Back in the 90’s if a person had said that you could work from home and make lot’s of money, the world would have laughed. Fast forward 20 years and its like there’s nothing wrong with working from home at all.
Work from home or commonly known as a “home office” is the act or practice of working from home using a computer terminal electronically linked to one’s place of employment.
Okay… What?!
Statistical Peek:
An article by Jeffrey M. Jones from Gallup.com reports that “37% of U.S. workers say they have telecommuted, up slightly from 30% last decade but 4 times greater than the 9% found in 1995.”
Another article published in Forbes.com by Kenneth Rapoza indicated that “30 million Americans were working from home at least once a week in 2013, and the statistics were only expected to grow 63% over the next 5 years.”
According to Telework, “A total of 47% people who have the option to telework are very satisfied with their job, compared to 27% of those who are office-bound.”
Working from home has its advantages, obviously! Telework reports that “home-based work accounts to more than $10,000 per employee per year. Employees save between $1,600 to $6,800 and 15 days of commuting to work by either car or public transportation.”
Ami Sedghi of theguardian.com writes that 13.9% of the UK’s workforce was home-based in the first quarter of 2014.
The global economic trends are changing more rapidly than ever before. With rising costs of food and transport, people want to save every penny they don’t need to spend. Asking for a raise, and other perks from an employer are of no use! Ben Casselman of fivethirtyeight.com says “the American middle-class has not gotten a raise in 15 years!”
What to know before beginning to work from home?
I think 2 things play importance in determining whether you’re suited to work from home or not.
- Your Personality — An indoor person would love working from home, but should also adhere to deadlines. On the other hand, an outdoor person who loves interacting with people, and being out most of the day won’t be the right fit. Sitting at a desk for long hours could be quite boring.
- Your Behavior — There are two opposing human behaviors: discipline & indiscipline. One who lacks discipline requires a regular push to get things moving. Whereas the disciplined kind abides by a timeline and tries best to accommodate personal & professional engagements.
Advantages to working from home:
- Quieter Atmosphere
- Eliminate Long commute
- Fewer distractions
- More productive
- Avoid traffic
- Save gas
- Work/home balance
- Take much-needed rest
- Get home before it’s too late
Disadvantages:
- Avoiding distractions is hard
- Unwanted interruptions
- Spending the whole day glued to a computer
- Wider availability
- Affecting social life
- Alienation
- Difficult transition period
- Easy to be Lazy
- Procrastination
Remember, not all jobs can be done from home and some jobs even require employer’s approval. In my opinion, it’s best to start a home-based business since more or less all entrepreneurs start off with a set budget.
If you choose to start a home-based business, then you need to be equipped to handle all facets of the business yourself, at least until you can hire someone to split the task with. This period can be very exhausting and stressing because you would be starting from scratch and most of the times you don’t even know who to connect with.
Most self-employed individuals are on a budget when starting out. You don’t want to be spending all you have on hiring professionals from the get-go. Take your time and learn the business well. Do extensive research and learn the challenges involved. The next stage may not be easy because this is when and where you decide if you really want to go ahead. It’s advisable to talk to friends and family and share your concerns with them. Also, if you know someone from the niche, you should try to discuss with them as well.
Now the real question that arises is- how to be productive at home? That’s a very good question and the answers are plenty! What makes you productive to do something that can only be answered by you. You must figure out what pushes you to do work. What’s the one thing that will keep you focused and glued to your work?
For me, it’s the love of work. I like to stay busy because that’s when I deliver my best. But to stay focused I need some motivation; which I get from music. I listen to Jazz Instrumentals and do my work. Somehow they blend very well. Not only me, but I know a lot of people love music and somehow they concentrate and succeed.
Some of my advice to be more productive at home office are as follows:
- Early to Bed, Early to Rise – because you are working from home does not mean you won’t have to maintain time schedules. You must follow the same timing as you would normally.
- Have a breakfast– We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, skipping it would have dire consequences, both health wise and work wise. You might want to skip breakfast to get a head start on work, but it will only burn you out faster.
- ‘Do Not Disturb’– It’s always a good idea to put one of those signs on your home office door. You must tell your family members to not bother you during working hours. But let them know when you take a scheduled break so they can reach you if it’s necessary.
- Take a Stroll- Take short walks during breaks Whether you sit on a chair, a couch or a bed, it’s always good to stretch your legs and get the blood flowing. Taking frequent breaks helps maintain the mood and keeps you active.
- Listen to Tunes– Listening to music can help you stay focused on your work and bring out the creative side of you. So listen to the genre of music that helps you concentrate and deliver your best work.
- Change of Scenery– Sometimes it can get a bit lonely working alone and you may want to have a little crowd around you. During such instances, you can visit nearby coffee shops that is Wi-Fi enabled so you can concentrate on work while consuming a great cup of coffee.
- Ending the day– Knowing when to end a work day is an important aspect of working from home. Had you been in an office, you would be off in 8 hours. So, why should that be any different working from home? Set an alarm, and make sure you don’t work a minute more than you need to. You are working from home and that’s why it is equally important to spend time with other members of your family.
- Give yourself a day off– Once a week, preferably Sunday, take a break from the routine and spend time with your friends & family. Don’t put your mind to work on this day & just relax.
To Sum Up:
Finally, I will say this, the power to make something happen is in your hands. It is you who must judge the potential you have and act accordingly. Whether you are suited to work from home or work in an office, your dedication and perseverance must never waiver. Make a decision, plan things out, talk it through with family, friends and others you consider a role model of your field, and muster the strength to take this risk and give it your best ever shot.
If you have something to say about this topic, please don’t hesitate to share your views in the comments section.
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