Working From Home: Pros and Cons

Thanks to technological advancements and growing acceptance, working from home has become increasingly popular in recent years. More and more people are able to do their jobs remotely, and many employers are using different options to work from home as a lure to recruit highly qualified candidates. Working from home is undoubtedly an attractive option for many would-be employees, but as with most things, there are pros and cons to this burgeoning type of work.

Pros:

While working from home isn’t for everyone, it does have some undeniable advantages.

• Flexibility: Some WFH jobs allow you to set your own hours as long as the work gets done. You are able to work from anywhere as long as you have access to a reliable high-speed internet connection. Having this sort of control of your schedule can provide the type of work-life balance that is unachievable commuting to the office.
• Comfort: You can set your workspace up how you like, wear what you like, and have access to all of your home’s amenities. Spending breaks on the patio, couch, or even a quick nap in your own bed can be quite comforting. Be careful not to raid the pantry too often though.
• Cost savings: While there is likely to be an initial cost of setting up your home workspace, overall working from home cuts down on a lot of costs. Transportation costs disappear, you’ll eat out less, and you probably won’t have to buy any more ties or office clothes.
• Reduced stress: Studies* have shown that people who work from home experience less stress than those who work in an office. The largest factor in these findings was the lack of a daily commute. Other factors included having a more relaxed work environment, and the ability to work/rest when desired.

*Shimura, A., Yokoi, K., Ishibashi, Y., Akatsuka, Y., & Inoue, T. (2021). Remote Work Decreases Psychological and Physical Stress Responses, but Full-Remote Work Increases Presenteeism. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 730969. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.730969

Cons:

Working from home isn’t all sunshine and daisies though. Transitioning to WFH can be challenging, and the style of work can be a negative experience for some. Here are a few of the most common cons to working from home:

• Isolation: As social creatures, we crave interaction with other humans. Working in an office provides us with a plethora of daily socialization, while working from home can lead to feeling isolated if you don’t make sure to get out of the house. Studies have stated that “the numerous technological devices and services available cannot replace the mental health and well-being benefits of in-person communication.”*
• Distractions: Some may run into difficulty staying on task while surrounded by the many distractions their home has. Family, pets, the Playstation, and countless other things are a constant temptation. If you don’t have the willpower to avoid the distractions, working from home can be problematic.
• Lack of structure: With the freedom that working from home provides, there is also an added responsibility of structuring your work. You are responsible for creating and sticking to a schedule, and if you aren’t disciplined enough to do so, it can be disastrous. Without a set schedule, some may procrastinate and see a dip in their overall productivity.
• Overlooked challenges: Check out our article that dives deeper into the hidden challenges of working from home that everyone should know before they star their transition to WFH.

*Stieger, S., Lewetz, D. & Willinger, D. Face-to-face more important than digital communication for mental health during the pandemic. Sci Rep 13, 8022 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34957-4

Conclusion:

Only you can truly know if working from home is the right option for your needs. If presented with the option to do so, it would be wise to heavily weigh the pros and cons for yourself and see if working from home is the route you want to go. In any case, we know that DashyApp.com can help your time spent online be more efficient and your work more productive. Get more done in less time with our fully customizable widget dashboard for your web browser.

Join the Dashy community and interact with others who are interested in WFH! Check us out on LinkedIn, Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram.