Working at Home: The Good and the Bad

August 8, 2009 | Filed Under Work At Home

by Jon Reed

In the age of the computer and fast Internet connections it has become more common for people to work from their own home rather than commuting to an office. If you have the possibility of working at home and are not yet decided whether you should try it out, first consider the advantages and disadvantages before making your choice. In this article I explore three advantages and three disadvantages of working at home.

First let’s look at the advantages of shifting your workplace to your own home.

1. Working at home allows you to be more flexible and creative with your use of time. You can work well at home if you have a good set-up, and at the same time you can be available for short, but valuable contributions to your family and home needs. That may mean being available for your kids or pets or being close at hand in case of any kind of emergency or sudden need. Being able to give just a few minutes can sometimes make a big difference, and when you are miles away at work, you can’t do this.

2. The next great advantage to working at home is that you will save hours of commuting time. It is not uncommon for workers to spend several hours a day sitting in their cars or riding on public transportation. By working at home, you can turn this largely wasted time into something that is either more productive or more enjoyable. In addition, it’s better for the environment when you avoid commuting to work.

3. Reducing expenses is the third big advantage to working at home. If you are a self employed person then you can make major savings by working at home and not renting your office and paying extra utility bills as well. Not only do you gain by eliminating office costs, but you gain by not paying the bill for commuting to and from work. This saving will come to anyone who works at home, whether self employed or whether you work for someone else.

Now, let’s look at the disadvantages to working at home.

1. Flexibility can turn into endless distractions. If you are not careful, your close proximity to the other parts of your life could reduce your effectiveness at work. Many family matters can be done in non-work hours, but if you are nearby you may be called to do those tasks during your most productive working hours. It all depends on how disciplined you are, and also on how you are treated by your family.

2. You may work less efficiently at home. The atmosphere of an office or official workplace is different than a home. Some people need an external, formal work place to really get down to work. A lot depends on your nature and also on how you set up your office or workspace at home. This is an intangible item but it is a factor that has to be taken seriously.

3. You may become a workaholic if you work at home. People who have fixed working schedules often work less than people who have flexibility. When your office is at home you may end up spending more time in front of your computer than someone who leaves the office at 5:00 PM each day. It all depends on how self-disciplined you are and your time management skills, but for many people this can be a major problem.

I enjoy working at home, but am aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of this arrangement, and you should also think about these factors too before committing yourself to working at home.

About the Author:

Jon Reed is a staff writer for the American Educational Guidance Center which develops online degree and online college websites.

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About: Work At Home Resource Center

The Work At Home Resource Center was created to be a free online resource for people looking to start a home based business or just earn extra money by working at home.