Hello, everyone! I've been working at home full-time for almost a year now. It's definitely not always easy, but it can be very rewarding and beneficial in many ways. So here are some of the pros and cons that I have experienced so far.
Pro #1: You don't need to commute. This was one of the first things I noticed when I started working from home. Instead of spending an hour or more each way commuting to work, you can spend that time doing something else, like exercising, reading a book, catching up on sleep, etc. If you live close enough to your office, then there is no need to pay for parking either. Also, if you live somewhere where the weather is nice during most of the year, then you can get outside and enjoy the sun while working.
Con #1: You don't see other people all day long. When you're working at home, you'll find yourself talking to yourself quite often, since you won't have anyone around to talk with. Of course, you could go out and meet friends for lunch or coffee, but sometimes this isn't possible because you might need to finish up a project before leaving. There will also be times when you want to do something different than what your friends are doing, which means you won't be able to join them as often. And even though you may feel isolated, you'll still have access to social media and messaging apps, so you'll be able to communicate with others via these medias.
Pro #2: You can set your own schedule. Since you don't have to commute, you can start working whenever you wake up and end working whenever you want to stop. This means that you can choose to work longer hours on the weekends if you need to finish a big project, or you can take off days when you're sick or simply want to relax.
Con #2: You don't get any breaks throughout the day. Sometimes it's hard to stay focused for eight hours straight, especially if you don't have a lot of experience working from home. For example, you may find yourself getting distracted by household chores, or by watching TV shows or movies. Or maybe you just want to get out of the house for a bit. Either way, you won't be able to leave your desk without permission, which means that you'll need to deal with the temptation to procrastinate.
Pro #3: You can eat whatever you want. This is probably one of the biggest perks of working from home. Since you don't have to worry about keeping up appearances or making sure you look professional, you can wear whatever you want. This includes pajamas, sweatshirts, and flip flops. As long as you don't show up to work in your underwear, you should be fine. On top of that, you can make food choices that you wouldn't normally be allowed to make if you were going into the office. If you're hungry, you can snack on anything you want. And if you get tired of eating junk food, you can cook healthy meals and snacks instead.
Con #3: You can slack off. Working from home gives you a sense of freedom, and this can lead to slacking off. It's very easy to watch YouTube videos or scroll through Facebook, or to waste time on Reddit or Twitter. At least, it's much easier to do this when you're alone and not surrounded by co-workers who are trying to keep you accountable.
Pro #4: You can work in your pajamas. This is another benefit of working from home. Most people would rather be comfortable than stylish, so wearing their pajamas while working is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it's encouraged.
Con #4: You can't dress up. If you're used to dressing up for work, then working from home will feel awkward. Even if you decide to wear your pajamas, you'll still feel uncomfortable unless you're wearing makeup and high heels. However, you can still wear nice clothes while working, but they'll just be for casual occasions, like meeting with clients or attending conferences.
You don't have a dedicated workspace. When you're working at home, you'll have to share your living room or bedroom with your family. Unless you're willing to move to a separate room, then you'll need to make sure that your work space is free of clutter. Otherwise, you won't be able to focus on your projects.
That's all for now. I hope this post has helped you understand some of the benefits and drawbacks of working from home. Please let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks!
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