Thanks to communication technology, working from home has become a reality that many can access; With its advantages and disadvantages, more and more professionals decide to bet on independent work, that is, freelance.
Among the most obvious perks is everyone's dream: to be your own boss. And all that this entails, of course.
Of course, not all jobs can be done remotely. But many of today's office tasks can be carried out seamlessly from anywhere with a PC and the internet. Any work that only involves software and the internet can be worked remotely.
The most common areas are design, programming, marketing, writing, and the like. But there are many more jobs you can do from home.
Of course, deciding to freelance is a decision that takes time for some.
If you have not yet taken the step or if you are starting with freelance work, today we will tell you the advantages and disadvantages of working from home.
Advantages of working from home
These are some of the advantages you can weigh when choosing to work from home.
1. Don't deal with traffic
Forget about traffic and crowds, public transport or problems with your vehicle. Or the long lines to board the subway. You just get up, turn on your computer, and you're good to go.
By working from home, you start the day fresh, because by not moving around, you avoid the fatigue and annoyance of crowds, especially if you live in a crowded city.
Therefore, one of the advantages that you will feel when working from home is that peace of mind from not having dealt with the traffic.
2. You save money
Another advantage of working from home is that not only do you not lose valuable hours of your life in traffic, but you also save that money on gas or transportation (not everyone has the benefit of receiving transportation subsidies).
On the other hand, the cost of eating out is very high when compared to shopping and cooking at home. (Of course, you will have to take your time to make the food).
In addition, you save on office clothes, shoes or any other cost related to the look you must have to present yourself in an office.
3. More time with the family
Another advantage that is definitely highly appreciated is that you have more time to spend with your loved ones.
If your child is sick, you can stay home to take care of him. IF grandpa needs supervision, you won't leave with the regret that he is left alone. At the end of the day, you will also have more time to spend with them and share.
Or if your pet needs you to take it urgently to the vet, you can take care of it easier. And you don't have to do it during business hours. You can go in the afternoon, quietly. While others are just on their way home, you are already there and just have to go to the vet.
4. More flexible hours
When you work from home, you have the facility to adjust your schedule to any eventuality or even take a day off. Or a few more hours of sleep if you feel very tired.
As long as you are meeting your delivery times, you can move your schedule and make it more flexible. Even planning a getaway or vacation whenever you want. Contrary to a company, where you have to wait a year to have a vacation.
If during the day you need a break, you can take it. Or if your friends or family call you to have lunch together, you also have the possibility.
On the other hand, in times you have free, you can advance things pending from home to have a clearer weekend.
Just make sure you're really getting things done and enjoy the flexibility that working from home offers you.
5. You work more relaxed
There is no doubt about it. Not only do you not have to deal with the classic problems that can occur with colleagues or superiors. But you can also work as you want, even in pajamas, if you prefer.
You can literally work in slippers and shorts if you want and no one will tell you anything. As long as you can be presentable when you need to make a video call, no problem. Remember to have more formal clothes on hand for this or in case you suddenly have to meet with a client in person.
For the rest, working at home you can go to work on your terrace or on your favorite sofa. There are no long and boring meetings and you don't have to follow any regulations about how much coffee is the most you can drink or where not to leave your things.
Nor will there be anyone to monitor your phone calls, browsing history or your trips to the bathroom, as sometimes happens in offices. This allows you to work more calmly.
In addition, you can create your personalized environment. Your ideal space. You can put the calendars you want and the decoration you prefer. The air conditioning will be at the temperature that you decide, the lighting, the noise level, etc.
Everything to make you feel more comfortable. After all, you are at home. You can put it however you want.
6. Less distractions
This, of course, depends on each household. But generally in an office people talk to you, the phone rings (and it wasn't even the call for you). Others ask you for help with things that don't even have to do with work. What's more, some just want to tell you a gossip or what they saw the other day, and so on.
At home, you can close the door, put on your headphones, and focus on what you're going to do.
If you are going to make an important call, it will also be easier for you to talk than in an office full of voices. You will not have to run to find an unoccupied room to be able to answer someone on the phone.
Of course, if you have children or a pet, this could be less straightforward. But even so, it's easier to ask your child out for a moment than to dispatch everyone in the office to listen.
7. You organize yourself better
If you are the type of person who likes to work alone and with a specific method, working from home gives you the possibility of having your own space and without the clutter that others leave.
In addition, you can follow the method you want and not adhere to meaningless rules that sometimes only duplicate steps and effort, nor do you owe it to the bureaucracy or anyone else's time.
Disadvantages of working from home
Of course, as utopian as the benefits of working from home may sound, not everything is perfect in life.
That's how it is. The fact of not working for a certain company and working at home, not only has advantages, but also disadvantages to weigh. In fact, some of the perks mentioned above can be a double-edged sword, as you'll see below.
1. Lack of self-discipline
If you are not good at keeping track of your workload and you do not have the discipline to follow the schedule that you stipulate, even if you know that you are tired (and you want with all your might to waste time to eat something in the kitchen), Without the guidance of a superior, it can be difficult for you to bring the level of productivity and discipline to fulfill what has been entrusted to you.
Self-discipline is a must-have skill. If you don't have it, you should work on it.
The solution: Establish a routine with specific hours, eliminate distractions and focus with all your might on getting work done each day, without leaving any pending.
2. Difficulty separating work and personal life
Of course, part of the idea of working from home is having more time for yourself and yours. But some people find it difficult to find the balance or the limit to say "no, I no longer have time" when it comes to taking care of things at home, thus neglecting work.
In contrast, others find it difficult to get to the end of the afternoon and say “enough for today” and shut down their computer at once. Some even forget that it is time to eat at the right time. Above all, if you live alone, this can happen to you often.
Either case is a problem, since you must have effective working time and rest time as well.
A solution: If you find it difficult to close your tasks or the day, you can set an alarm that sounds when you usually have lunch and another when most offices close. 5:00 PM or 5:30 PM is a reasonable time. After that, close up, get up and go do something else.
3. Domestic distractions
Now you may be thinking: "but they said a while ago that I would have fewer distractions."
Of course, working from home offers you fewer distractions from colleagues and bosses. But if you don't have a space specially reserved for work at home, you could simply be distracted by something else.
Maybe be tempted to go watch Netflix. Maybe you stay playing with your pet ... Or maybe there are noisy neighbors that distract you.
On the other hand, you might be tempted to take a nap or go to the kitchen for a coffee and do something else that demands your attention at home.
The ideal for this not to happen: Try to accommodate your workspace in a room away from outside noise (preferably facing the garden and not the main street). If you can make a small investment in advantages that isolate or minimize noise, all the better.
Also, do not bring snacks when you are working. Have water on hand, if you want, but don't be getting up all the time. This way you will also avoid going to bring whatever it is and that anyone at home crosses your path and you start talking.
4. Expenses and inconveniences of adapting a home office
Of course, we are not talking about a massive expense, but remember that you must have a piece of furniture where you can work calmly and in a comfortable position. Also, you may need something like a printer, a scanner, or a small filing cabinet.
Being at home, you will also use electricity that you did not use before in your hours outside, so you may notice a small increase in your energy bill. Not to mention the water (you will be surprised that it runs out faster as you no longer have the oasis of the office and drink water at home) or the expenses in coffee or others.
It is also possible that, if you did not have certain software or tools that a company provided you, now you will have to buy the license.
It is true that the expense is not a big thing, but keep it in mind: you will need more than a computer and a sofa.
Also, if you fall into the temptation of cooking at home, for example, and end up ordering at home anyway, the savings on food and transportation will vanish anyway.
On the other hand, if you have a small home, keep in mind that having a home office will affect everyone's space.
5. Fewer training opportunities
One of the benefits of working in a company is that many of them invest in training or training for their workers.
When you work on your own, you lose that benefit and if you want to study or train in something else, it will be your responsibility. If your generated income is not too high, you may be missing a training opportunity.
However, if the companies in which you have worked do not help workers in this regard, you are not really missing anything.
Of course, that doesn't mean you settle. Try to save a little to enroll in courses by having a certain amount saved to invest in your self-training and certification. Remember also that there are many free courses or at a very low price that you can take advantage of for this.
6. Promotion opportunities
Of course, when working freelance, the sky is the limit. But in a company you have the possibility of being promoted to higher positions and making yourself known at a higher level of professionals in your area.
This may sound discouraging, but it is solvable if you focus part of your time on finding a way to get more clients and job opportunities.
7. You will not have companions
Again, another double-edged sword: There are many who can say that they like working alone better. But eventually, you will feel like you haven't met anyone new in a long time. On the other hand, being gregarious beings, humans tend to need the friendship of others and you may feel a bit lonely.
Maybe you suddenly miss the stories of your colleague's little nephews. Or your partner, the one who made jokes to everyone.
The solution: You can go out to work in a cafe, restaurant or bookstore. Of course, it should have a relaxed and adult atmosphere (avoid the fast food restaurant with a playground).
If you live in a building with a common area, you can go to work in the lobby or on the terraces. Another alternative is to rent a coworking space.
That way you can stay in touch with other professionals, meet new people, make friends and find inspiration to do your job better.
In summary
The advantages of working from home can turn against you if you don't know how to manage your time. On the other hand, when you return to a full-time job, you may realize that it is not your thing and you prefer to continue working at home.
After all, there is no place like home.
Either way, you don't have to work for a company to make friends and promote yourself. As you can see, there is always the option of going to do your work where you prefer or to meet people through coworking spaces.
Nor is it necessary to stick to an employer to grow as a professional. You can seek to expand your network with other professionals like you in events related to your field.
As you have seen, the aforementioned disadvantages have solutions that you can implement to combat them. Everything is a matter of discipline and will.
Courage and many successes From us!
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