My new blog post on TELUS Talks Business created quite a lot of interest and I want to share with you some thoughts from a friend and great business man, Barrie Conrod http://peaceofmindaccelerator.com/
Yes I work from home mostly. I do have outside appointment with clients but for the most part my home office is my base of operation.
Here are some of my thoughts about working from home.
First the Advantages:
* Freedom and flexibility. You can structure your day to suit, whether you want to spend time with the kids, you have a career that means you have to see clients in the early morning or late evening, or you want to attend a university class. You have control over when you do your work.
* Tax benefits for home based businesses. Home based businesses are typically blessed with a number of business deductions that would otherwise not be available.
* Save money. Assuming you're not meeting with customers all day long, you won't have to buy expensive "work clothes" or use the dry cleaners as often. You also save money on telecommuting costs! No more driving to the office every day and those expensive lunches.
* Less negative influences. Sadly, an office is riddled with a few people that take joy into bringing everyone around them down. This is the lingo that is used daily by people in the office. Some people will just complain about everything and it affects the psyche of everyone around them. I have seen people with great potential have their momentum and motivation completely destroyed simply because they were spending their breaks and lunches with these office “parasites” that will bad mouth the company at any given opportunity. When working from home, you do not have to deal with these types of people. You only have to answer to yourself, and as long as you keep a positive outlook, you will have nothing to worry about.
* Lower start-up costs for home based businesses. One huge savings is the fact that you won't have to rent or lease office space! That alone will save you a great deal of money. Everyone has some office supplies kicking around the house that can be used to start off the business.
* Less negative influences
Sadly, an office is riddled with a few people that take joy into bringing everyone around them down. This is not done by the gossiping & competition I talked about above. This is the lingo that is used daily by people in the office. Some people will just complain about everything and it affects the psyche of everyone around them. I have seen people with great potential have their momentum & motivation completely destroyed in a matter of weeks simply because they were spending their breaks and lunches with these office “parasites” that will badmouth the company at any given opportunity. When working from home, you do not have to deal with these types of people. You only have to answer to yourself, and as long as you keep a positive outlook, you will have nothing to worry about.
· Less likely to get sick. When I would take public transit to work, I would get sick at least twice per year. That’s just transit. There is also the threat of getting sick at the office, where if one person has a virus, it’s almost impossible not to get it. I would lose about 3 or 4 days per year on sick days, something that I never encountered working from home.
· Increased productivity. With all the time that you are saving from not having to commute to work, and not socializing half the day with co-workers, you end up getting a lot more done when you are working from home. As long as you remain motivated and driven, working from home is much more effective to deliver results.
Now the Disadvantages:
* Possible conflict between your business and personal lives. Because you're working at home where you have always spent time with your spouse and family, it may be difficult for both you and your family to adjust to the fact that you must work while you're at home.
* Lack of social contact. Some people dearly love the social interaction of the workplace. When you work from home, you are far more likely to feel cut off from the rest of the world.
* Need for self-discipline. It can be difficult to motivate yourself when you're working from home. There are household chores to be done, plenty of distractions (such as the television or the laundry), and you can be alone for hours. You must have the self-discipline required to get your work done despite all these distractions.
* Pressure. While working from home undoubtedly provides more flexibility, it can also provide a little more stress. Because you work in the same place you live, you may feel obligated to get "a few chores" done while you're working. You can very easily become swamped with responsibilities - some people simply end up trying to do too much. The opposite is true as well. When you are not working you may be tempted to write that client an email. Or finish that report.
* No one to bounce ideas off of. There is a clear advantage when working in an office you can ask questions, or bounce ideas off a co-worker or a boss.
* You are entirely responsible to motivate yourself. There are no motivational meetings, no motivation slogans, or you cannot get energy from a co-worker or boss.
* No technical support or administrative support. You are you IT person and you are the admin. These are jobs that take a lot of time and patience.
Thank you Barrie for your wonderful contribution, with lots of tips and experiences we can all share, relate to and learn from!
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