Is working from home so bad?
So, I just read about the CEO at Yahoo, Marissa Mayer enforcing a new rule that all 'remote workers' had to come on in.
This report on All Things D claims the change in policy will impact several hundred employees, some of whom signed up based on this arrangement.
Now most of you will will work in an office anyway and possibly agree that this makes good sense but as a home worker it's made me question if I'm doing the best thing.
Only a few months back I did look into hiring office space in a local business centre so it's genuinely on my mind but here's where I'm at.
There are some pretty obvious reasons why this is beneficial:
No Commute - add up the time I save across the year, and even the most conservative estimate would be approximately 240 hours! And aren't we supposed to be reducing our nasty gasses?
Being able to sit in your boxer shorts all day
Being able to manage your own time - I get to work more flexible hours and at the times I'm most productive. I was just listening to a podcast from Pat Flinn at Smart Passive Income earlier and he only works 4 hours a day, from 9pm - 1am! I don't think I'd get away with that but the point is I could if I wanted to.
I save money - For us as a small business, my wife and I both work from home and we are saving around £600/month by not hiring a serviced office.
I get distracted - now I should have explained that although I 'work from home' I actually have a 200 sq ft office to myself (aka converted double garage) so it's not a desk at the foot of my bed but still, I go in to make a drink, raid the fridge and inevitably find something to take me off at a tangent.
School holidays - I hate them! Trying to work in an office with a football being kicked at your window is not cool. Plus my kids don't get that I'm trying to work and can't just go play. Which leads me onto:
Never switching off - This is the worst one for me and the biggest attraction of office working. In theory anyway I reckon I could leave work at the office and during that daily commute totally transform into the undistracted Dad my kids long for.
Getting to talk to other business people - This is definitely something I miss, chatting with other guys about the common challenges we face over the water fountain.
Work at work, not at home - Having clear boundaries, although I'd probably still load work onto a laptop and sit in the lounge doing it.
Feeling more professional - Heading to an office, sitting in my big chair, I'd feel like I had a 'proper job'.
Actually, I reckon I've covered these above.
So in conclusion I think I'll be staying at home and am disapointed that such an influencial player has made a decision like this but I guess not everyone's self motivated and disciplined and there will always be those that spoil it for the rest.
So anyway, there's my rant. I'd love to hear what others think, and if you work from home how you cope with the challenges I mention above.
(Photo Credit: Jason Alden | Bloomberg | Getty Images)