The Case For Working From Home

By: Carl Dunn

Being raised as a kid in the 90's is a far cry from the idea of working remotely today. We were taught to go to a physical building and give it our best effort during that time, and return to do it all over again the next day. This is a great way to learn responsibility, humility, and work ethic. There is nothing wrong with this approach today, except 1 thing.Technology!

Technology has given us the ability to be more productive anywhere we want to be. There are a few exceptions of actually having to be at a physical building. Some of them are: construction, government, healthcare, the fine arts, etc... However, even with those sectors, the meetings that used to have to take place, can be mobilized and still be just as effective. Here is why I am making the case for working from home.

I was at home focused on my job, which is marketing for my clients. I took a break from my primary duties to fix a few things around the house, that my wife asked me to do months ago. It was so gratifying to see her face when she realized I fixed those pesky things that every wife has on her honey-do list.

It was at this very moment I realized, that me being able to make a living, and being a good husband could co-exist, actually pretty harmoniously. We grew up in a time where we would spend 12-16 hrs at a place and wonder why our spouses would be miserable, and we would be too. This is just one factor for working from home or remotely helps, in my opinion. It has so many implications for us as humans that we can't quantify.

Take the tasks I was able to achieve with no pressure. Completing those task had a psychological impact on myself and my wife. Let's drill down a little more on the intimate impact it also had.

So, your wife comes home after she sees your accomplishments she is happy, and you are proud of yourself. This is the basis of having a healthy relationship all across the board. Most humans want to be acknowledged when they complete something. I had to hold back when she got home too. It's so funny, because I feel like a little kid sometimes, saying things like, did you see what I did? As every kid does, we covet acknowledgment and appreciation.

I haven't even touched on the idea of effectiveness and productivity. We all have the ability now to be anywhere with video conferencing and mobile sharing. Business as we know it has changed dramatically. People in all industries are looking for ways to be nimble and their workforce should resemble the changes that are taking place at a rapid pace.

These aren't just trends either, people want their cake, pie, and strawberries and the ice-cream too. Technology has made us this way, so how do companies adjust and position themselves to take advantage of this fairly new way of digital collaboration? I think they should embrace these ideas and allow whomever want to work remotely, to work remotely.

People are far more productive and happier in their own environment. Now, I know some people like the constructs of the office and the idea of seeing one's co-workers. This has been proven to be a physiological impact on us as well. Working remotely can be a lonely environment. That is why I think companies and organizations should deploy a hybrid system with minimum check-ins that give their work force options.

So if you want a happy life and a happy wife, work remotely and make sure you get those pesky honey-do items checked off of your list. Even if you don't do them, you are there to make sure they get done by a trained professional.

As we move into the next decade, technology is only going to get more robust and accelerate at an even faster pace, so if you are a company out there, don't fight this change; embrace it and your bottom line and your spouse will thank you later.

Have a great time working from home(anywhere)!

Please let me know your experience with remote work, or your view on why this may not be the best approach.

I think we should embrace this and use it to move into the future as a mobile workforce.

Agree?

:)