Why you should avoid working from home
With so much to fit into our busy lives, working from home is sometimes difficult to avoid. Having to wait in for a delivery (no-one wants their Jimmy Choo’s left out in the rain), doctors’ appointments and winter bugs are often behind days where e-mails are sent from a horizontal position. While of course this is okay from time-to-time, there are plenty of reasons why you shouldn’t login from the lounge.
Kick-off your busy day with a bit of fresh air and that coffee on the go
No matter how unattractive it is to leave your toasty duvet and traipse into the office, the fresh air, exercise (and coffee!) on the way helps to set you up for the day ahead. Arriving at your desk with an alert, de-cobwebbed mind will make for a far more productive few hours than shuffling to the kitchen in your slippers.
Working from home can get a little lonely
Being in an office environment encourages actual face-to-face communication – remember that thing?! You’re far more likely to strike up a conversation with your desk neighbour than you are with your kitten.
However much you like (or dislike) your colleagues, daily interaction is important. Having no reason to get dressed in the morning may seem like a luxury at first, but it can become depressing if it’s a permanent fixture. Office socials may also become a thing of the past, which can leave you feeling out-of-the-loop.
Good ideas require inspiration
Whether it’s in the lunchtime queue or in a toilet cubicle, some of our best ideas come about when we’re least expecting them. A change of scenery is far more likely to induce inspired ideas than staring at the same four walls. Colleagues are great to bounce ideas off, too – that’s a little tricky when Outlook is your only friend!
‘Out of sight’ can sometimes mean ‘out of mind’
Although you may well be putting the hours in, without seeing your face around the office, your seniors may not consider you as highly when thinking about promotions and projects in comparison to those who are visibly contributing to the office environment.
Home is where the heart is, but it’s mighty distracting, too!
Whether it’s your Friends box set, Tinder, household chores or your children, your home offers many alternative activities which you’re less likely to be tempted to do under your boss’ watchful eye. If you don’t have the opportunity to use office space, join the throngs of hot deskers who plug in at Starbucks. The background noise and lack of television will help you to focus on the job in hand – it’s likely that the Toffee Nut lattes will help, too!
Work hard, play hard is an age-old mantra, but it sticks!
Having no division between your work/life environment can be unhealthy. With an office so close to home, it can encourage you to work antisocial hours on a regular basis. While this is sometimes necessary, burning the midnight oil too often can impact on your relationships, health and even your sanity!
Of course, some find that this set-up works for them, but if you’re considering making the switch from commuter to sofa-surfer, it’s worth considering these cons before you take the plunge!
