The Pros and Cons of Work from Home

Is your dream office the home office?

Hey, we understand! Work from home has some great aspects. Who wouldn’t dream of an office where the attire is pajamas, the break room is your own kitchen stocked with their favorite snacks, and you have flexibility in your schedule?

But is work from home all it’s cracked up to be? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Is there a better way to work, while still having the ultimate flexibility? Let’s take a look.

Pro: No dress code

Con: Bad habits/mindset

Of course, it’s great to be comfortable while you work! It also saves you money to not have to update your wardrobe with business attire every year. However, rolling out of bed and working in your pajamas all day isn’t a great habit to get into. When you get dressed in the morning, you are changing your mindset. This happens both at the beginning and at the end of the day. By getting dressed in the morning you are telling your body and mind, it’s time to get going! By getting changed at the end of the night you are telling your mind and body, it’s time to rest!

Pro: Flexibility in schedule

Con: Easily distracted by lack of routine

Working from home allows you to check chores off of your to-do list during work hours. While you’re waiting for your manager to review your project, you can throw a load of laundry in or empty the dishwasher. You can start to prepare dinner or start planning your grocery list.

This can be a negative though. By switching gears from work mode to home mode, you lose focus and motivation. It’s much easier to do things around the house and it’s tempting. But these tasks take you away from your workday and can potentially hurt your performance.

Pro: Independence

Con: Isolation

Some people work better alone. And that’s great, to each their own! However, sometimes you need to collaborate with others – your coworkers, your clients, vendors, company leadership. It can be extremely hard to communicate well, via email or virtual meeting.

So, where have we landed? There’s positives and negatives to work from home, but there are scenarios where there’s more negatives than positives. A great alternative might be a coworking space like CommonGrounds Workplace. A coworking space offers all the positives of work from home, without the distractions. You can still have a flexible schedule, casual attire, privacy, and a stocked kitchen! Additionally, you have your own workspace, printing stations, coffee bars, a network of people to engage with, conference rooms, and more.