If you're deliberating on working from home, two questions will run through your mind at least. The first is whether you can actually get work working from home, and the second is whether you can actually be as productive as you would be in a traditional office.
These two questions are questions that a lot of people have found personal answers to. For some, the answers are no. Working from home doesn't work out for everyone, and some people are eventually forced to dust their CVs and start applying for regular jobs. For others (like me), the answer is yes. Working from home frees them up, and even allows them to be more productive.
However, the answers to these questions do not entirely depend on outside forces. Most times, they depend on you and what you're willing to do to increase your productivity.
But before going into the question of whether the home office can match the productivity of the regular office space, let's see what makes the regular office so great.
Advantages Of The Regular Office Setting
Collaboration
A professional space means that you have an ideal space for collaborating with colleagues.
It Provides A Professional Space
The traditional office provides a professional space. Look at it this way. You're more likely to sit back and binge-watch a soap opera at home than you are at an office. Having a traditional space means that you have the right space to have meetings, bring clients, and work with others. If you have to meet clients in person for your business to be successful, a professional space may actually be the best for you.
It Gives You Control
A traditional office gives you control over your entire space. There are rules for who is let in, what times you're let out, and you're provided tools and resources that make your job easier. All employees have access to the same pool of resources, and that makes company culture all that easier to would.
But that doesn't mean it doesn't have it's own faults too. There are a lot of reasons why people prefer not to work in the traditional office setting, and some of them include
It's Expensive
Renting a space, especially in a commercial area, can be extremely expensive. Most people don't have that much capital lying around, so that makes the idea of setting up a traditional office very discouraging.
You May Not Be Comfortable
Say what you want about home offices, but they are extremely comfortable. Say what you want about regular offices, but when you think of them, you most likely don't think of comfort. For people who don't like working in high-intensity environments, a regular office may be a death sentence. Additionally, sitting in one place (like most regular offices force you to do) make damage your spine and introduce you to a world of backaches. With a home office, you have more control over how comfortable you are and how you want to work.
So what are the pros of a home office? Well, they are a lot.
Flexibility
That's the first thing that people enjoy when they start working from home. You don't have to resume by 9. You don't have to wake up by 5:30. You really don't have to do anything except work. In fact, you don't even have to change from your pyjamas (although I strongly suggest that you do).
It Saves Cost
With a home office, you don't have to spend money on commuting or spend money on fueling your car. You'll save money on that, and if you're an employer, you'll save money on rent as well.
Comfort
One of the biggest pros of working from home is that it brings comfort. You have control over your working hours and your tools, and if something doesn't suit you, you have the ability to change it almost immediately.
Most importantly, perhaps, you don't have to sit at a regular desk for hours. It isn't great for your spine, and a standing desk would actually do your back a world of good. You can make use of an Electric Height Adjustable Desk: 3-Stage Premium Option E5. It comes with an advanced all in one keypad that allows you to set your preferred height once and for all. Personally, working with a standing desk has been one of the great joys of working from home.
The question of whether the home office can match the output of the traditional office space depends on you, really. You have to be determined to be productive, and to put as many hours into your job as you would have had in an office. If you can do that, you'll be just as productive. And, importantly, you'll be able to work for longer because you will invariably be more comfortable.
