We had to change many aspects of our lives, especially adapting to a particular working style due to this pandemic. We found ourselves adjusting and finding new ways of working, taking some of us completely out of our comfort zones.
For many, working remotely is a completely strange concept that we have quickly needed to adapt to/learn.
Let's look at ways in which working remotely has impacted the lives of many South Africans
Working remotely is a type of working style that is situated in the comfort of your own home or space. Individuals have complete flexibility of how their day will be planned and executed. Working remotely is far from the normal setting of an office or corporate environment.
The benefits of working remotely:
- Flexibility: This allows you to have complete control over your time and flexible schedules. Workers can choose to work in a way that would be best suited for them and can lead to a better work life balance.
- Innovative surroundings: Instead of being cooped up in a confined space, you can draw inspiration from different settings in your home for example; being in the garden, having positive affirmations and images on your wall, different artworks and music to stimulate the brain.
- Higher productivity: Working remotely increases your productivity because you have complete control over your time and schedules. You are less likely to be distracted due to not being in a normal work setting thus putting in more effort and increasing your productivity.
- Saving time and costs: Less time spent on commuting to and from work. No traffic or delay in public transportation. Spending less money on traveling costs.
Disadvantages of working remotely:
- It can be quite difficult to create boundaries that separates work from leisure
- Conveying messages can be misinterpreted via electronic communication
- Getting easily distracted
- Lack of face to face communication
- Low authenticity and retention
Opportunities created:
Working remotely has now become mainstream and created opportunities for many. Not everyone has the necessary resources to start their own business or get the support that they require for their business to flourish.
“The reason for starting the online page was merely to promote and advertise what I’m currently selling. I made an instagram page for this specific platform called YAGA. It's an online platform where people sell off anything unwanted, such as gifts, things they might no longer need, clothing that is just hanging in their closets, shoes that perhaps do not fit or no longer want. So that's where you sell off to make some cash back. I’d say that it's been working for me thus far, I’ve got a lot of things that I don't make use of that someone else might need or want. So that's merely how I'm generating income. From herewith forward, I try to save the money that I make and my intention is to keep it when I perhaps want to start up a little business of my own. At the moment, I’m learning how to make clothes, so from here I’d like to make and sell. I guess that's what I'm aiming at right now”, says Tasleema Cassiem.
Therefore, not all hope is completely lost. With every challenge comes opportunity.
