Work these days are more than the confines of an office for eight hours or struggling to complete a task in one location. Many businesses and companies have made telecommuting or remote work more accessible, largely because of the internet and the advances of the modern transport system. But there are also the additional hours required to complete certain work, and many of these require people to spend hours, even days away from home. This can have consequences on a person’s mental health and quality time spent with family.
If you work remotely, you might find there are many benefits, including controlling your own time and productivity, the opportunity to travel and a higher paycheck. But constant travel and movement can take a toll on a person’s physical and mental health.
If you plan on working days away from home or are already doing so, it’s important to consider what you may be leaving behind on top of the benefits it may bring.
Physical Drawbacks
Working far from home can be tiring no matter how you travel. First-class accommodation and economy class seating do not matter if you’re stressed. Traveling means adjusting to different time zones, climates, and sleeping patterns. These factors that require constant adjusting can take a toll on your body and become more prone to health issues as well.
Transitions
Life at home continues, and your family members will begin to continue on with their daily duties and responsibilities. If you’re a parent, working away from home means time away from your children and spouse, and it might mean growing apart and not spending enough time with them.
Isolation
Loneliness and isolation are the results of spending days or even years away from home. Slowly, you may feel disengaged with the people you’ve left behind or ache for their presence again.
Case Study: Truckers
One example of a job away from family is the trucking business. Truckers spend the majority of time on the job driving far away locations and long hours on the road. Feeling lonely on the job is the most pressing concern for truckers, as they have little opportunity to meet family and friends. Loneliness also affects their mental health, on top of the lack of sleep and physical challenges of the job.
Despite their high salary, truckers face physical and mental risks like many people who need to do a long commute for their work. With the physical and mental health risks involved, several states like Washington have trucking attorneys who help drivers know what they could demand from their employer in terms of benefits and assistance.
In contrast to people coming home from their office jobs, truck drivers have it differently. Since the job requires significant time away from home, truckers miss out on a lot of events happening back home. Some of them aren’t able to join significant events such as their child’s graduation or dance recital. Others feel like they’re left out of events happening to their spouses and the people they’ve left behind.
The challenges of working for long periods away from home can pose serious mental and physical health problems. People may be able to adjust to the physical aspects of the job, but find a harder time coping with loneliness. It is important to build strong and trusting relationships with family and friends to combat feeling lonely on the road. Having support from the right people is essential if you want to have a successful career and a happy personal life.