Pros And Cons Of Working From Home

Working from home, in some cases, can make you feel like you are on a holiday to Maui while, in others, it can actually burden you with more stress on account of nagging family, children or spouses. Rather than a culture or a fad, working from home has actually become more of a way of life in modern times. For some, the possibility of lounging comfortably on the sofa with work, snacking away on delicious food with the sounds of their favorite tunes in the background, is rarely accessible. Others who have a choice to work from home would sometimes love to get away from the din of everyday office life and avoid the constant ring of the dreaded alarm clock or the irritating traffic bottlenecks in the morning. The 21^st century has brought with it, a change in work cultures, ethics and choices. Employees can now comfortably retire at whatever time they please at night and still, manage to complete all their work in the morning, while sitting in front of the television set. However, it is important to understand and gauge the various pros and cons of working from home. If, by now, you are not entitled to this luxury, or you are about to avail this option in a few months from now, it is advisable to thoroughly prepare yourself for this probable situation in the future.

Yes. Leading at the front of the pack, ahead of all the other pros, is the fact that employees can now avoid being told what to do personally, thereby reducing stress and pressure levels at work. Sure, the boss is always right and always looks out for you, but the possibility of not having a nagging boss, telling you what to do or fuming at you, is at the top of the list of the reasons as to why employees prefer to work from home, according to recent studies. This would not only increase productivity, but would also ensure that the employee can stand up for his/herself without being instructed or programmed on what to do, thereby inculcating responsibility and inducing independent decisions and work.

Perhaps, one of the most crucial advantages of working from home is that employees gain all the flexibility they need to work in their idea of ideal conditions. Furthermore, no culture or work ethics have to be followed while working at home. You can wear pajamas, be anything, sit however you want, talk really loud and still get all the work completed on time, and with high standards. Every individual is most productive at a certain point of time, and if that means working through the night and burning the midnight oil in your case, then go for it! So long as you complete whatever you are supposed to finish and hand in.

All of a sudden, the productivity levels upsurge when people work within the comforts of their homes; surprisingly. Sure, you do tend to get distracted, but the best part about working from home might be a comfortable, conducive environment; one that can actually get you to focus on your work, and help you get more of it done in the process, all the while allowing you to go head banging to that favorite heavy metal score in the background. Typical office environments have yelling bosses, loud, chattering employees, the constant ringing of phones and the constant tapping of computer keyboards that might actually distract you from producing quality work.

Working in a city can be disastrous, especially if you have to travel long distances every morning or evening. Working from home can help you avoid that once and for all, or at least twice a week. It is likely that it takes a person more than 30 minutes to get to work, and you literally have to wade through the traffic; it is no picnic. Working at home simply means that you can save on commute time, fuel, money and avoid all that draining traffic blocks on the roads.

Family Time
There is nothing better than devoting most of your time to your family members and friends, while still getting some work done. In an ideal fantasy, an employee would love to stay with people that matter the most and still work and reap all its benefits. Working amidst family members has also been proven healthy and rejuvenating for the mind and body. Families are our anchors and are definitely our main priorities, and what better environment to work in than with a loving spouse in front of your eyes, your hyper children or loving parents right there too?

Working from home can also bring with it disastrous side effects. So if you are likely to face any of these problems, then you might want to reconsider the option of working from home. In some cases, creativity levels and the opportunity to expand mental horizons eventually decreases. As a social animal, man also needs to mingle and grow in a healthy environment for success to follow. The dynamics of a regular office environment missing at home could eventually lead to you becoming a recluse and also lead to degradation of social skills.

It is easier to get distracted by family, television, music and the like when you are working from home. With no rigid structure or work ethics in place, it is easy for the mind to go astray. Working from home might get you to focus your energies on too many things at one time, such as checking your emails, making love to your spouse or just taking your children or pets to the park! At work, there would be no possibilities for other sort of interruptions that might distract you from the quality and quantity of the work to be produced.

Working at home comes with the warning signs of a chaotic work practice. Regularly working at home or opting for jobs from home, might get you to lose control of your daily regimen, and might make you indiscipline in these terms. Working late hours at night, not being able to sleep or eating unnecessarily are common side effects of a poor routine which comes with serious health issues.

Sitting at home and working can pose a very difficult challenge on your path. With no employees or boss around to discuss or communicate with, the mental abilities may decline rapidly. Brainstorming ideas with peers, and generally conversing with them, would be missing if you decide to work from home on consistent basis.