Aug 19, 2019
5 Work Benefits of a Backyard Office
While it is the dream of most Americans to work from home, it is simply not possible for many of them. For those who can work from home, a backyard office kit to build their work space may provide several benefits not found at work. Here are five reasons to work from home:
Posted by: Coast Studios
While it is the dream of most Americans to work from home, it is simply not possible for many of them. For those who can work from home, a backyard office kit to build their work space may provide several benefits not found at work. Here are five reasons to work from home:
Control Over Work Space
One of the most common complaints about work space was uncovered by researchers from the University of California who surveyed over 65,000 workers and found more than 50% of employees feel they do not have enough private space in open offices. Home offices address that complaint. A home office built from a backyard office kit gives you total control over your work space. You can lay it out however you wish and furnish it in any way that makes you comfortable and happy. Moreover, in your backyard office, personal calls, photos, and emails remain private.
Moreover, you do not need to compromise the architecture styles you like. Whether you prefer American craftsman style architecture, modernist architecture, or minimalistic structures, you can design your backyard office kit however you like.
No Commute
Transportation is the largest source of carbon emissions in the U.S. and one of the largest contributors to those carbon emissions is the daily commute. Whether you commute by automobile, train, ferry, or bus, there are likely some carbon emissions associated with your drive to and from work. Eliminating the daily commute in the U.S. would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by two million tons every day.
Moreover, the average American commute is a little less than half an hour. This means most of us lose an hour of productivity every day. By working from home, we become more productive and free up time to spend working, playing with kids, socializing with family, or doing anything else we choose.
Set Your Hours
Working from home does not necessarily mean working in front of the television wearing pajamas. However, it does mean that if your son has piano lessons at 3:30 p.m. and your daughter needs a ride to soccer practice at 4:00 p.m., you can take your lunch hour in the afternoon so you can run your errands and still get your work done.
Working from your backyard office also means that if you are a morning person, you can start your work day at 5:00 a.m. Conversely, if you are a night owl, you can work until midnight. Your hours are your own when you build a home office from a backyard office kit.
Telepresence
With video conferencing, project management software, email, and cell phones, your presence can be felt in the office even when you are working from home. Or, more accurately, you benefit from having a telepresence in the office without suffering from all the burdens. For example, you can attend meetings virtually and collaborate on projects with co-workers via email, cloud-based project management software, and team messaging programs. You can keep up with clients and customers via cell phone.
On the other hand, telepresence allows you to avoid your annoying colleague who has to stop by your desk and chat every time he gets a cup of coffee. You can duck office politics when your office mates feud over who stole the other's lunch. You can even politely "forget" about the office manager's birthday celebration in the break room.
Be a Caregiver
In 2015, over 43 million Americans acted as a caregiver for an adult or child who had suffered from some disability. 60% of those caregivers are employed. Moreover, there are over 13.6 million single parents caring for minor children. Among single parents, 80% of single mothers and 90% of single fathers are employed. This means that there may be as many as 30 million American workers who are responsible for the health and well-being of another person. For these workers, working from a home office may provide the flexibility to keep the boss happy while fulfilling their responsibilities to the person they care for.
Home offices are not for everyone. Some workers may have trouble self-starting or working without supervision. However, for many workers, having control over their work environment, eliminating their commute, setting their own hours, participating remotely, and being a caregiver are strong reasons to work from home.
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