WORKING FROM HOME

I've always wanted to be a work at home professional. Having the liberty of working at my own phase, at my own time. Not worrying about being late at the office and most importantly - no boss who would scold me every time I was'nt able to cope up with the requirements of the job. I would be able to earn while doing things I love to do. I know everybody wants to have that kind of life. Having the luxury of time while earning and doing things you love to do. Just thinking of the possibilities of being in that state makes me wanna work harder to achieve it. You cannot just jump into being a stay at home professional without knowing the pro's and con's of being one. Working from home is not that easy! Here are some of the pro's and con's of working at home:

Pros:

1. Comfortable Location

Daily commuting from home to office and vice versa is cumbersome and expensive for some people. If there is space enough in ones house to make an office space to maintain some amount of privacy then there is nothing better than that. This way you can share a lot of time with your family which is usually not possible with a regular 12 hour office job.

2. Flexibility

You can figure out your own working hours and do not have to follow a strict nine-to-five schedule. You can take breaks whenever you want and continue working till you are satisfied. There is extreme freedom as far as dress code is concerned. You can be as comfortable as possible and be your own boss.

3. Savings

You can cut down on your fuel expenses and save money by working at home. Car maintenance charges are also reduced as a result. If you are working for a private company from home they will also furnish the equipments required for your work and no question of expenditure on your part.

4. Other Reasons

There are people who experience less stress working from home. They can control and concentrate on their work without the interference of colleagues and the boss. Health problems can also be solved by working at home.

Cons:

1. Isolation from social life - If you are working at home you are dissociated from the rest of your coworkers. Working alone can at times be very boring and time consuming. You might not be able to solve many work problems without helping hands. The lack of social interaction can lead to depression and other psychological problems which would hamper your work.

2. Limited Options - You cannot work if your job does not permit you to do so. For instance, if you are involved in the field of public relations, communication with people is indispensable for you. You cannot choose to work from your home in such a situation.

3. Equipment Expenditure - If your office does not provide you the equipments required for your work at home, it can increase your expenses. This can be problematic for people who do not have enough savings to incur this cost. You need a proper space in your house to set up an office because a minimum privacy is required for work. If that is not available it is even more expensive to set up.

4. No regular Income - If your work is project based then you might not receive monthly pay checks. Your financial condition has to be extremely well to maintain your finances in such a scenario. Unlike if you are working for a certain company, you are uncertain of when youll gonna receive your hard earned money. Bank failures, late check delivery and even the slightest change in weather could potentially get in the way of getting your income.

5. Fraud - You might not be trusted completely by your clients since you are working from home. Your sincererity might be under surveillance. This would hamper your professional image to your clients.

6. Distractions - If you have children they can be the cause of distractions during your working hours. Visitors can also disturb you while you work. You cannot avoid such sources of disturbance.

7. Discipline - You need a great deal of self discipline, energy, dedication and financial stability for this type of endeavor to be successful.

So now that you've learned the advantages and disadvantages of working from home, you must balance your options. Make sure that you don't put 100% of everything in one business. You might want to invest the other part of your money to mutual funds, bonds and other business opportunities as well. Godspeed!