One would think that working from home is an endless list of perks, especially because you get to save money with things like food or transportation. However, a home-based job takes a lot of self-organization and procrastination is definitely out of the question.
It’s true that working from home is beneficial in situations where you are a mother who needs to look after her children at all times, but these jobs are not for everyone.
What are the disadvantages of a home-based job?
Picture the following: you have a job that allows you to wake up 10 minutes before your working schedule actually starts. There is no need to dress up formally, brush your hair or polish your shoes. You won’t get stuck in traffic, no one will spill coffee on your outfit and you don’t have to greet every co-worker you’ve never actually liked. Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? In reality, there is a number or reasons why working from home is not a dream job:
- Working from home implies less social interaction, which is not a good thing. You will be isolated, far from an agitated working environment which actually helps people develop social and team-work skills. If you do work with others, conversations will be held via different chat programs or e-mail, which is often a source for misunderstandings and miscommunication.
- While it may seem that working from home is ideal because you won’t ever get distracted, truth is that a home-based job doesn’t always allow people to focus 100% on their work. If a person that works from home lives alone, they are given the illusion of peace and quiet that allows them to get their job done better. In reality, the human mind is prone to procrastination and you will be tempted to take lots of short break and read internet articles, spend some extra minutes checking your social media accounts and so on. Those that work from home and live with other people will often be tempted to join in on their conversation or engage in household activities, delaying their work even further.
- Self-organization skills will often stand in the way of meeting deadlines. An office environment where everyone is focused on their job will apply a certain pressure and determine you to work just like everyone else, whereas working from home will give you the illusion of having more than enough time to relax.
- Depending on the type of job you do from home, you might be tempted to take on more tasks that you can actually handle. Most home-based job offer pay based on results, especially if you are an article writer. More work means more money, but also means less free time a whole lot of deadlines.
Is it worth it?
Home-based jobs are not for everyone. They will benefit you in certain situations where your presence at home is required, but one needs to establish a careful balance between what need to be done at home and the deadlines that need to be met.
