Upsides And Downsides Of Working From Home

If you are like most people, you probably have dreamt for a long time about the possibility of working out of your house or starting your own home-based business. The thought is appealing to almost everybody, and if you have the skills and the drive to follow through with this dream then it can be a very fulfilling life indeed. However, just like any other dream job, there are some challenging aspects of working at home that go with the benefits. Think of it this way: Even Hollywood actors can find something to complain about when it comes to their jobs, so no job can be really exempt! This article talks about the upsides and the downsides of working from home.

The Downsides

Always start with the bad news first! Some people may find that not all of these downsides apply to them, as their mental makeup precludes them from making some of these mistakes. However, most of the downsides of working out of your home arise from behavioral patterns common to most people, so it is likely that you might encounter at least a few of these downsides.

Isolation

When you work from home, you no longer enjoy the camaraderie that people who work in another setting might enjoy. It could be that your spouse or significant other also works out of your home, but even in that case you might find that you crave the chance to meet new people face to face that an office environment gives you. A lot of people find that they really miss keeping up on the lives of their co-workers and the ability to share life strategies once they start working out of their home. If you are a telecommuter, you may find that not being able to personally see the manager every day means creates worries about your opportunity for advancement.

Do I Ever REALLY Leave The Office?

When I first started to work from home, I realized that I began to dread going downstairs. The reason? I had set up my home office where my television room was (more on that in another article!) and thus when my wife and I would go down to watch a movie, I would feel like I should be doing some work. On a similar note, being in the house means that you have the ability to get something done that is related to work every hour of the day. If you don’t set strict guidelines for yourself, it can seem like you are working all the time. On the other hand, there is also the temptation not to out in all the hours you need to in order to be successful.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Or, more properly, the lack of. A lot of people who do not work at home will think that those who do are basically on holiday a lot of the time. You will probably find that this attitude prevails among friends, family, and business associates. Make sure to correct them if the situation ever arises; I went in to get my business license on a particularly beautiful day, and the receptionist made a comment about how she wished she could work from home. I pointed out that more often than not I actually found myself in the office for longer hours at home than I would at a job out of the home. Family can also be a real problem here; make sure that they respect your space and time requirements!

Fear

When you work out of home, whether telecommuting or running your own business, there is always a chance that the Great Experiment will fail. You have planned your life around the success of your plans, and any setback will be hard to take. You are the one solely responsible for the success of the operation, and this can be a heavy responsibility at times.

The Upsides

Despite the challenges, working from home can in fact be as rewarding as you first thought. Working from home offers a huge host of upsides, including:

Flexible Schedule

If you are a person who has trouble getting to sleep or who finds they wake up much earlier than other people, working from home is a great way to get ahead and use up some of those “spare” hours. A lot of people are just a lot more productive outside of the typical work day hours, and working at home gives them the opportunity to use their best times to the fullest.

Less Time Wasted

It should come as no surprise that a lot of people who work from their homes live in large population centres. Working from home means that instead of including an one-way hour long commute in your work day, you just have to make the trip to your office. The extra time means a lot when it comes to family and personal pursuits. You will also find that you spend a lot less time and money on finding the clothes you need for work!

More Quality Time

Specifically, more quality time for your family. No longer will a child’s sudden onset of fever in the middle of the night mean you have to beg someone for the day off. Working from home means that you can be right there for your family when they need you, without having to go through anyone for permission. You will also have more time for helping out with their school activities and work. Your life will no longer need to take a back seat to your work schedule!

Working from home can be everything you dreamed, but nothing is ever perfect. Being prepared for the downsides means that you will be better prepared to deal with situations when they arise, while the upsides are lure enough for anyone!