Working from home, whether as a freelance contractor or remote employee, can be a great thing. Many people dream of working from home. Some may imagine working in their PJs or perhaps on a sun-drenched terrace with birds singing all around them. But is this really a true picture of what it is like to work from home?
Let’s look over the pros and cons of being your own boss and calling your home your workplace:
Pros:
Flexibility: the ability to set your own hours and work around your needs is a definite plus for people who work at home. There’s nothing like being able to have flexibility to fit in the things that are important to you, especially if you have a family. off when necessary or work to your own rhythm.
Fewer expenses: Working from home may help you save on fuel, clothing, food and all those other extras that creep in when you work outside the home. At home, you can make your own lunches and your wardrobe can consist of sweat pants and a t-shirt if you wish. Some of our more flamboyant marketing colleagues have even reported working in the nude. Just remember to turn off your webcam! But seriously, do remember to turn it off on conference calls unless you are prepared to look presentable, hair, makeup up and so on depending on your gender.
Earning potential: if you’re self-employed, then you have some and perhaps even more control over your earnings too. This means that if you need extra money, you can take on extra projects. If you simply need a little extra cash, or want to have a bit more free time one week compared to another, you can take on less. The bottom line is you control your schedule. Within that schedule there might be ups and downs in terms of how much work you have, but steadily looking for freelance work while you have projects in hand will also help keep you as busy and well paid as you wish to be.
More room for creativity: Working for yourself means that you have more leeway with your creativity. You’re in charge of your marketing, website and whole company brand. There are no pre-set limits and you don’t have to get your ideas approved before you go for it.
Cons:
Staying focused: many of us lack the willpower and focus to work on our own. It’s easy to get distracted when you’re at home: the phone rings, the laundry pile beckons, the pile of books on the shelf that you have always wanted to read call out longingly to be picked up. All of these distractions can be hard to overcome.
Meeting deadlines: if you have trouble staying focused and on track, you may have trouble meeting your deadlines. With no boss to wag a finger if things go wrong, you’ll need to ensure you are a self-starter and a true finisher.
Loneliness: for some people this isn’t an issue, but for others the loneliness of working from home is more than they can stand. If you’re a particularly social person, you may struggle to work on your own. It can be even harder if you have small children and feel like you are talking only to people under the age of 5. If you do work from home, organize a support network and appointments to get of the house so you do not feel like you are always at work or stuck in the house.
Organization: You should have a really well-organized home office so that there is a place for everything is in its place. In this way you can impress clients with how smoothly everything goes, since you will be able to save time and meet all deadlines.
Working from home definitely has its good and bad points. For most the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. It’s important to look at both the good and bad sides of home working before deciding which is the right choice for you.
eBook Offers For More Information:
How to Start Working as a Successful Freelancer
How to Start a Successful Small Business Even If You Don’t Have Much Cash
How To Transform Your Hobby Into A Home-Based Small Business
