16 Excuses To Work From Home: For A Day Or Forever
Look up ☝️. See our company name is Buildremote (emphasis on remote)? We don’t think you ever need an excuse to work from home, be it permanently or for a day.
We asked our list of contributors to share their best excuses to work from home. We received 200+ reasons to work from home and organized the best ones into two categories. Click one of the links below to jump to the category you’re looking for
11 Reasons To Work From Home (WFH) Last Minute
In our survey, we discovered the 11 best reasons to work from home last minute. If you’re in a pinch and need to stay home for just that day, consider one of these reasons:
- Dental emergency
- Doctor’s appointment
- Family emergency
- Important packages being delivered
- Injury
- Pregnancy-related issues
- Car trouble (or road work)
- Have a fever (and I’m contagious)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Sick child or relative
- Maintenance appointment
See Also: Only The Good Excuses To Miss Work On Short Notice
5 Excuses To Work From Home Permanently
Maybe you’re sick of the ping-ponging back and forth between the office and home. If that’s the case, and you want to work from home permanently, consider one of these reasons:
- Distractions in the office
- More productive at home
- Need uninterrupted time
- Want to avoid the commute
- I’ll be happier as an employee
Find one of the best companies to work remotely for in our awards list.
Good Excuses For Working From Home (If You Need Explanations)
Below, you’ll find the same list of work-from-home excuses you saw above… but this time each one has some explanation. This is just in case you need a little backup if your excuse comes under fire.
Doctor’s appointment
Telling your employer that you have a doctor’s appointment or any other medical issue is the best excuse to work from home. Remember, your company can’t ask you to come to the office if you’re sick. Plus, prying more into your situation will be unprofessional, and going down that road is a big no for HR, so you’re honestly in the clear. Just let them know that you won’t be able to make it on time to the office because of the appointment and would like to work from home instead, but don’t make a habit because that will be a problem.
– Karen Comen of Zodiac Signs
View: Work-from-home email request for a medical appointment
Dental emergency
While most of us do our best to plan ahead for routine dental checkups, sometimes accidents happen and we need to see the dentist immediately, whether for a cracked tooth or a missing filling. Working from home can save you time, energy, and possibly pain compared to the alternative of commuting to and from work, then going to the dentist, and finally commuting back home.
– Sandra Rios of Buzz Agency
Family emergency
Family emergencies are always taken seriously by managers. Especially after the pandemic, workplaces are quite lenient when it comes to the health of family members. So, they will cut you some slack.
– Peter Varadi of MarketGap
View: Work-from-home email for a family emergency
Important packages being delivered
You can inform your employer that you have to sign for a delivery that would arrive at an unexpected time. Relay the importance of the package and how not being there to receive it would cause you to pay extra. It would be best to declare the price of the said item so that the employer recognizes its importance.
– Elisa Bender of RevenueGeeks
View: Work-from-home request for package delivery
Injury
At some point in our lives, the vast majority of us will sustain an injury that is not immediately life-threatening. Even if you have one of these injuries and your job requires you to sit at a desk or in front of a computer for most of the day, you won’t be unable to keep working. But they’re a hassle and could make it harder to move around. Working from home for a few days will let you heal from a minor injury without slowing you down at work.
– Mike Owens of Web Hosting Advices
(This is listed as one of our medical reasons to work from home.)
Pregnancy-related issues
A pregnant woman’s stress levels can be reduced, and she can focus on herself and her baby during her maternity leave. However, before that time comes, you have the option of requesting a work-from-home arrangement. If you are pregnant with a high-risk baby and feel that being at work is not in your best interest, this is a great option for you.
– Tia Campbell of Practice Reasoning Tests
Car trouble (or road work)
Car trouble, in my opinion, makes for a great justification for staying inside instead of heading into the office. Inevitably, most of us will encounter automotive issues. It doesn’t matter if your car has a dead battery or a bent wheel from a collision. Rather than wasting time learning unfamiliar public transportation routes if your car breaks down, you’d be better off putting in some productive hours at home.
– Travis Lindemen of Nexus IT Group
Have a fever (and I’m contagious)
You don’t want to infect your coworkers, so it’s better for you to stay home and rest. Stay in touch with your supervisor and let them know how you’re feeling and when you expect to be back at work.
View: Request to work from home due to illness
Irritable bowel syndrome
The stress of working life is a common cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Working from home gives you easy access to your favorite restroom, and there’s no one there to judge you for your frequent trips. It’s a great excuse, as no one wants someone in the office breaking wind all the time!
– Alex Trevatt of Medistudents
View: Work-from-home email template for illness
Sick child or relative
There are a few reasons why this excuse is the best to work from home. First, it is a genuine reason that can’t be easily disputed. If you have a sick child, then, of course, you need to take care of them. Second, it shows that you are a responsible parent willing to put their child’s needs first and this can be a positive attribute in the eyes of your employer.
– Mahamudul Kabir of FootInsider
View: Work-from-home email for a sick family member
Maintenance appointment
If there is a lack of qualified carpenters, plumbers, and electricians in your area, you may have to wait months for an appointment because of how busy tradespeople are. A better solution than having to cancel due to work is to just do it from home. You might have to deal with loud noises all day, but if you buy a good set of headphones that block out noise, it will be easier.
– Steve Elliott of Restoration1
View: Remote work request for a home maintenance appointment
Distractions in the office
If you find that you’re constantly getting sidetracked by office politics or other people’s conversations, working from home can help you stay focused on the task. You can create a more productive environment for yourself where you won’t be interrupted every few minutes.
– Ryan Bolling of Bolling Behavioral Consulting
View: Work-from-home email for a family emergency
More productive at home
This is a great reason to suggest working from home, especially if you have a good track record of being more productive when you work remotely.
– Jennifer Spinelli of Watson Buys
View: Remote work email request for productivity reasons
Need uninterrupted time
If you’re in the middle of a big project, it can be tough to get anything done at the office. Use this excuse to work from home where you can focus and get things done.
– Shaun Martin of The Home Buying Company
View: Remote work email request for productivity reasons
Avoid the commute
Traffic congestion, inclement weather, and long commutes can all be avoided by working from home. And with gas prices always on the rise, working from home can also save you a lot of money in transportation costs.
– Erin Zadoorian of Budpop
View: Remote work email request for productivity reasons
Happier as an employee
A great case to work from home permanently is simply that you’ll be happier. If you’re happier as a person, you’ll be a better employee and you’ll stay with the company longer.
View: Work-from-home proposal for productivity, lifestyle
What is a good excuse to work from home?
If you need a reason to work from home for a day, these are your best options: doctor’s appointment, home inspection or service/repair, car trouble.
If you need some reasons to work from home permanently, build a case with these arguments: distractions in the office, more productive at home, need uninterrupted time, want to avoid the commute.
What are the best reasons to work from home?
Here are the best reasons to work from home permanently that are also compelling to a manager:
- Fewer distractions, increased productivity
- More time for “deep work”
- No office politics
- Increased savings (commute, food)
- Happier as an employee (retention)
- Give my office/desk to another employee (or save on office space costs)
See a list of 40 benefits of remote work I’ve experienced.
What are some medical reasons for working from home?
If you’re sick, but still plan on working that day, you most likely need a day to work from home. Here are some specific reasons that fit:
- Dental emergency
- Doctor’s appointment
- Have a fever (and I’m contagious)
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Sick child or relative
- Injury (sprained ankle from sports, for example)
Need some more ideas?
- The Best Excuses To Get Out Of Work
- 30 Good Ideas To Leave Work Early
- Excuses To Miss Work On Short Notice
- 26 Medical Reasons To Work From Home
Work From Home Ideas To Ponder
Since I have you here and since you work from home, you might find some of these other articles useful.
