Working from home can turn out to be a fulfilling career. However, it is important you treat it as a professional job.
Although online jobs offer greater flexibility, this does not mean that you should rest on your laurels.
You can only earn a full-time online income from home if you change your mindset and work smart to achieve your goals.
Despite that, a large percentage of employees these days, due in part to COVID 19, would prefer to have at least some work from home.
There is little doubt that the willingness, and preference, to work from home has gained considerable momentum in the last couple of years.
So, if you’re someone who has grown tired of the morning and evening commute, the thought of being able to fall out of bed and start working in your pyjamas sounds massively appealing.
However, what you may not have considered is not only the advantages, but also the potential drawbacks of having almost total control of your working day.
So if you’re trying to weigh up whether working from home is really worth it for you, here are some of the likely benefits and drawbacks you will encounter.
The benefits of working from home include:
- More productivity
Working from home is ideal due to the fact that there are fewer distractions compared to an office environment.
Also, the atmosphere is much calmer and conducive. All these factors lead to more productivity.
- Less time spent in traffic
Most employees waste precious working hours stuck in traffic as they try to get to work. However, this is not the case with work-at-home online jobs.
- More time with family
Working from home gives you the perfect opportunity to spend more time with your family.
However, you have to carry out a shrewd balancing act to ensure that you do not allow any interruptions during your working hours
- Cheaper
If you consider all the money you will need for traveling expenses, meals, and formal clothing, working from home far much cheaper.
You won’t have to fill your gas tank or buy a bus ticket. You can work in your pyjamas without anyone raising a question.
- More opportunities
The problem with location based work is that it may only be accessible to those who live close to city centres or densely populated areas.
If you live in a more remote area, the chances of being able to do the work you’re good at in a specific location becomes less likely.
Working online can, for many professions, be done online without having to move location, or having to travel long distances.
People with disabilities have more opportunities available to them too as many locations do not have the necessary facilities to accommodate their needs.
- Make a difference to the environment
The pandemic highlighted the immediate positive effects less commuting can have on the environment.
People feel the need to cause less damage on the environment more than ever before. Working from home can go a long way in satisfying that need by using less fuel, and having more control of heating and resource use at home.
Pitfalls of working from home
Although working from home comes with numerous benefits, everything is not as rosy as it seems. There are a lot of pitfalls that may impede your progress, and greatly affect your income potential.
Here are some of the challenges that you may face when working online, and their corresponding solutions.
• Failure to set boundaries
Working from home without setting strict boundaries is an activity in futility. Interruptions from other family members or your friends may derail you from achieving your objectives.
You must, therefore, set clear guidelines to prevent your home life from affecting your work schedule.
• Ending the day early
When working online, you may be tempted to end the day early considering the fact that you are your own boss.
However, this could turn out to be your biggest mistake, especially if you make it a regular habit.
If you want to make a steady income online, it is imperative that you stick to your schedule.
• Digital distractions
Checking in on social media, taking time to watch the TV and spending time on your phone are some of the digital distractions that you have to overcome when working online.
These distractions not only take much of your time, but also hamper your focus.
Accessing your phone or logging in into social platform is not bad, but you should do it in moderation to avoid affecting your work.
Preferably, you should work in dedicated time blocks to create more time for other social activities.
• Not having a dedicated workspace
Not having a dedicated office will lead to disorganization, more distractions, and less productivity.
Just like any other regular job, you need a dedicated workspace to promote your privacy and improve your focus.
- Feeling isolated
Unless your work from home involves online meetings or less formal meetings with colleagues there is a high chance that you could begin to feel isolated.
This could have a negative impact on mental health. Regular contact with others, either through work or socially, is vitally important to avoid this.
Thanks for reading my article here on my website Wealthinflator.com.
I hope you found it informative and will help you to weigh up the likely advantages and disadvantages you will encounter if you decide to work from home.
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