Graduating from school around the time of the most recent credit crisis could be put as one of the reasons many in their twenties have taken to working online jobs remotely, and valuing flexibility. Leaving school at a time when the job market is down really forces people to get creative with ways to find employment and earn money. Nowadays, it has almost become fashionable to be a digital nomad and be able to work to your own schedule, but here are some issues that I have found with working remotely.
It can be very boring
Yes, you save a few hours and a little (lot) of money per day commuting to and from work, but the trade off is that you may not be around colleagues, which can make work pretty boring. For those who have worked physically in the same place as other people, you know that having friends at work can really improve your mood when the going gets tough, as well as acting as a motivating factor for your work. The absence of camaraderie may even be detrimental to work produced!
You still may need to leave your house!
After securing an online job I thought I was set and would not have to leave the house for anything other than food and to get some fresh air. I was wrong. I found myself getting so bored at home that I decided to try working at coffee shops and coworking spaces. This occasionally involved me venturing out into the rain with my newly purchased womens rain jacket I had not expected to need, in search of a motivating workspace.
You save more money, but you spend it just as easily
Okay, maybe not everyone is as weak-willed as me and can relate, but having more money in my pocket and being on the computer all day, at first only resulted in an increase in my online shopping habits. As mentioned in my previous point, I found myself buying necessary, and unnecessary things. For every womens waterproof jacket bought, there was a box of baking molds that never saw the light of day, to counteract it.
A tip all young adults should follow – learn how to manage your money while you don’t have much, and you will really appreciate and use it more wisely further down the line.
You may end up putting on weight
Working from home may pose a problem to those who don’t leave the house much, especially to get some exercise. This was true for me during a short period, where I found myself sat at my desk working for hours on end, without considering the need for exercise. As I piled on the pounds over the next few months, I finally realised the detrimental effect it was having on my health and I made a conscious decision to become more physically active.
