In the wake of the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work boomed as lockdown was enforced. Many people who had always gone into an office got to experience working from home, and all the perks and drawbacks that come with that arrangement.
I started working from home in 2018. It was my very first full-time job, actually, so I’ve never worked in an office, and remote work feels very normal to me.
That said, especially when it comes to your work-life balance and social engagement, working from home can be a challenge. Before you jump at a chance to snag a career you can do from bed, there are a few things you ought to consider.
So, I wanted to share some of the pros and cons of working from home as I’ve experienced them over the years, as well as some ways you can find remote work if you’re interested in pursuing it.
Pro: You’re Not Wasting Time on a Commute
In late 2017, I landed an interview for an editing position at a digital media platform. At the time I was living on the North Side of Chicago, and the office the company worked out of was in a Southwest suburb. Driving out to that interview took me two hours—without traffic.
I didn’t get the job, and I wasn’t particularly upset when I received the news. I knew the moment I hit the interstate on my way to the interview that I didn’t want to spend four-plus hours sitting in my car every day.
Time is one of the most valuable things each of us has. Getting to spend yours on things you actually enjoy is priceless. Not having a commute is probably the biggest factor that contributes to my being able to pursue my writing projects outside of work on top of juggling family and other responsibilities.
Con: You May Feel Trapped In Your House
A few weeks into my first work-from-home position, I found myself composing an email to my manager. I was two paragraphs into asking her for clarification on some subject I can no longer remember when I realized I already knew the answers to my questions.
I was so starved for human interaction that I was compulsively composing unnecessary emails. When you work in an office, you have ample opportunities to socialize with your co-workers. At home, you’re on your own.
This can start to feel very lonely, and it’s important to plan time to get out of your house and interact with other people. If you’re able, working from a coffee shop or similar location can be beneficial, even if you don’t talk with many people while you’re there.
You can also look for opportunities to socialize outside of work. For example, my local bookstore holds a monthly book club that I attend, which gives me the chance to talk with other people about something I enjoy.
Something else to keep in mind—since I first started working from home, I’ve worked for a couple different companies that handled distributed teams very differently. Good remote companies will have solutions in place to help mitigate the feelings of isolation, such as opportunities to talk about non-work topics with co-workers.
If you decide to look for remote work, be sure to ask about the company culture and how they handle communication across the team.
Pro: You’ll Have More Flexibility and Freedom
One of the most difficult things about a traditional 9-to-5 is that it requires you to be in a certain place at certain times. You have a set number of vacation days and a limited amount of control over your schedule.
Policies vary from company to company, but many give employees some amount of flexibility over their working hours. If you want to start at 5:00 AM so you can finish work early and take night classes, or if you prefer to work in the evenings and want to be able to sleep in, working from home may allow you to do so.
You also often have choices when it comes to locale. You can maintain a home office, work out coffee shops, or even take your show on the road. For those who love to travel, working from “home” may mean hopping from city to city on your next adventure. All you need is a strong internet connection.
Con: Maintaining a Healthy Work-Life Balance May Be Harder
A healthy work-life balance is key no matter what kind of job you have. However, when your personal life and your work are more closely intertwined than most peoples’, you have to be intentional about maintaining boundaries.
For example, having your work email open on the laptop you use to browse social media or work on your creative projects could lead to answering client inquiries during your leisure time. The same goes for your smartphone.
It can even be hard to switch your mental state from “work mode” to “home mode.” You may find it more difficult to kick back and relax than if you could easily take your job hat off when you step out of the office.
Establishing routines and setting clear boundaries between your work and your personal life will help. Having a dedicated workspace instead of working from bed or the couch helps tremendously. You could also consider having some kind of ritual at the end of your workday, like going for a walk or having a cup of tea to unwind.
Pro: You Can Create Your Ideal Work Environment
Speaking of a dedicated workspace, when you work from home, you can pick and choose the work environment solutions that are most appealing to you. You can buy a chair that provides the right kind of support for you, situate your desk in front of a window with a view, and keep your coffee maker on a timer so it brews fresh cups right when you need them.
Having control over your setup can make your working hours more comfortable. It may even help you be more productive by cutting down on distractions.
Con: You’re Surrounded By Distractions
On the other hand, distractions can be a major drawback to working from home. Whether you have laundry piling up, kids running around, noisy neighbors, or something else that threatens to pull your attention away from work, staying focused will be a challenge.
Traditional offices are designed to help you stay on task. You may have a cubicle, a secluded space of your own, or a functional co-working area where you can collaborate with teammates.
At home, you’re more likely to get pulled away from work by one of the many distractions around you. If you’re going to pursue this sort of career, you’ll need to put structures in place to help yourself stay on task.
One tool I like to use is a time tracking app like Toggl. In my experience, this helps me see how long it’s taking to complete certain tasks and helps me identify areas where I need to become more efficient.
How to Find Work-From-Home Jobs
Most job search sites, like LinkedIn, now have filters that allow you to easily search for remote work. There are also sites entirely dedicated to remote jobs, like FlexJobs and We Work Remotely.
In addition to looking for full-time remote work, you might consider freelancing. There are pros and cons to this arrangement, just like anything else! You can find freelance opportunities on all of the sites I mentioned above, as well as sites like Upwork and ProBlogger.
Conclusion
Deciding to work from home is an important choice. While every career has its pros and cons, jobs you can do from your couch come with particular challenges. There are lots of factors to consider beyond the appeal of working in your pajamas.
With a little planning, however, you can overcome the distractions that tend to pop up at home and build a thriving personal life for yourself outside of work hours. When you get past the most difficult aspects of working from home, you can focus on the many benefits it offers.
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Featured Image Credit: Pexels.
Molly Tyler
Molly received her B.A. in English in 2016, and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing in 2019. She now works full time as a digital content marketer.