Working at home is living the dream, right?
It’s true from research that working from home allows you more flexibility, saves you money, allows you to be more casual and often makes you more productive. Studies have also found that employers who allow working at home have better retention records.
Here’s the flip side. Where you live will have the biggest impact on how much you will enjoy working from home. So, unless your setup includes the following five things, you may be craving to return to the office
1. Access to Stuff. Food, dining, coffee and basic stores need to be nearby. Not necessarily walking distance, but a very short drive, or an easy bike. You can make a list of things you’ll need, but other stuff will come up, and a day spent driving around is not a productive day at your office.
2. High Speed Internet. You might have to invest more of your own money in this, but nothing irks an employer more than a lousy connection when they are trying to chat, video conference or get files to or from you. The best place to live is where the infrastructure for fast internet is already in place.
3. Dependable Mail/Package Delivery. If you are at home and you have to get up ten times a day when the UPS guys rings the bell and the dog goes nuts, that’s not ideal, although you may like to stretch your legs. More modern living complexes include package services that make sure your arrivals are received whether you are on a call or not.
4. A Meeting Room. Hate to break it to you, but meeting at Starbucks with a client, unless you have a personal relationship or they asked to meet there, is simply unprofessional. Sometimes you need a truly professional, private space to meet. A newer trend in neighborhood developments provides room solely for that purpose. They are a lot cheaper than renting a function room at the local hotel.
5. A Hub. The single greatest complaint from people who work from home is isolation. Talking on the phone and computer is ok, but being around people is the only way to feel like you haven’t been billeted at the North Pole. Look for a place that has a club feel to live in. The advantages are you can go there to be around people, some of whom will of course become friends, but always retreat to the home office if you need more privacy.
Smarter, more accessible, and friendlier: Promenade@5, a new community in Williamsburg is all these things. Promenade@5 knows how you want to live and created a vibrant lifestyle including a central location near shopping, dining and recreation. Other features include Cox G1GABlast high-speed wifi throughout the community, package concierge locker and app service, a clubhouse with meeting spaces, and loads of communal living areas like a dog park, community garden, and pool. Plus, electric vehicle charging stations and a bike repair station IN the community. All this with very affordable home prices from $179,900.
Click here to find out more and to register for a chance to score special incentives and upgrades!
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