Lonely Telecommuters: The Cost of Home-Based Work

Freedom from your boss. Working in your PJs. Waking up at 10AM, being lazy, setting your own schedule, being with your kids, etc. It's great to be a telecommuter, right? Well...

Telecommuting has really picked up in the last few years. With growing ecological concerns, employers and employees have been looking to cut costs and help put an end to global warming. The American commuting culture has grown to be a major stress-point for workers. As a result, employees are beginning to sell reasonable telecommuting arguments to their employers.

During this mass exodus from the workplace, most were thinking of the benefits: closer to kids, no day care, set your own schedule, comfortable environment, etc. In this wave, telecommuters envisioned a highly productive home office. Others saw environmental benefits. Cars are the cause of 30% of carbon emissions. With rapid growth in America and, indeed the rest of the planet, global warming has become a hot issue for many Americans. Bu eliminating a daily commute, Americans are doing their part to shrink their carbon footprint.

But, with every positive comes a negative. Not to be a negative-Nancy, but there are real issues when it comes to telecommuting. First, there is an immediate tendency toward laziness. Getting up in the morning, having breakfast, exercising, and heading out the door to work is really an American past time. What it really does is force a routine--a routine which is tough to mimic when working from home. No one is calling you to be in the office; sleeping late and working nonchalantly can get easier and easier.

There are health concerns as well. Being so close to your refrigerator poses a problem. Many telecommuters have struggled with weight gain. It's too easy to get up, walk into the next room, and continuously snack. Similarly, it can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle. While many in office positions find it difficult to find the motivation and the time to exercise, working from home can lead to less physical activity. When your work doesn't force you from the house, it can be difficult to find that spark to go running.

Telecommuting can pose more personal problems as well. Some have complained that spouses expect more housework to be done by them since they are in the home. Kids can get confused as you tell them that you cannot spend time with them. Even pets can feel left out as you confine them to other areas of the house when you try to get some work done. It's important to set boundaries when you are telecommuting, but these boundaries are harder to enforce when you are easily reachable.

Keeping an eye on these issues before you begin telecommuting can hep dramatically. Have a family meeting to air concerns--both from you and your family. Weigh the pros and cons. Make an educated decision. In the end, telecommuting can provide a great setting to work well, be responsible for both your profession and your life, and maintain a logical stand on environmental issues.

Just lay off the fridge.