Working from home is an awesome concept – but there are a few things that nobody talks about. So if you considering working from home, read below about five things that you neet to know before you try.
1. It Is Not for Everyone!
Yes, working from home has so many benefits. But it is not for everyone! First, the type of work that you do might prevent you from working from home. For example, if you are a dental assistant, you cannot do your job from the comfort of your home. And if you do that, then we have another problem here 😉
You also might simply not like it! If you are a very outgoing person who loves to interact face-to-face with your co-workers and clients, than you are less likely to enjoy working from home. While working from home still offers plenty of opportunities for interactions with others, it is a little harder and it mostly occurs via e-mail, video-chats, or phone calls. And you have to be very intentional in order to maintain great communication with people you work with.
2. NOT Only for Entrepreneurs and Freelancers
Working from home has become very common in the past few years. Usually when you hear someone say, I work from home, the assumption is that they own their own business or do freelance type of work. But those are not the only options. For example, I work for an organization in a public sector as an analyst. It is basically the same job many perform in an office setting: 40 hours a week with benefits, and an annual salary. But I get to do it from home.
When you are looking for a job, simply look for job postings with words ‘remote’, ‘virtual’, or ‘telework’. You will see a lot of options. Explore to see if any of them would be a great fit for you.
3. You Have Options
Work from home comes in a few different forms. You can be a remote employee like me. That means that you work full-time from your house and are never required to go into a physical office.
Or yYou can work from home a few times a week. In my previous job, I used to go into the office two days a week and telework the reminding days. This a great options for those of you are not sure if you would like working from home. And also for those who need some face-to-face interactions with co-workers or customers.
You can also work from home on an ad-hoc basis. That means that you have an option to telework when you are working a project that requires a lot of concentration and you need to limit office distractions. You can also use that option during inclement weather or when there are significant delays with the public transportation that you usually use to get to work.
4. It Requires Discipline
Working from home is great, but it requires a lot of discipline. Why? Because you need to learn to separate yourself from the distractions of your home. You have to be able to put on your employee hat and concentrate on work that needs to be done.
This is why it is best if you have a dedicated room or an area of a room for your home office. That will help you with setting those boundaries.
In one of my previous posts I describe my morning routine. If you read it, you will see that I get ready for the work day just if I was going to the office (minus the lunch preparation :))
5. You Can Saving Money
I’m sure you know that is saves you money on commute, whether you are driving or taking public transportation. However, you are also saving money in other areas.
For example, you can save money on groceries and morning coffee. When you are working in the office it is easier to give in and go out to lunch or grab an afternoon coffee with your co-workers. But when you are at home, you tend to stay at home and ‘shop’ your fridge and pantry instead.
You can also save money on work clothes, because let’s face it. When we work from home it is either a pair of jeans or leggings and a t-shirt.
And you can also save on after-school day care because you are likely to be done with your work day in time to pick up your kids earlier (since you are saving a lot of time on commute).
Decide if Working from Home is for You
I hope the characteristics of working from home have helped you with the decision whether or not it is something you want to consider for yourself. If you are still on the edge, the best way is to know for sure is by giving it a try. If you job offers telework, try it out once a week for a month and see how you like it.
Are you currently working from home? Share your experience below!
