I acquired neurological disabilities due to the late diagnosis of a rare genetic medical condition known as Wilson’s Disease. I languished for years as the disease slowly robbed me of my many physical functions. In June 2019, the opportunity to work remotely came knocking on my door – to say I am now thriving in my career would be an understatement. 

For a person like me who faces challenges to find sustainable and gainful employment, remote work is a privilege. I enjoy all the commonly known benefits of remote work such as: 

• No commuting 
• Flexible work hours 
• Cost cutting 
• Better work-life balance 
• Ability to work from anywhere 

• Diversity and inclusion 

My experience in working remotely also made me aware of the lesser-known benefits of remote work. These uncommon advantages of remote work and their impacts need to be discussed more as they are equally beneficial. 

I am freer to work and not get a bad name for it. 

This may sound like an oxymoron but it’s not – I can get more work and work preparation done because I am not working in an office.  

In an office, I can’t engage in small talk and non-work-related matters with my colleagues “later”. I must respond there and then, otherwise I would be perceived as rude, anti-social, a loner, a misanthrope, or even a snob.  

Since my colleagues and I communicate using MS Teams, I can always reply to their messages later, especially non-work-related messages and they won’t think that I’m arrogant or “the silent type.” Furthermore, they also reply to my non-work-related messages late, and I understand that they are walking the mile in my shoes.  

I can’t even begin to delve into how much work I’ve gotten done with this forgiving nature of asynchronous communication.  

I say it better when I say it with a GIF or an emoji. 

My colleagues are my friends as well. At times, words don’t do justice to what I feel and GIFs and emojis convey my feelings better. 

More importantly, using GIFs and emojis saves time – I needn’t type a message. I can just react using an emoji and provide instant gratification to my colleagues. 

However, GIFs and emojis are not substitutes for typed pleasantries and Ps and Qs, so they are best used sparingly and with discretion. 

I don’t experience office politics issues. 

Isolation is often cited as one of the drawbacks of remote work. But it is the same isolation that provides me with peace of mind as I don’t need to engage in office politics. 

Office politics can be very draining, disturbing, and confrontational, breeding negative emotions and ill will. These are not good for work productivity and performance and ultimately bad for the company itself.  

Remote work significantly cuts office politics and there is little leeway for gossipmongering. So, I am enabled to put all my energy and resources into my work. 
 

I am my own competition, so I’m less stressed. 

I can’t crane my neck over to my colleague’s cubicle to see his or her work progress and they can’t do the same to me. I find this very motivating. 

The only things I’m concerned about are deadlines, my meticulous methods of work, and the quality of my output – I reap rewards when I apply and ascertain these. 

I set goals for myself and the company and work to accomplish them rather than simmer in the specter of comparison which is unhealthy competition. 

Honing my skills is a matter of enriching my work, not outdoing my colleagues. Focusing on what I must do rather than what others are doing is dynamically empowering. I only bring myself to work and I give my best every time. 

I discovered the joys of being connected yet disconnected. 

This is something I call, “incomplete detachment from work.” Although I inform my manager and colleagues that I won’t be available for work-related communication for some time, I still check my mail and MS Teams.  

Functioning in two divided realities makes me more capable and observant. I always find new ways in the analog realm to improve my productivity in the digital realm and the inverse. When I read, see, or experience something offline, I bring it to my online work wherever relevant, optimizing it.  

As a remote worker with a debilitating medical condition, I also prioritize my health so I can work properly and not end up taking a long leave to recover because of willful neglect on my part.  

I haven’t met any of my remote colleagues in person yet and I hope to meet them soon. Interacting with them in the flesh would certainly strengthen and affirm our remote work relationship. 

My incomplete detachment from work allows me to maximize productivity and increase my performance while I step on the grass beneath my feet. 

Finding the middle ground between working remotely and personal activities can be difficult – but with practice, it will become a habit. 

Conclusion 

These less-common benefits of remote work I experienced firsthand have been navigating me toward a progressive career and fulfilled life.  

I think it’s important to identify and be mindful of these nuanced remote work advantages so we can leverage them more effectively. 

As a PWD remote employee, I am blessed to work in a home office setting where I learn how to balance work obligations, colleague interactions, emotions, stress, and my personal commitments. 

One can truly have it all!