Part 2: Drawbacks of working from home

It’s only fair - if you highlight the good you must highlight the bad. After racking my brain for the last hour, I was able to create five drawbacks to working from home (Surprising, I know). Follow up to: Part 1: Luxuries of a home office.

Top Five Drawbacks:

1. Co-worker animosity. I realize it is unfair when only a select few are able to work from home and that it is not me they hate, but the system. They were not born with nor did they learn the proper negotiation skills required to land such a sweet deal.

2. Connectivity Issues. VPN, Remote Desktop Connection, LAN, Wireless Internet – words that should only be used space shuttle are the lifeline to my home office. However, while technology advances our society in many ways, it can also be the most frustrating obstacle. This could be the reason there is now an official system administrator appreciation day (The last Friday in July, if you were wondering).

3. Distractions. By far the number one drawback AND the number one benefit. There are so many excuses one can use to avoid putting in a full 8 hours when the work load is low. My dog needs a run. The living room needs cleaning. The beach chair is empty. The beer is cold.

4. Responsibility. With all of the distractions one may face, comes more responsibility. Effective time Management, increased work flow, ability to meet deadlines, and efficient communication skills are all needed. Lack of any attribute listed above could lead to a full time in office position, or worse, no position at all.

5. Exclusion from Free Friday Bagels. It’s a tradition, each Friday free bagels are laid out nicely in the break room complete with various flavors of cream cheese and jams. This platter of greatness is truly the epitome of perfection.