In 2020, many people in the Ottawa & Clarence-Rockland area, made the shift to remote work. Even before that, the appeal of having a space in the home to do work from home had a massive appeal. There are many reasons why someone would want to portion out a section of the home for business, especially when they need the space to think and plan. As many of us have found out, a home office in Ottawa is more important than ever before.
Here are eight reasons why home offices are more important in Ottawa than ever before.
1. Peace and Quiet
You may not think that days of Zoom calls and classes is a picture of peace and quiet. You may even be tackling curious cats, screaming infants, and outside noises from beyond your Ottawa & Clarence-Rockland home / apartment. Working from home has taught people that setting up shop in the dining room or in the living room can be counterproductive. That is why a home office, with its own door or partition, is the ultimate solution from work-at-home orders or general remote work.
If finding space in your current residence is difficult, it may be time to seek out a new home. Should that be beyond you right now, don’t worry. You can redesign your living room or bedroom to create a space that functions as a home office. All you need is a way to section off the room.
2. Lower Expenses For Entrepreneurs
For those who are running their own business, you are probably familiar with how much it can cost. Rent, utilities, and materials for products can offset your profits. A home office is a great way to minimize operation costs.
3. The Ideal Space
A lot of workplaces have regulations about how you can decorate an office or cubicle. At home, you never have to worry about a supervisor commenting about your family photos or memorabilia or plants ever again. You can fashion a personal home office to be whatever you want. Incorporate whatever you want into the design, whether that is books, artwork, or posters.
And all that freedom will motivate you to do your best. That’s what we call a win-win.
4. Higher Home Value
Here is one benefit to having a Ottawa home office that you probably didn’t expect. Since home offices are now considered part of the new norm, it will increase the value of your home when you go to sell it. Plus, people looking to buy a house are going to want to save time in setting up a home office, so if you have a space for it already, it makes you home that much more valuable. Potential buyers will be excited, so you should have your pick of the candidates when the time comes!
Relevant: Real Estate Agents Near Me? 9 Questions to Ask Before Hiring
5. Less Commute Time
You probably don’t miss commuting every morning to the office, getting stuck in traffic and getting irritated, and then having to do it all again in the evening. If you live outside the city like in Clarence-Rockland, it’s not so bad but no one likes traffic. You also save money, because you aren’t buying gasoline every week or needing maintenance on your car, since it’s getting used less. Not only that, but the less you commute, the more green your lifestyle. Less vehicle emissions means a happier planet. And since you will cool and heat the house regardless of being home or not, it is better to limit yourself to one location and reduce your carbon footprint.
6. Flexibility
Looking to maximize work-life balance and get the best of both worlds? It’s possible when you have a designated work office in your home. Now, you don’t have to worry about calling out of work to meet the electrician or waiting until the end of a long day to cook meals or tackle a pile of laundry or help your kids with homework. Between tasks, you can do things like feed the pets or make a call.
There are many ways to accommodate your work and life schedules when you can work from home. You’ll find that it is much easier to check things off the to-do list when you have a home office.
7. More Family Time
So, we talked about less commuting and a better work-life balance, but what about family time? One of the weaknesses of going to work and being stuck in the office is that your family is left wondering when you’re getting back. Will you make it for dinner? Will you have overtime?
Even just 20 minutes of commute time each way will deduct 160 hours from time you could spend with your loved ones. A home office brings you closer to your family, so you can be there when a child gets ill or when someone needs help after a surgery.
8. A Healthier You
Bringing all the previous reasons why a home office is more important than ever, the best reason culminates. You are happier and healthier when you work from home. Think about it: less time commuting, less time sedentary, less time stressing about at-home priorities and family all contributes to less stress.
Also, your home office furniture is bound to be far more ergonomic. You can stand or walk or exercise at your leisure when you have a home office; and you won’t be tempted to ravage the office vending machine when you need a boredom snack. Instead, you will have access to the best furniture and food, straight from you own kitchen.
Conclusion
Whether you have made the switch to remote work, are an at-home freelancer, or you are still working from home due to restrictions, a home office is highly beneficial. And if you haven’t made a home office yet, consider this a sign! Working from home is an excellent opportunity to transform a section of your home into a dedicating work zone, where you can put your mind on essential tasks. But you also get immense flexibility to balance out work and life.
