For a lot of people, whether they work for big businesses or themselves, working from home every now and then is a possibility. It can make a nice change, meaning that you can at least temporarily avoid the stress of the daily commute as well as making a whole host of other things easier and more convenient. But can working at home have its bad points and, most importantly of all, can it actually impact the quality of your work for the worse? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons for and against a [comparatively] lazy day of working from home.
Pro: No commuting
It’s great to not have to catch the train, bus or drive; you don’t have to contend with the crush of other people or huge amount of traffic that tends to be around during the rush hour. Nine times out of ten you can also get up a moderate amount of time later, meaning that can even squeeze in an extra hour or so’s sleep.
Con: Communication issues
If you’re in the office with somebody and you want to ask them a question then all you need do is wander over and ask them (unless they’re in a meeting, of course). However, if you’re working from home you have to email or call them, although the former in particular does not necessarily guarantee a prompt response time (from a personal standpoint, this is probably one of the most irritating things I find when working from home for Global-Integration.com).
Pro: Relaxation
It’s a well known fact that we feel generally more relaxed when working from home. With everything from food to toilet facilities tending to be within easy reach (and exactly as we like them), these little things can effectively help streamline your entire day. Many also claim that while in your own surroundings you also work harder, not only because you’re in you ‘natural environment’, as it were, but also because that smidgen of guilt caused by working from home – with the ever-present threat of procrastination – drives us to work that little bit harder.
Con: Too much relaxation
It’s possible to be a little bit too relaxed while working from home. Whether it’s your family, pets or housemates trying to get your attention or the seductive lure of the internet (or television if you really want to walk the knife’s edge), something’s bound to distract you at some point. While any lost time is arguably easily made up, it’s definitely one of the all too palpable risks of working from home to bear in mind.