Pitfalls of working at home

There are many people who consider the possibility of working at home and feel that it is a great option for them. The problem is that not everyone understands that there are pitfalls of working from home. Common complaints include lower income, paying your own taxes and having to deal with your own insurance needs. This may be the tip of the iceberg when you are considering whether to work at home.

Equipment and software

Working in an office and having a boss is not always fun. However, stop and think about the tools that are accessible at work.  Freelancers might discover the equipment and tools needed are a substantial financial investment.  Those work at home are going to need a business phone, computer and software. In addition, most will need to deal with backing their computer, being able to make copies (if necessary) and being able to send faxes.

While there may be free or low cost options for many of the functions that are required, those who are considering working from home need to make sure they are prepared for the worst. Free software does not always work for specific client needs which can create compatibility issues.

Work is not always steady

One of the best things about working for a company is that most people know when and how much their next paycheck is going to be. Unless your work at home job is a telecommuting postiion, chances are that this will not be the case. Freelancers or other small business owners often find that as the month progresses, that they may be worried about making enough to cover their bills.

Although it may seem like a great idea to work at home, if money becomes a constant source of worry, then freelancers may find themselves under a great deal of stress.  There are certain ways to minimize the risk of being without a steady income but they do take time to develop.

Friends and family

The best work at home position (even telecommuting) is going to cause problems with friends and family.  It is often challenging to get across the message that being home does not mean being free to drop everything. This challenge often takes some time to overcome; without tight controls however deadlines can be missed and opportunities may dwindle.

Getting friends and family to understand the difference between work time and free time may take some time. It is important to prevent this problem from interfering with assignments and deadlines.

Working from home offers some great benefits including saving on clothing, automobile expenses and a number of other expenses. This does not mean that working at home is not without pitfalls. Understanding work at home pitfalls before getting started can help increase the probability of success.