5 Health Benefits of Working From Home

By Appen. June 22, 2018

Working from home can be awesome in many ways. One great reason is so that you can spend less time going to and from an office. In this post, we explore 5 reasons why working from home can benefit your health by reducing your daily commute. Around the world, workers spend nearly 70 minutes per day commuting. The average American worker can spend almost 80 minutes on the road, and in some places like Israel and India the average commute can be over 90 minutes long! Some workers find themselves asking, “is commuting bad for you” and “how does a long commute affect your health?”

With a long commute, you have less time to take care of your mind and body. Many people drive in a car, some people take public transportation, and other people bike to work. By eliminating a daily commute, remote workers can start their tasks as soon as they are up for the day. If you find a flexible job, you can spend more time enjoying health benefits working from home.

1. Stress reduction

If you commute on a daily basis, chances are you have a set schedule. This could mean that you participate in rush-hour traffic or that you keep track of bus routes in order to arrive at work on-time. By working remote jobs, you can eliminate daily trips trying to get to and from an office. Mental anxiety associated with commuting can also lead to unhealthy changes in your body.

2. Healthier body

With extra time each day, you can catch up on sleep or spend more time meditating. This can help you avoid higher blood pressure and help make physical activity like working out more effective for your health. When you commute to work, you may also spend long periods of time in a sitting position. By sitting less, you can practice better posture and avoid situations that lead to backaches. Less pain could mean fewer trips to the doctor’s office and that can help full-time commuters reduce health care costs. With better mental and physical health, other parts of daily life can improve as well.

3. Increased safety

Commuting can be stressful for the mind and body. Eliminating your commute may also keep you safe from tense situations on the road. Rush hour can be especially dangerous for those who bike to work. If you work from home, you can choose to bike during times when roads are less crowded. Staying off crowded roads also helps keep you away from exhaust fumes that may damage your lungs.

4. Better for the environment

If fewer people commuted each day, vehicle emissions around the world could decrease. A decrease in emissions would mean less smog in the air and better air quality, especially in big cities. Longer commutes are difficult on vehicles, too. With less commuters, city roads receive less damage from traffic. Instead of worrying about vehicle maintenance, you could put more time into improving your environment.

5. Greater personal satisfaction

People who commute spend less time completing tasks they want to accomplish. For many workers around the world, over an hour each day is spent in-transit. With an extra hour, you can be more mindful of your work-life balance. This can lead to greater life satisfaction. Leave your commute in the past by searching for work-from home and flexible work opportunities today. Consider a job as a Social Media Evaluator or Web Search Evaluator if you are interested in technology, the internet, and social media. — If you enjoyed reading our article about 5 Health Benefits of Working From Home, visit appen.com/careers to see our available opportunities.