Pros and Cons of Working from Home

What's your dream job? Hitting the road at 6:00 AM for your two-hour commute into work every day, or walking from your bedroom to your home office? If you're like most people, you'd pick the latter hands-down.

While working from home affords many benefits, it also has some significant downsides as well. In this article, we'll take a look at whether working from home is all it's cracked up to be.

Benefits of Working from Home

When you rise up in the morning and realize you no longer have to face that grueling daily commute into town, you can hold that coffee cup in your hand and breathe a deep sigh of relief. No wasted time, no honking horns, no road rage to contend with. It's great!

You save tons of money in gasoline costs per month. You also save money on your grocery bill as your lunch is as close as your refrigerator. And your personal grooming and clothing costs are reduced as well as you can walk around in your pajamas all day for all you care.

Working from home, you can set your own hours. You're the boss and you don't have anybody micromanaging you. If you want to take a half-hour break at 3:00 PM, that's your choice. If you have a spare moment at 10:00 PM, you can work as you please. You are free to get up and grab a soda, pet your dog, or spend some quality time with your kids.

Indeed, there are so many benefits of working from home. However, these benefits are not without some significant drawbacks as well.

Working from Home: Challenges and Pitfalls

While working from home seems like a dream come true, there are some negatives to consider. The most obvious is the lack of camaraderie and interaction you would ordinarily have in an office situation. Granted you don't have to deal with difficult personalities and office politics, and that's a plus for sure. But you also miss out on office events and the sharing of each others' lives. This can lead to a greater sense of isolation, and for some, even depression.

In terms of owning your own home-based business, reality quickly sets in as you begin to realize the difficulties you face in trying to get your clients to pay you, marketing your business, and paying for sales, advertising, and supplies.

You may experience great wealth and success with a long list of elite clients; or at some point the economy may slow and your business dries up. Owning your own home-based business is undoubtedly fulfilling; but you must have the intestinal fortitude and a persistent drive for success in order to overcome the inevitable speed bumps along the way.

If you're telecommuting or working with clients remotely, interoffice communication is a bit more strained. You don't have the luxury of walking down the hallway to the I.T. department for help, nor can you ask a question to your coworker over your cube wall. All of your communication must be by phone, e-mail, instant message, or fax.

Additionally, you must participate in meetings over the phone. You may kick back and relax in your home office while talking to your coworkers remotely, but some may harbor resentment that they must be in the office while you're relaxing at home.

Distraction is another downside to working from home. If you're easily distracted, you must put extra effort into focusing on your work. If you have kids, your home office must be separate from the main living areas of the home with a door you can close during working hours.

In summary, working from home presents numerous benefits as well as some significant challenges. Success in working from home ultimately depends on the person's drive for success, personality type, and willingness to accept a higher degree of risk.