Working remotely is not a new thing for me. I’ve been a full-time telecommuter since 2010 and prior to that when I was a technology freelancer back in 2005. Working remotely works for me and in this post, I will explain why.

The COVID-19 Pandemic changed many things for the world, one of which was introducing many to working remotely. For a lot of people, this was a blessing in disguise and for others that weren’t prepared, it was a burden. At that time, I was working for a major bank that didn’t exactly embrace remote work but at that time they were forced to comply. Fortunately, I had been grandfathered in under a remote working arrangement when I joined the bank as a full-time employee and was accustomed to working in that fashion.

Don’t get me wrong, not every person or position is a good fit for remote work. However, for those of us who work in technology or in jobs that don’t require being physically present, working remotely is the superior option. The arguments against remote work, I feel are unfounded, such as this notion that being in person and sitting with your team increases productivity. I find that going into an office has quite the opposite effect.

For me, working remotely is all pros and no cons. When Wells Fargo started pushing the hybrid thing really hard, the argument for sitting with your team was a complete fallacy. First off, the teams I worked on were geographically dispersed not only by cities but also by locations within cities. Secondly, Wells Fargo had invested millions (billions?) in kicking out tenants and reclaiming space in their properties that were outfitted with disparate workstations. First come, first serve, unassigned workstations. How could one sit with their team in that scenario?

Why does working remotely work for me? For starters, it is good for the environment and my health. Throughout my career when I was a consultant, I had some grueling commutes that took sometimes 3 hours out of my day. For some of that time, I was driving a gas guzzling Cadillac Escalade which got around 10 MPG. I recall one of my commutes in Texas from Round Rock to Austin was just over an hour. Fortunately, I carpooled with a co-worker which saved a bit of money on gas. My all-time favorite commute was in Dublin, California when I worked for E-Loan. It was about 5 minutes and I used an electric Zappy scooter to get there.

When in Houston, I sometimes rode the bus and for a while I had a gas-powered scooter. Thinking back on riding that thing over an hour each way to downtown Houston in heavy traffic makes me question my sanity at that time. My situation while living in Boca Raton was similar. I had a gas-powered scooter, but my commute was only 15 minutes with little to no traffic. When in Fort Lauderdale, I had a 3-mile commute, and I rode a nice Cannondale Urban bike which eventually got stolen. Man, I loved that bike.

That’s enough reminiscing about my past commutes to work in an office. Let me share some other benefits of working remotely.

Availability

I’m available to work 24x7x365 if needed. It’s not that I want to work all the time, but I can recall working at the bank and deploying code which typically was done after working hours and often on the weekends. I couldn’t imagine working all day in the office, going home, and then coming back to the office to perform the release. Most of the releases, we’d do could span 12-16 hours over the weekend. At least, I could suffer through them in the comfort of my home office.

Power Naps

Another great perk of working remotely is taking power naps. Yes, I said power naps. I suffer from severe sleep apnea and sometimes I need to take a 5-to-10-minute nap on occasion. I would not feel comfortable doing that if I were working in an office.

Coffee

I drink a lot of coffee during the day, and I like it a certain way. Working from home affords me a supply of unlimited coffee without Starbuck’s prices. And a nice cup of Assam or Gunpowder Green tea is available at a moment’s notice and is just a quick trip downstairs to the kitchen.

Incense, Music, and Cursing Loudly

Sometimes technical work can be very frustrating. I like to burn incense to help calm me down and help me focus on my work. I can play any music from my vast collection of MP3s and LPs as loudly as I want. And yes, when something I am working on is not behaving nicely or meeting my expectations, I can curse as loudly as I please.

Staying Healthy

Aside from the health benefits of not having a commute, I find that working remotely helps me stay healthy. There are no worries about catching the crud, colds, the flu, RSV, or even worse COVID-19 when one works from home. Granted I don’t go anywhere period, and I mask up when I do. Not going into an office is the healthier option. Also, I have a home gym downstairs that I can use during my lunch break. In my home office, I have two standing VARIDESK workstations with multiple monitors. And then there is my fancy gaming chair which is perfect for taking power naps in.

I eat better when working from home as I can just slip downstairs to make breakfast or lunch while still attending to my work duties. I’m not doing what I used to do which was taking a two-hour lunch break to escape being in an office. Most days, I eat at my desk while I am working.

A big part of staying healthy for me is not only a physical thing, but it also a mental thing. My partner works from home and it’s wonderful to see her in person to share some news or sometimes my frustrations. Several times a week, we have lunch together in our wonderful home which is yet another perk when working remotely. Then there is our GSP who often comes up to my office to say hello and to see what I am working on. She’s a sweet girl and I’m always delighted when she pays me a visit.

Working Remotely Works for Me

Working remotely works for me, and I am grateful to be a in position to enjoy the benefits of this working style. Despite the recent Administration’s stance on working remotely and the many companies that are forcing workers to return to offices, I stand firmly behind the benefits to the environment and people’s mental and physical health. Granted many people have abused the privilege but I think those people behaved the same way when they worked in an office.

Thanks for reading my post! By the way, it is also available on LinkedIn.