Work From Home: The Pros And Cons You Should Know

“Working From Home” also called Telecommuting, sounds so good, isn't it? 

“You are getting up at 8 am in the morning, taking a bath leisurely, enjoying tea or coffee sups and enjoying the view from the balcony. You are not in a hurry to reach the office by cleaving off the morning rush.” It’s a dream especially for those who have never done this before.

Just as every coin has two sides, working from home also has some advantages and disadvantages. Just like working in the office, working from home also comes with pros and cons.

Through this article, we will help you to know what are the advantages and disadvantages of working from home.

Working From Home – Pros

Working from home or working remotely can be of a great deal to a small business owner or an office worker.

1. More Flexibility In Schedule - There will be no strict rule for working from home. No one is watching you here. You can make a more flexible work schedule which will also be better as per your family's schedule. Like, you can adjust other tasks that need to be completed on priority, by setting your own timings. 

Working from home allows you to wear whatever you want and the most comfortable. 

2. No Commute - Another big advantage of working from home is that the time of commuting is saved, which they can use for any other work. In major cities, there is unbearable traffic during office hours, which is appositely called 'rush hour'. 

Travelling in rush hours is often not very pleasant. Crowded buses, traffic jams and stressed out people, we can avoid this painful routine while working from home which even reduces your daily stress levels. 

3. Saving Money - No more expensive coffee, no business lunch if you don't go to the office, all these can save a lot of money. When you work from home you don’t have to be purchased formal clothes frequently and that can be helpful for your family budget. And most importantly, the commuting costs also saved. 

4. More Time With Family And Loved Ones - One more great advantage of working remotely is, once you have managed the working hours according to your needs, you have more quality time to spend with your family, friends or loved ones. 

If you have better time management then it will be easier to meet your partner as per his/her time. As well as you can monitor your children and some quiet time for yourself too.

5. No Office Distractions - You can reduce office distractions while working from home. Although there are distractions at home too, if you have learned how to deal with them, it will be very easy. Sometimes small interruptions in the office can slow down performance.  Have you ever think about how much unproductive time you are spending at the office doing nothing, just socializing? 

6. Your Productivity May Increase - If you are introverted by nature then you can give better performance in the work environment without other colleagues.

If you feel more concentrated in a noiseless environment, then the option of working from home will be right for you as it can give you the opportunity to be the most productive.

7. Less Stressful Day - Working from home gives you an opportunity to take multiple breaks or even you can take a small walk when you are too stressed. You can control your stress level in your own way and it leads to a less stressful day. 

8. Improved Work-Life Balance - Many people have noticed that working from home can improve your work-life balance. By working from home, you can deal with both. For example, you can also focus on your child/family while working. While in the office you only have to focus on work even if your child/family needs you at that time.

Working From Home – Cons

It is clear from above that it can be good to work from home. But everything has some advantages and some disadvantages. So now have a look at some negatives related to work from home or work remotely. 

1. Negligence In Work - At home, you don’t have any pressure to start work at a certain time nor you have to dress-up in a certain way. In such a situation, if you do not maintain self-discipline, productivity can be seriously reduced.

2. No Competitive Spirit - Peers and colleagues in the office help to keep the competitive spirit alive and increase productivity. This competitive factor will not be there while working from home. Going to office relieves you from the stress of home, but when you are working from home, there is no way to sidestep it.

3. Staying Motivated Is Difficult - Freedom to work from home can be a curse. If you are an extrovert who thrives on the team up with others on a task? Do you get inspiration from your colleagues by doing this? Then it’s difficult to stay motivated when you are working from home. 

4. You Can Feel Lonely And Isolated - There is no doubt about how much you miss the workplace, office friends, interpersonal drama, office politics, and the office convos. Working alone all day without any co-worker around can be very isolating and lonely. This might be stressful too. 

5. Household Chores - The biggest obstacle when working from home is household chores and when you are physically present there, it becomes very difficult to avoid them. Apart from household chores, you may get distracted by members of the family, service vendors, and unexpected events etc.

Now either you make sure that you tackle it before you start your work or else leave it, just like you used to leave when you used to work from the office. Whatever the situation, you have to set aside time to do your work and only work. 

6. You Lose Living Space - Now you are working from home, there is no difference in workplace and living place and you lose your living space. To some extent, it can be boring. 

7. No Ad Hoc Learning - In the office, we constantly learn new things inadvertently from our colleagues. We can call it ad hoc learning. But now you are working alone, then you have to make extra effort to make contacts and learning opportunities on your own.

8. It’s Difficult To Tell When You Are At Home and When at Work - Adding one more negative aspect of working from home is that all the time, you are at home or we can also say that you are at work all the time. It’s very hard to tell. There is very less or say the negligible difference between your work and personal life. You need to differentiate between work and home that will maintain your health and overall happiness.

After knowing the pros and cons of working from home mentioned here, you have to decide whether it is right for you or not. Along with all these, you can be sure to make the right decision for your career only by analyzing the factors such as your work type, your personality type, the situation at home etc.