Working from home is becoming more and more popular these days. There are many benefits to working from home, but there are also some drawbacks that you need to consider before making a decision. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of working from home so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not it’s right for you!
Saving Money
The first pro of working from home is that you can save money on things like commuting and office costs. If you work from home, you won’t have to worry about paying for gas or public transportation, and you can also avoid the costs of renting an office space. Considering that the average commuter spends £1738 annually to get to and from work, individuals returning to the office after the pandemic will feel the squeeze on their finances. Fortunately for individuals who work from home, this additional cost is removed from their annual budget. Of course, you may find that you want to travel to networking events or client premises from time to time, but this is a far cry from the costs of the daily commute.
Working From Home: Saving Time
Not only does avoiding the commute benefit your pockets, but it also allows you to gain back the one thing we cannot gain more of, time. By avoiding the commute, you can gain time in the morning and evening. This can be used for furthering your online business, or you may use this time on your health, family, friends, or hobbies. If we consider that the average commute in the UK is 54 minutes, then the average individual spends just under two hours every day coming and going from their place of work. Now let’s consider that over a larger time frame, let’s say a year.
Two hundred fifty-six working days in a year (we won’t include holidays; you can account for this yourself) multiplied by 108 minutes and divided by 60.
460 hours.
That is a lot of time wasted (unless you are doing something productive during this time). To avoid giving people an existential crisis, I won’t calculate this over a working lifetime (I am sure you will do that to yourself).
Increased Flexibility
Another pro of working from home is that you can create your schedule. This is especially beneficial if you have young children or other family members that you need to take care of. You can also take advantage of working from home if you work better at night or have difficulty focusing during the day. This increased flexibility in your schedule allows you to allow work to fit around your often busy schedule. Usually, the set 9 to 5 schedule provides a rigid framework that means you cannot adapt to events and individuals that are the priority in your life.
Isolation From Others Working From Home
However, there are also some drawbacks to working from home that you need to consider. One of the most significant drawbacks is that you may feel isolated from other people. If you work from home, you won’t have the opportunity to interact with other people daily, which can be a challenge for some people. This is highly dependent on your current circumstances, whether you live with other people or on your own. There are ways and methods to deal with the isolation from moving against the traditional office-based work environment. I will be sure to discuss this in another article.
Increased Distraction
Another potential drawback of working from home is being easily distracted. Many things can take your attention away from work while at home, such as housework, children, and pets. However, this is very much dependent on your home environment. You may find more distractions in the office than in your own space, especially when you can designate a working area within your home. You may also find that the office is a more distracting environment with disruption from noise and “pencil pushers” that can often detract from your focus on the job at hand.
Final Thoughts
So, what’s the verdict? Working from home has both pros and cons that you need to consider before deciding. Working from home may be right for you if you’re looking for flexibility and savings. However, an office job may be better if you prefer social interaction and structure. Only you can decide what’s right for you!
Do you work from home? What are some of the benefits and drawbacks that you’ve experienced? Let us know in the comments below!
If you work from home, share with us some of your tips on how to stay focused and motivated! We would love to hear from you.
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