Increased Flexibility (and Productivity)

The flexibility checkbox is ticked in a few ways as a remote worker, and these checkboxes have to lead to 24% of remote workers being happier and more productive (Owl Labs).

The best part about remote work is the fact that, in a lot of ways, the where, when, and [even] how to structure your work is entirely up to your discretion. For many in corporate offices, it is often surprising how much time is wasted on just “face time” that is non-productive.

Gone are the days of sitting next to the same people every day in the office…because you don’t even have an office. You’re free to work from the local coffee shop, your house, an empty room on a local campus, the world is your oyster. Having the freedom to work anywhere means you don’t have to miss out on a lot of what life has to offer.

You can schedule and attend any meeting, you can visit home, you can make it to the gym. Why? Because those are all workable spaces as well. Increased focus & productivity are key reasons that employees work from home (Owl Labs). Imagine if you could maximize focus & productivity every day, that’s remote work.

Choosing where to work is only the first step in the freedom remote work grants you. Sure, you can always decide where you want to work, but did you know a lot of the time you can also decide when? Not only do you recoup the time you would spend commuting, but you’re also free to build a schedule that suits you. This, of course, is contingent on you getting work done.

As it turns out, there’s flexibility in one more aspect of remote work that’s easy to ignore, the how. Your ‘office’ becomes what fits in your backpack driving your work costs to go down and efficiency upwards. The freedom to ditch the suit & tie look for the clothing you rolled out of bed and put on is another huge driver. Many folks find that a comfortable work environment boosts productivity. Having the freedom, or the ‘how’, to build that environment is a recipe for success.

Finally, there is also the subtext of meritocracy in remote teams — deliverables, not office politics, are all/most that matter (more below). As long as your work gets done, where, when, and how are entirely up to you.\