Is Working From Home Right For Your Life?

It’s not easy to find the perfect work-life balance, especially when you are away from home most of the day, be that at work, or travelling to and fro with the daily commute. For this reason, many people advocate working from home as the perfect solution. You can avoid the rush hour traffic, have more time to spend with the family, and still get some work done during the day. Simple, right? Well… yes and no! Working from home isn’t for everybody.

For starters, is working from home an option for you?

If you are thinking about setting yourself up as a freelancer, then yes, it might be. Provided you have a computer, you can set yourself up with a website using this UK web hosting service to get you up and running online, and away you go! Okay, so it’s not that simple, but provided you have the skills required for your freelance role, you have much of what is required at the outset. However, if you are thinking about telecommuting from your usual workplace, you would need to speak to your employer. They may have no problem with you working from home, as statistically, it improves employee morale, and therefore, greater productivity. On the other hand, your employer may need convincing, so be prepared to raise the benefits of such a possibility when you’re having a discussion.

Do you have what it takes?

If you are able to work from home, you need to understand that it isn’t easy. It can be lonely for a start, as you won’t have the usual coworker banter to keep you entertained. If you’re somebody who gets distracted easily, you may have problems too. You need to be focussed on getting the job done, as you won’t bring in the money, otherwise. And despite the flexibility of working from home with your work hours, you still need to push yourself to get out of bed at a decent time and have the ability to switch off and put work aside at the end of the day.

On the other hand, if you enjoy working alone, then you shouldn’t mind the peace and quiet. If you have the resilience and drive to get your work done, then you shouldn’t fall prey to too many distractions. And if you have pretty good time-management skills, then you should be able to achieve your work in good time, and still have the opportunity to finish early when it is appropriate to do so.

Does your home have what it takes?

You might have what it takes, but your home needs to be conducive to good working conditions. Sure, you might be able to work from the sofa in your pj’s, but if you have other family members at home, you will need the space away from the hustle and bustle to concentrate. And on that note, do you have anywhere in your home that can act as a home office? You might only need a computer and a desk and chair, but is there a room available to you? There are other places where you could work if being at home is a problem, such as your local library or coffee shop, but it depends on what you need, and how quiet you need your working space to be.

And so…

Is working from home right for your life? To improve your work-life balance, it very well might be. But know that it’s not as easy as it sounds if you are currently considering the possibility. You can make it work for you, of course, so don’t be put off if it’s something you want to do. Let us know what you think, and share your experiences with us.

This is a collaborative post.