Working from Home: Heaven or Hell?

Working from home has become the latest trend, and we are talking globally here. Every day, more companies are allowing their employees to work from home at least once or twice a week. More companies are looking to outsource, looking for employees who can work from home and, sometimes, from a different country. We can see these "work from home" job offer increase every single day on the job boards, and people are starting to get into this new groove because, let's face it, staying at home has to be better than going to the office every day. However, this statement is not true for everyone. Working from home has its pros and cons, but in the end, it depends on each person.

Let's begin listing some pros:

No Commuting. That alone should convince you to stay home. There is no traffic, no public transportation, and no people on top of you during rush hour—just bliss while you walk from your room to the office space.

Flexibility. Most of these jobs do not necessarily have a rigid schedule you need to follow, so you are able to manage your time, especially if you are a freelancer.

Less Stress. Since most people working from home are their own bosses or their bosses are nowhere near them, they can reduce stress to a minimum.

More Productivity. No useless meetings, no coworkers telling you about their 13 cats or children, no running around the office looking for a photocopier that works, and no wasting time with small talk—just you and your family.

More Family Time. Since you are already at home, there is a good chance you can spend more time with your family or your pets while working from home. You just need to be organized and know how to productively manage your time.

Even though you are now probably ready to pack up your desk and go home, you need to know that working from home also has its disadvantages:

Isolation. Even though some people prefer being alone, others would rather have some company during the day. But if you have a family, being lonely is not a problem.

Distractions. We might have more distractions in an office, but that does not mean there are none at home. Browsing social media becomes your biggest enemy while working from home.

Separating Work from Home. This is probably one of the worst disadvantages to working from home. You need to be able to organize your day in a way you get to spend enough time working and enough time with your family or friends. Try to have a separate space for working. Do not stay in your bedroom. Instead, find a good nook in the house.

Working Endlessly. Since you have no one controlling your hours but yourself, you might feel the need to work at all times. That need is why you need to organize your time and prioritize responsibilities.
Now you are ready to consider your options and decide whether you are a good candidate to work from home. Welcome to the future!

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Vanessa Fardi / NEUVOO
Team Leader US/CA/LATAM

Originally posted on Neuvoo.

Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of WITI.