In this blog post, I’ll share with you what I think about working from home and we’ll learn more about the pros and cons so of working remotely, so that you can decide whether or not that’s something you want for yourself.
If you prefer the audio version of this blog post, you can listen to it here:
Let’s start on a positive note. What are the pros?
PROS
1. Freedom
If your most important core value is freedom, I don’t think you should even read the rest of this article because there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, that even comes close to the feeling of freedom I experience when I work from home.
The first time I worked from home was back in 2014 when I began my freelance copywriting career. At first, it felt strange to work in your comfy clothes, not engage in office politics, and listen to music as loud as you want to or turn on the heat without getting scolded by half of the office.
It felt like an absolute dream!
That was my experience as a freelancer working from home. Now, let me tell you how it went down when I was working as a remote employee.
One year later, this awesome startup invited me to join their team as a chief copywriter and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. We worked in an office for almost a year, then our boss decided to give us the freedom to work remotely and meet once a month to discuss everything in-between. Awesome!
It was just the way I remembered it: no annoying commute, no need for doing my hair and makeup early in the morning, I could even have my lunch break while watching my favorite show! How cool was that?
Let’s skip the next year and a half when I became a creative copywriter in an ad agency (where I spend all of my time and energy in the office) and go straight to 2018 when I officially launched my coaching business.
Although I’ve had clients here and there for years, I decided to go all in last year and guess what? Now, I’m working from home again!
It’s still as fabulous as I remember it, but now there’s an added twist – I make my own hours. There are 3-4 days a month that I don’t feel like waking up at 7:30 and sleep until 9, but every weekend I spend at least 3-4 hours working.
The important thing is that I have the freedom to choose and as a person who respects their personal freedom more than anything else in the world, that’s a real blessing, and I’m grateful for it every day.
Now that I’ve almost shared my life story and I want to thank you for still reading, let’s get to pro number 2.
2. Less drama, more work done
Working from home is awesome for people who hate office politics, gossiping, going in and out of meetings all the time, and dealing with people in general.
Although there are jobs that require communicating with others, it’s still easier to distance yourself when there’s a phone or a camera between you and the other person. Introvert problems, am I right? 😉
By the way, if you’re an introvert, you may find this video on my YouTube channel helpful, where I share more about my experience as an introvert doing extraverted things all the time.
But let’s get back to the drama-free experience of working from home. Honestly, I don’t miss working with other people even a tiny bit. I’ve always been a lone wolf, and I like my privacy.
Besides, I only spend my time with people I actually like and choose to communicate with: my awesome clients, my coaching buddies, my subscribers, and the professionals I decide to collaborate with. No drama, just doing great, inspiring, uplifting things all day long.
What I’ve also noticed is that even if you work for somebody else, you still get more done working from home because you can focus all of your energy on actually doing the work.
3. You can do things around the house, take care of your child or look after a sick family member
This one is pretty close to the first pro, but here we’ll focus on the convenience factor. For many people going to work every day is not an option. If you need to take care of your child or your spouse, it’s impossible to be at two places at the same time, and working from home can be an absolute game-changer when it comes to spending quality time with your family while still being able to pay the bills.
If you’re alone and you’re working from home, then there are also some great things you can catch up on: for instance, you can tidy up for 5-10 minutes while you’re taking a break or do the dishes, or do another choir around the house.
I’ve recently picked up the habit to clean after myself and move around the house as much as I can, and I see significant improvement when it comes to my overall mood. Remember – cluttered house, cluttered mind. So, make sure to spend some time decluttering and cleaning, and I promise you: you’ll see a difference!
And now, it’s time for the cons. Buckle up because we’re going for a bumpy ride!
CONS
1. You’re alone with your thoughts, all day long
If you’re into overanalyzing everything, working from home can be your biggest nightmare, especially in the beginning. There’s no one there to distract you, no colleagues to prank, no activities with other people. It’s you, most probably your laptop, and a bunch of words or voices coming from the screen.
While it can be pretty great to work in
I’m not saying you’re going to go mad or anything, but if you don’t make it your priority to talk with others, you can quickly find yourself in fantasy land: overthinking things that are already in the past or stressing about the future.
2. You need to develop strong self-management skills
Even if you’re working for someone else, you still have no one to watch over you, and you can procrastinate on tasks that you usually wouldn’t. A social media post here… a funny video there… and before you know it the Internet has taken its next victim – you!
I can make a separate blog post on how to develop self-management skills, so leave me a comment below if it’s something you’re interested in.
But now, let’s get back to the second con. As a business owner, I’ll be honest with you: there are days when I don’t feel like doing anything at all. But then I remember my mission: to help as many people as I can. I count backward from 5… 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and I push myself out of bed.
I won’t lie to you: the first few months were the hardest. Being your own boss sounds like fun until you have to take responsibility for everything that goes wrong in your business.
That leads me to the last con of working from home:
3. Lack of work-life balance
While it’s nice to have the convenience to do other things around the house or stay in your pajamas for a few hours, working from home can take its toll on your personal life.
If you spend so much time working and not having much physical activity, it can be challenging to stay energetic throughout the rest of the day.
One of the worst things that you can find yourself doing is seeking a form of entertainment on your laptop or your phone after you’re done working. You’re essentially not giving your brain a break! It can be quite tempting to go for the easiest solution – after all, Netflix and chill, right?
Another problem that can occur in your personal life is not having the time… to have one. If you’re working for yourself, it’s tough to set healthy boundaries between your work and your personal life. It can be so tempting to tick off one more task of your to-do list or maybe skip that lunch break and work while you’re eating…
CONCLUSION
Now, what do I think is the answer to the question: Should I work from home?
If you’re not new to my coaching methods, you already know what my answer’s going to be: ONLY YOU KNOW. I’m not here to tell you how to live your life, I’m no guru, I’m a regular person just like you. And I believe you have all the answers, you just have to ask the right questions.
Let’s quickly sum up the pros and cons and let you decide:
PROS: freedom, increased productivity, less drama, and convenience.
CONS: loneliness, self-management skills required, and lack of work-life balance.
Now, let me know in the comments below:
Which one seems more appealing to you: working from home or not? Have you tried it? Are you a freelancer or an entrepreneur? Comment down below, I’d love to get to know you!
Love,
