People who are able to work from home are in a privileged position. They’re on their own schedule, have no daytime commute to speak of, and can wear whatever they want as they get their work done. It’s a pretty sweet deal, no doubt. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a privilege that always has to be exercised, because there are downsides to working from home that people generally don’t consider. And in fact, there’s little question that some people who work from home would benefit from trading their home office for a real office, away from the home. Might this be you? Read on and you might just find yourself gathering your office supplies and moving elsewhere during your working hours.
Benefits
There’s one very big reason why moving out helps: it boosts your productivity. When you rent an office, a space you pay for exclusively just to do work, then you find yourself really making the most of your working hours. Working from home is too often a battle between work and, well…anything that isn’t working. Our homes never look as clean as when we decide to work from home. The second we cross the threshold of the office, we’re in work mode: and really, we’re not going to tidy the office or sit on Facebook, are we?
If we’re able to get rid of distractions at the office, then we’re also able to get rid of the work distractions that can occupy our minds when we work from home, where the lines between ‘working’ and ‘not working’ are much more blurred. When you rent office space, the second you leave for the day you’re able to switch off – making the home a more enjoyable place to be in the process. No emails, no calls, just another day at the office done and dusted.
Moving the Home Office
An office also helps us step our game. Most home workers have a set office in their property to work from, but bring in the movers and take your office desk and chair to a new locations and you might just see a boost in results; not because of productivity, but because of professionalism. You’ll suddenly have an office address, perhaps your own car parking space. These symbols of success will inspire you to do more with your company, with which you can pay for the cost of rental in its own right.
Thinking of the Family
If you have a family that doesn’t require you to work from home (if you don’t have small children, basically), then how about you best serving them? If you find yourself putting in longer hours or being in “work mode” more often than you’d like, then you might be missing out on some treasured family moments. Renting an office doesn’t mean you have to commit to 9-5. You can go there and leave whenever you please. But when you do leave, you’ll be able to give your undivided attention to the people who really matter, the people you work so hard for in the first place!
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