Everyone wants to work from home. But is it the perfect work set-up everyone think it is?
Last week, we looked at some of the reasons why working from home seems to be such a coveted position for professionals. As someone who works from home, I hope I’ve been able to give some insights to those benefits that do make it a pretty wonderful work experience. However, that’s not to say it’s all good all the time. There are some struggles to overcome with working from home. So if you’re looking to make the switch to a home office, here are some of the downsides you should know.
It can be a bit isolating.
I’m sure most of us occasionally feel like we’d get a whole lot more work done if we were the only ones in the office. It’s true that working from home can be incredibly productive. Unfortunately, you pay for that productivity at the expense of having some company. It can be nice to be alone sometimes, but are you prepared to have that day after day? I have gone entire work days without speaking to another person. That can be difficult for some to get used to and might have you missing those office friends before long.
People think you’re not actually busy.
The concept of working from home can be difficult for some people to grasp. People think that because you’re at home, you’re always available. While there can be more flexibility for sure, you’ll find that you’re still basically working a regular 9-to-5. So when people ask you to pick up groceries or friends pop in during the day, it can be hard convincing them you don’t have the time. It’s important to set your solid work schedule and be sure those around you are aware.
It’s hard to escape work.
Some look at working from home as the perfect way to achieve a better work-life balance. While it is possible, it can also be very easy for work to encroach on your home life. Since you’re always “at the office”, you often pick away at a little work before dinner, stay up late to finish some things off, or get up early to get a head start on things. Before you know it, your waking hours are overrun by work. Once again, a strict work schedule is something you should abide by.
Your healthy lifestyle can suffer.
While you might not think it, you get a decent amount of activity done at the office everyday. Even just going to and from work can get you moving a bit. Obviously, there is less of that when at a home office. In fact, you really have to make time to find those active moments. Admittedly, I was not very good at this when I first started working from home. Now I know if I don’t want to remain completely inactive, I have to find time to get out and get some exercise.
Weighing the good with the bad, I would still say working from home is, in my personal opinion, a very productive and comfortable work situation. Though it is not for everyone and each professional needs to decide if they can remain effective and happy in a home office of their own.