Working From Home in 2022

Working from home is becoming a more normal part of our everyday lives in 2022. Even though working in an office can have its benefits, and people are starting to return to office-working, we, at Shomera, believe a blended approach offers the best solution for people (and their employers!).

“With a greater sense of control over your day when you work from home, you could even end up feeling happier and more productive during your working hours.”

In this article, we’ll share our views on the benefits (and downsides) of working from home and provide tips on how to set up your home office for success.

What are the Benefits of Working from Home?

Working from home certainly has its benefits. When you work from home, you:

Spend Less Time Commuting

Pre-pandemic, the average person was predicted to spend over a year of their life commuting but after the rise of working from home, these predictions have dropped significantly.

With people spending fewer hours commuting, this can leave more time for other things. Plus, it can help make travelling a better experience for everyone, with significantly less congestion during busy periods.

Working from home can be beneficial both for our work and our health, such as in this home office, designed to separate working from home, and home itself.

Have More Family Time

Working in (and commuting to) an office minimises time at home, which means spending less time with family. But, when you work from home, you have more freedom throughout your day.

For those with children, you can do things like have breakfast together in the morning or pick them up from school during the day. Plus, when you finish work, you’ll only have to walk a few steps to be home with them again.

Gain Flexibility in Your Day

When you work from home occasionally, you have more flexibility in how you spend your day. With extra time before and after work (plus lunchtimes at home), you can do things like prep dinner, go to the gym, do housework or just spend more time enjoying a hobby.

With a greater sense of control over your day when you work from home, you could even end up feeling happier and more productive during your working hours.

Have a More Positive Environmental Impact

Our environment needs taking care of. A huge benefit of working from home part-time is that it eases the pressure on our local communities and environment. By travelling less frequently, you’ll be minimising your carbon footprint and helping reduce congestion in busy cities.

Plus, when you WFH, you’re more likely to eat in, rather than out. This can mean you’re using less single-use plastics and packaging, which can have a hugely positive environmental impact.

Working from home can lead to a better environmental impact, as you will eat out less, and reduce packaging, than if you were to eat out while at work, such as this sandwich made at home.

Are there Downsides to Working from Home?

While there are endless reasons why working from home part-time can be beneficial, there is one downside that we can’t ignore. For many, working from home can blur the lines between home and working life, with no distinct separation between the two.

Even when working in a dedicated space in our houses, we’re still in our home environment. This lack of separation can lead some people to work longer hours or, worse, have trouble switching off at the end of the working day.

At Shomera, we believe there’s a solution to this problem – investing in a dedicated home office space with a garden room.

Why Choose a Garden Room for Your Home Office?

If you’re committing to a hybrid working approach, with some days in the office and some days at home, a garden room office can provide numerous benefits for remote workers, including that it:

Separates Work And Home Life

One of the biggest benefits of having a garden room home office is the separation it brings between work and home. By having an area that you need to physically leave your house to get to, you can feel a new sense of commute that helps you separate work time from family time.

Keeps You Active

Working from home gives you the flexibility to sign up for a gym class or head out for a run during the day, so you may be more active than ever with a home working lifestyle!

Provides a Sense of Commute

Even though many of us dreaded commuting to work, it had its benefits. When you travel from home to work, however long it takes, you have time to get into ‘work-mode’ before you get in. On the way home, you can reflect on the day and how things went.

With a garden room as your home office, you’ll have a sense of commute again that serves its purpose, without taking up too much of your day. We call it the 12-step commute. This small journey gives you time, exercise and a breath of fresh air before you start work.

Conclusion

While working from home can create a lack of separation between home and family life, having a dedicated space in your garden for work can help ease the pressure in your home environment.

If you want to learn more about garden rooms and how to create the best working from home environment explore our website and subscribe to our newsletter! We’ll send an occasional email full of the latest tips, news and innovations house extensions and garden rooms.