Pros and Cons of Working Remotely (And How to Remedy Some Cons)
As we go into the new year, adjusting to all the changes the pandemic has brought in, it felt like the right time to talk about working remotely. There are many pros and cons to working from home and some easy ways to remedy the cons.
With some small changes and the right equipment, you can quickly improve your remote working space and make it that much more enjoyable. While there will always be some pros and cons of working remotely, many of them are easy to mitigate. Who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself enjoying it more than you thought as time goes on!
Exploring the pros of working remotely
We’ll start by looking at some of the pros of working remotely and improving the experience even more. Remote working offers some unique advantages, and with a few changes, you can take your remote working to a whole new level for added benefit.
Getting to use your own gadgets
One of the main advantages of working remotely is that you have complete control over your gadgets. No worrying about what the office has or having to use whatever is available. Even if you’re working from a work laptop or computer, you can still use peripherals and other accessories to make the experience your own.
One of our favorite work accessories is the M1 Wireless Mouse. Featuring a Bluetooth connection, rechargeable Type-C port, and a sleek, modern design, it’s one of the best accessories for working remotely. You can easily connect to devices up to 32 feet away and start navigating wirelessly within seconds.
The other advantage is that peripherals such as Satechi’s M1 Wireless Mouse offer fast, precise tracking and fast scrolling. This is a major pro when working remotely because it makes data entry speedier, and you'll be able to scan through documents faster.
An organized workspace
Working at a desk in an office often means that your desk isn’t entirely your own. With people leaving documents and messages on it and the general clutter of wires and cables, it’s more challenging to keep your workspace neat and organized to your standard.
Another advantage of working remotely is organizing your desk your way, without worrying about what other people might add to it. By adding some more wireless items and opting for wireless charging where possible, your workspace can become even neater.
An excellent option for keeping your desk organized and clutter-free is to opt for portable chargers and wireless charging where possible. Portable chargers are great because you won’t need to worry about cable lengths or wall outlets and can keep your device near while charging.
This is particularly good for devices such as work smartphones since you’ll need those to be close by and available at all times. One of the best options for portable chargers is Satechi’s Quatro Wireless Power Bank. Fast and convenient, ti features Qi wireless charging and charges multiple devices simultaneously.
Taking responsibility for your own time
Another advantage is having the responsibility for your own time. To an extent, you have far more autonomy working remotely because you’re not tied to a desk and can use your time as you want.
The added responsibility can feel odd at first, but you’ll find that it’s pretty easy to get used to, and you might end up being more productive than you thought. It’s a lot easier to adjust to this, especially if you have the right workspace accessories to make remote working that much more enjoyable.
For example, an Aluminum Laptop Stand is a great way to organize your desk and work more practically. With lots of color options, it goes with all kinds of decor and can help with neck and back issues by raising your device for an optimal view.
Gadgets such as the Bluetooth media button can help you control media conveniently, even when your smartphone may not be in reach. This is great for managing volume and changing media without having to be right by your device.
Remedying some of the cons of working remotely
Fewer distractions
For many, one of the biggest cons of working remotely is that social interaction is significantly reduced. There are fewer chances of office small talk and banter, which is often a nice distraction. While this can be considered a pro of working remotely in the short term, it’s a con in the long-term.
Because of the lack of distractions, you might find that you work longer and harder and feel burnt out faster potentially. The best way to remedy this is to force yourself to take more breaks to avoid feeling more tired.
Keeping your desk clean by using accessories such as the Eco Leather Desk Mate can also help. It works as a mouse pad, writing surface, and a food mat, so if nothing, you can stay near your device but still grab something to eat or pause for a few moments and write down your thoughts while using the deskmate.
Overworking yourself
Another disadvantage of working remotely is the pressure to work more - whether internal pressure from yourself or external pressure from work. Trying to balance responsibility, self-control, and staying creative is often challenging when working remotely.
It might feel like you don’t get to control day or that you’re always expected to be working. The last point about taking breaks still stands, but this is also a way to use one of the pros of working remotely to remedy this con.
Having more control of your workspace, using devices you feel comfortable with, and having a general balance between work and breaks can help you feel better and less burnt out. Streamlining your devices by using more peripheral accessories, reducing clutter, and making your workspace more functional can help alleviate some of the stress around working from home.
Some of our recommendations for peripheral devices for your workspace include the Compact Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard, which is great for helping you work more seamlessly with your device. Featuring upgraded Bluetooth 5.0 capabilities with a simple, wireless setup, this type of device enables you to have more control of your workspace and reduce some of the disadvantages of working remotely. It works across multiple devices, and the backlit illuminated keys allow you to work efficiently in a variety of low-light environments.
Other accessories such as Type-C UHS-II Micro SD Card Reader are also a perfect option for fast data transfer, particularly if you work with video editing and file transfers a lot. The device is easy to use, slim and compact so that it won’t take up too much space on your desk, and it’ll help you work faster.
There are many different pros and cons of working remotely, but ultimately, what will help you manage the most is working more efficiently overall. In this context, efficiency can mean different things depending on how you feel and what you’re working on.
Taking time out for breaks, reducing after-hours work, and using devices and accessories to streamline your workspace can all help you work more efficiently in different ways. As we continue to work from home, you’ll find that the pros of working remotely will start to outweigh the disadvantages of working remotely, especially once you design the perfect workspace for your needs.
