Monday

Make sure you understand these work at home stumbling blocks

Working from home can be both rewarding and frustrating. Before deciding between going to an office and working from home, it is important to weigh the pros and cons. Far too often, working at home basics are overlooked.

Overlooking the pros and cons may have an impact on long-term success. While it is true that self-employment offers far more flexibility than working a traditional 40-hour a week job, before making that leap, you must weigh the risks and rewards.

Flexibility has a price

One of the biggest pros of being self-employed and working from home is flexibility. However, flexibility may come with a steep price tag.  Having the ability to take time off when needed is helpful but, missed deadlines, working weekends and loss of personal time may be the price tag. While it is certainly beneficial to have the opportunity to make a trip as an escort on a child's field trip, the problem is that time may have to be made up.

Costs versus benefits

Nearly every "expert" will inform those who are considering working from home about the possible cost savings. While it is true that there are some costs that will be significantly reduced such as eating lunch out, gasoline or other transportation costs and of course wardrobe costs, there are other expenses that are going up as well.  Some of the added expenses you can expect include increased heating or air conditioning costs, telephone costs may increase and food budgets are likely to be strained. Other costs that must be considered when self-employed include office supply expenses, medical and life insurance costs and of course taxes.

There are many expenses incurred when working at home that are tax-deductible but they must still be funded ahead of time.
No office politics or interactions

Many people detest office politics since they often pit co-workers against other co-workers. Office politics is probably one of the best reasons to consider working at home. However, without the interaction of others, people often feel shut off and can quickly sink into a depression.

Those who are self-employed often feel isolated and can wind up feeling like they are out of the loop. There are many ways to avoid feelings of isolation but that does not mean it should be ignored as a potential con of working at home.

Friends and family

When people consider self-employment and working from home, nearly always one of the biggest pros is having the ability to spend more time with family members and friends. However, friends and family can also create negative situations that must be considered. Before deciding to work at home, it is crucial to spend some time with friends and family members and set out some basic guidelines. Setting up a firm working schedule that should not be interrupted unless there is an emergency may be a prerequisite to keeping interruptions to a minimum.

For many people who are dreaming of self-employment, working from home is a bonus. However, for those who are not self-motivated to keep focused on the task at hand or those who are dealing with other issues, working at home can be a nightmare. Provided there is an understanding of the pros and cons of working from home, there are ways to deal with them. These are just a few of the questions to explore before deciding self-employment and working from home is the right choice.