Recent years have seen an increase in the number of home-based businesses. If you could work remotely, then you naturally start to think about working for yourself rather than for someone else. A work-from-home business can be convenient, flexible, and potentially lucrative. However, there are also a lot of drawbacks that may make you think it’s not worth your time and resources.
1. Working From Home Makes You Less Productive
There have been a lot of studies with regard to remote work in recent years. According to a study carried out for the University of Chicago, nearly 60% of their survey respondents found their work-from-home lifestyle more productive than expected, while 14% said it was less productive.
With this particular study, it appears as if working from home is proven to be better than working in an office, but it’s also a fact that 14% find that it’s less productive for whatever reason. You can take longer breaks, work fewer hours, stay up as late as you can, and sleep longer hours. Whether you have more difficulty focusing or not is up to your ability to control.
2. You Can't Get Away From Your Work
You're always going to be thinking about work, and you're always going to have to be available for work. This can be really stressful, and it can make it hard to enjoy your life outside of work. There is no such thing as a lunch break or coffee break. You’re always working, which can lead to burnout. They all talk about scheduling every day and giving yourself regular breaks throughout the day to take a walk, meditate, read, or just relax. You “don’t have time” for any of that.
3. You're Always On The Clock
The 9-to-5 work day is a thing of the past - while this might seem like a dream come true for some, it can actually be a nightmare. You're actually always on the clock. There is no such thing as clocking out at the end of the day. You're always on call, which can be extremely stressful. Not to mention, it's tough to get any personal or family time when you're constantly working.
4. You Have To Pay For Your Own Office Space And Equipment
If you're running a business from home, chances are you're not going to have the same office space or equipment as a traditional business. This can be a major disadvantage, as it can limit your productivity and creativity. Not to mention, you'll have to pay for all of this yourself.
5. You Have To Be Organized And Disciplined
There are two major problems with work-from-home businesses: they require organization and discipline, which are two things that most people lack. You have to be able to keep track of your appointments, deadlines, and client communications. If you're not organized, your business will quickly fall apart.
6. You Miss Out On Office-Worker Stuff
If you work from home, you're missing out on one of the best parts of office life: camaraderie. There's nothing like bonding with your coworkers over coffee in the morning or sharing a laugh at lunch. When you're working from home, you miss out on those little moments that make work feel like, well, fun.
Also the office politics - you don't get to see who's backstabbing their colleagues, and who's sleeping with whom. All of that important information is hidden from you, and you're at a disadvantage because of it.
In other words, networking opportunities. When you're not in the office, you don't get to interact with colleagues and build relationships that can benefit your career. You don't get to be part of any team projects or brainstorming sessions, and you don't get to go out after work with your coworkers and bond. These are all important aspects of career growth that are only possible if you're physically in the office.
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7. You Have No Support System
When you work from home, you're on your own. There's no one around to give you feedback or help you troubleshoot problems. This can be incredibly isolating and make it difficult to stay motivated. Building a support system for yourself isn’t easy.
On paper, this can be as simple as having regular check-ins with friends and family or joining an online community where you can connect with other remote workers. Having people to talk to who understands your situation can make all the difference. But when you have all your time and freedom for yourself, why bother?
8. You Don't Get Any Company Perks
One of the main reasons why work-from-home businesses are useless is that you don't get any company perks. This means that you won't get any of the benefits that come with working for a traditional company, such as health insurance, paid vacation days, or a retirement plan. Additionally, you'll also have to pay for your own office space and equipment, which can be expensive.
9. You Get Distracted (1) - Communications
There are a million things competing for our attention at any given moment, and it's tough to stay focused on anything for very long. Whether you're working from home or in an office, it's easy to get sidetracked by things like social media, email, phone calls, and the never-ending stream of news and information.
It can be difficult to stay motivated and productive when you're constantly being pulled in different directions.
10. You're Always Working Alone
If you're running a work-from-home business, chances are you're always working alone. You don't have colleagues to chat with or collaborate with on projects. This can be quite isolating, and it can be hard to stay motivated when you're constantly working by yourself. You might not have anyone to talk to during the day, and you might start to feel like you're not really part of the world anymore. This can be really depressing, and it can make it hard to keep going with your business.
Finally, it can be tricky to establish a healthy work/life balance when you work from home. It's easy to find yourself working long hours, since there's no set time when you need to punch out for the day. This can lead to burnout and resentment towards your business.
11. Virtual Relationships Will Make You Freaky
You can't build relationships with people like you do in the office. So you desperately try to build relationships with people through social media or some online communities, but it's not the same as actually being in the same room with someone and building a rapport.
You don’t know who really they are, and they don’t know you either unless both parties are willing to chat via webcam. That kind of virtual communication method can damage your mental state over time.
12. You Get Distracted (2) - Household Chores
Your home office should have nothing but a desktop, internet connection, pen and paper, and bottled water. Your access to YouTube or social media should be blocked. But that’s not possible, and therefore your work at home is hugely distracting.
It’s difficult to stay focused when there are things around you that need to be done. It's easy to start thinking about all of the things you need to do around the house instead of focusing on your work. And even if you're able to push those thoughts out of your head, they can still distract you from what you're trying to do.
Maybe you've gotten up to do laundry and ended up doing the dishes too. Or maybe you've taken a break to vacuum and ended up dusting the furniture. You might start working on something and then get pulled away by another task. Before long, hours have gone by and you haven't accomplished anything. If this happens often enough, it can be tough to keep your business afloat.
Whatever the case may be, it's easy to get sidetracked when you're working from home. And when you're trying to run a business, that can be a major problem.
13. You're Not Getting Enough Exercise
If you're not used to working from home, it can be easy to let your fitness fall by the wayside. After all, there's no one around to hold you accountable for taking a break to go for a walk or hit the gym. But if you want to be productive, you need to find ways to move your body throughout the day.
Exercise improves cognitive function and all. If you can make it a priority, get up early and get yourself moving for at least half an hour, it will make a difference. But then you’ll be sitting around all day. Unless your mind and body scream for another exercise, a work-from-home business can get you a real sluggish person in the end.
14. And You Get Fat
You can have as many coffee breaks as you want.
- With a croissant or two each time.
- Followed by chips, cakes, cheese and crackers.
- Get a pizza delivered for lunch.
- By 3 pm, you start cooking dinner.
No one will stop you from doing all that.
15. It's Not Really Saving You Money
There are a lot of work-from-home businesses that claim to save you money, but the truth is, they're not really saving you much at all. For one thing, most of these businesses require you to buy their products in order to get started, which can be pretty pricey. Additionally, many of them also charge monthly fees, which can add up quickly. Finally, most work-from-home businesses don't offer any sort of income protection, so if something goes wrong, you could end up losing a lot of money.
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