What you can expect when working from home.
For some people it’s an ambition, for others it’s their worst nightmare! It’s easy to see the appeal of working from home and the flexibility that comes with it, but it’s not all fuzzy slippers and Jeremy Kyle re-runs, it comes with a whole bunch of pros and cons.
The Pros:
Close to family
Working from home means you can spend more time with your children, family or any dependants you may have. It makes it a lot easier to juggle things a simple as making sure the kids get their lunch while still taking care of business.
Flexibility
Having your office set-up down in your own living room means you can start your day exactly when you want to. Early riser? No problem, start your day before the sun is up. in a love-hate relationship with the snooze button? It’s ok to get going a little later in the day.
No commute
Nothing is a worse start to your day than starting with a strangers sweaty armpit in your face on the tube. Working from home means that the only sweaty pits you’ll have to deal with will be your own.
Money saving
The expenses from just getting to and from work and keeping yourself fed can be huge. A recent study showed the average travel expense for those using public transport was over £780 a year with motorists paying even more! No need to worry about expensive annual passes when the only commute you have is to your computer.
Fewer distractions
We’ve all had that one colleague who somehow types louder than pneumatic drill or the one gossip in the office that always has know who’s doing what with who and where. Whether it’s just a minor annoyance or something that can really take up a lot of your time, you’ll no longer have to worry about these little distractions making you more productive.
The cons:
Lonely
it can feel very isolated working from home alone every day. No ambient noise, no chit chat just the whir of your computer and the email notification pings.
Self discipline
It takes a huge amount of self discipline to work at home surrounded by the comfort and luxuries that most people spend their time in the office thinking about. Something as simple as having the TV 10 feet away
Personal flexibility
While the additional flexibility working from home is a huge plus, it might also come back to haunt you. Thinking that because you work from home you’ll be free, suddenly you may have the responsibility of running everyone else’s errands or even just entertaining at moment’s notice.
No Escape
after particularly hard or exhausting day, a lot of us will fantasise about getting away from the office going home and relaxing. When your home is your office, it can be quite difficult to disconnect the two.
Becoming over worked
We’ve all woken up in the middle of the night at some point in our lives worried about something that happened at work. With your office only steps away, it’s far too easy to just get up and sort out an issue that might have you working until the small hours.
Finding the balance:
Working from home may provide new challenges that you wouldn’t have in to deal with in the office but the advantages you gain in other areas balance things out. What it comes down to is your own ability to make it work. It’s not all relaxing and free time and for many people it won’t be easy to make the transition from office life to home working. However, if you stick at it and find your rhythm, you may be able to find a better balance between your work and personal life.