to encourage yourself to continue making progress toward a goal even when it feels challenging. Set goals for the day, turn off any distractions and don’t close your computer until you’ve finished all your tasks for the day.
Final Word
Remote work is not for everyone. If you like being around people and need in-person communication, then this type of work arrangement might not be the ideal fit for you.
However, if you possess the ability to self-motivate and enjoy working from anywhere with little supervision, then you’ll make a great remote employee.
It entirely depends on who you are as a person. If you want to have some degree of flexibility at work, you’ll be happy to know that many companies offer part-time flexibility. Instead of working from the office five days per week, you’ll be asked to come in two or three times.
Choose whatever work arrangement is ideal for you, and don’t be scared to obtain it.
