5 Advantages (and Disadvantages) to Working from Home

Many companies are wising up to the advantages of offering their employees opportunities for alternative working arrangements and so many workers are taking advantage of this and working from home on a regular basis.

This type of arrangement has many advantages for employees but those advantages can also come with problems to watch out for.

No commute. One of the initial benefits to working from home is the elimination of a morning drive to work. This can save you time, money, and the stress of dealing with road construction and other drivers. Reducing the number of cars on the road is also good for the earth.

A drawback to eliminating your commute is that you might be one of those who enjoys using the commute to prepare for the work day, or unwind following a stressful day; maybe you like to listen to sports radio or a podcast. Of course, you can now do those from the comfort of your home.

Set your own schedule. Maybe you’re not a morning person and you could benefit from some extra sleep; or maybe you’re at your best at 7:00 am. Working from home allows you to work a flexible schedule and work at times when you are at your peak energy levels and have time to focus.

However, your employer might require you to be available at specific times during the day so you might not get as much flexibility here as you might like.

Avoid noisy or distracting colleagues. Working from home eliminates the distractions that come from talkative colleagues or impromptu meetings that come up and distract you from the task at hand.

But working from home is lonely. The only voice you’ll hear is the one in your head and you can’t easily consult with a coworker on a quick question that comes up.

No one is looking over your shoulder. When you’re at home you don’t have to worry about that micromanaging boss keeping close tabs on you. You might feel more relaxed and enjoy your work day a little more.

But you might also struggle with focus, knowing that you can more easily get away with slacking off a little.

Take a nap or longer break if needed. When you’re at home you might be able enjoy a power nap in the comfort of your own home or enjoy a walk around the house when you need a break.

However, you might find the softness of your pillow a temptation to nap too long or find yourself distracted by the TV in the corner.

Working from home is great and provides many benefits but it also provides opportunities to avoid work, too, so you’ll only want to try this arrangement if you have the discipline necessary to stay self-motivated and focused.