Work at Home Education Center

Below are five myths that many people mistakenly believe about telecommuting. Remember, working from home is just a change in where you work. The job itself is still what it was in the office.

Myth #1: Life Is Hassle Free!

Think working from home is all roses? Sure it has it's advantages but let's stay realistic. Working from home brings it's own set of hassles and problems. Not only do you have to set up your office all on your own and have adequate equipment, but you must create an atmosphere suitable for working as well. Other problems that often come up are those that require technical support. If you're computer breaks down and you're physically in the office, it's much easier to get support and/or a spare computer to work with. When you're at home, you have to rely on yourself a lot more.

Myth #2: You Don't Have To Deal With Coworkers And Office Politics

While working outside the office secludes you from coworkers somewhat, you have to work even harder at maintaining communication. Especially if you work in a team environment. And those office politics that you miss out on are sometimes important pieces of "unofficial" information that you may be the last one to find out about.

Myth #3: No Need For Daycare

Working from home is not a substitute for daycare. You'll have responsibilities and people relying on you, and can't be expected to get your job done and watch children at the same time. Even if your children are quiet and well behaved, they won't get the attention they deserve if you try to be all things to all people. Realize that working from home is still a REAL job. The moment you start thinking of it as anything other than a real job, you'll run into trouble.

Myth #4: You Can Work Whenever You Want

Maybe if you worked for yourself, you can choose the hours you work. But most people who telecommute are working for a company. Companies have established working hours for a reason. Their clients and people who rely on them need to know their availability. The same applies to you. Although working from home may allow you some flexibility on when you start and end your day, don't confuse it with working for yourself. And on a side note, those that do work for themselves often times work ten times harder due to the makeup of their entrepreneurial personalities and demands of running a business.

Myth #5: Finally, No Distractions

This is your ultimate goal when setting up a home office - create an atmosphere with little to no distractions. Although it should be a goal, do not expect it to be the case all of the time. You'll have different types of distractions working from home versus being in the office. You'll still need to learn ways to manage those distractions and maximize your productivity.