Note: Jenny Holt, who writes at http://www.newyorkjobs.com/insider, contributed with this useful guest post about the challenges of working from home.
Working from home has long been hailed a breath of fresh air for many stressed workers exhausted from their nine to five day jobs and hassling commutes. But while a home-based career is lauded for its many benefits including convenience and comfort, there are some drawbacks to working from home.
1. Less Income
Several work-from-home contracts can certainly match what you make from a traditional office job, but majority will offer lower hourly rates and yearly salaries. This is because they know freelancers and home-based employees are prepared to negotiate lower rates for the ability to keep their cozier work-at-home lifestyle.
2. More Distractions
According to an infographics published on LifeHack.org, the top obstacle of working from home for all countries surveyed is the demanded attention of children or family of the individual. Your spouse and kids would want to spend more time with you or are likely to ask you for favors when they see you sitting in your home desk.
3. More Security Loopholes
For freelancers and professionals providing a service via a sole proprietor type of business, you have the disadvantage of not having access to commercial-grade security software that protects large corporations from cyber attacks and malware. Use a password manager and invest in a good VPN to get past this crucial weak link.
4. Self Motivation and Discipline Required
If you are working for a company, then chances are you'll have a tracking software that requires you to work consistently throughout the day. Even then, however, you can get easily discouraged and derailed from your productive train of thought and motion. For those who work and are paid by the work they produce, a high self-motivation is necessary to actually make a decent living.
As you can see, working from home has its shortcomings. Make sure you consider them before transitioning fully or partially to a home-based career.