I have a friend who has worked from home for the past two years, but is now seeking a new job opportunity. She enjoys her job, the short commute from bedroom to office and wearing pajamas most days. But, she misses being around people and needs human contact again because she feels she’s starting to go nutty.
Have you considered working from home? Do you think you would go stir-crazy if you did, or would you adjust well? Here are a few things to consider before you make the change.
No teamwork – When you work in an office, you’re likely to work in a team environment and work with others on projects. When you’re working from home, you’re often working on projects solo and don’t receive input from others along the way. Brainstorming is more difficult because you can’t simply turn to a co-worker to get a second opinion. Instead, you have to send an e-mail or make a phone call to your co-workers and hope someone is available to help you out. Working alone is mentally and emotionally challenging for some people because they thrive on communicating with others.
More distractions –You might think that you’d face fewer distractions by working at home, but there are plenty of things at home to pull you away from your desk. Some things that might distract you include cleaning, laundry, paying bills, playing with pets or children and even watching TV. If you’ll be easily distracted, try hiring someone to help around the house so you can concentrate on work.
A shorter commute – The price of gas is continually increasing, pushing up the cost for commuters to get to and from work every day, whether they’re driving themselves or using public transportation. You’ll save money and time with no commute to the office. But, take into consideration meetings and events you might have to attend. If they’re an every day occurrence or if there’s an occasional long trip, your “commute” may still be a real issue. In fact, you may find yourself on-the-go more. My friend only has to travel once a week, but she has to travel more than my trip to and from work five days a week, so she ends up spending almost as much time and money commuting as I do.
There are many more issues to consider about working at home or working at the office. Make sure to weigh every issue fully to make the choice that will work best for you. Take the time to realize what’s truly important to you before you make the leap, considering all the good and bad things of working at home.
Are you currently working from home or would you like to? What advice would you give others who are considering a move to a home office?
Comments
I work/study at home most of the time. It is nice not to have to go anywhere, but that’s also one of the biggest downfalls of working from home. There is no separation. You’re never leaving the office and leaving the job behind. You can work whenever you want to, which is particularly dangerous for workaholics. It can be too easy to forget to relax.
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You’re right, Jeff – there are a lot of different ways to make money from home. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
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