I’ve worked from a home office for about 3 1/2 years. Before that, I worked in an office where I probably lost about 1/3 of my productiveness to coworkers dropping in at random times throughout the day to chat. And I had to wear nice clothes.
Working from home is awesome, but it also has its challenges.
Here are a few advantages and disadvantages to working from home:
Advantages
There is no dress code. This means I can work in my pajamas. I can fix my hair or not. I can wear a hat. No make up? No problem. Every day can be jean day.
Nobody is just dropping by for a quick, unannounced chat. This can be isolating, but it also boosts my productivity. A lot.
I’m home all the time, so I don’t have to try and make time to run home for deliveries and workers.
I no longer have to rely on a space heater in the wintertime due to a frigid office. I control the thermostat. And it is glorious.
The only shoes I wear to work are my house shoes. Can I get an amen?
No more pressure to swap gifts during holidays. No more buying cards for boss’s day. No more obligatory cards or gifts for birthdays of coworkers. Am I a grinch?
Raining outside again? No umbrella needed to walk down the hall to my office.
No more shared bathrooms. This is big.
I can work when I want to work. I don’t have to keep an 8:00 to 5:00 schedule.
No more asking permission. I make every decision and answer only to myself.
Disadvantages
Wait a second. Where is the IT guy or gal when you need them? Oh yeah. I’m it.
Problem with the printer? I’ve got to figure that one out on my own too.
Gone are the days when someone else emptied my trash, vacuumed my office floor, and dusted my desk.
If I have a question or need help of any kind, I have to rely on emailing or calling my contact who more than likely lives in another state to get an answer. I can’t just pop into my pal’s office down the hall anymore.
I get a lot more calls from people pushing products than I ever did when I worked under the umbrella of a company. I handle everything now, not just my private investigator stuff.
I now fit the bill for everything. Every purchase from computers to copy paper.
My coworkers no longer occasionally bring me Sonic drinks. Like ever. Because I have no coworkers.
The 1/3 of my productiveness that I gained by not having drop-in visitors is mostly eaten up by all of my newfound responsibilities - trouble shooting technology, running a business, finance, and all of the other day-to-day.
I love being a business owner. I love having a home office. I’m glad I made the switch. For me, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. But it’s not for everyone.