If you could, would you work from home?
By krebstar5
@krebstar5 (1266)
United States
April 5, 2007 8:12am CST
Last summer I had to work from home for almost a month while they did rennovations at my office. At first I was thrilled with the idea, but I found myself getting really lonely. I hated not having everything I needed at hand, and I also hated bringing my work into my home where I would usually like to relax and get away from work in the first place. And like I said, I was lonely from being alone all day.
This summer there are more plans for rennovations and I'm less than thrilled about it.
So, my question to my fellow MyLotters is this? Do you work from home? If you do, do you prefer it that way? Why or why not?
Also, for those that don't work from home, would you if you had the chance?
Thanks!
12 people like this
53 responses
@serena_wai (970)
• Malaysia
5 Apr 07
Hi, I have started working since two years ago and still enjoying working in the office. The only hard time is when I gotta get up from bed ;p
I envy those who have chance to work at home because of the flexibility of time management. They can avoid the morning and evening traffic jam, they can escape queueing in bank, post office and shop in hypermarket at their own sweet time. No hassles of a working life!
However I still not convinced to work at home because i have poor self-discipline. I see my house as a cozy place for me to relax, thus I would be easily distracted if i am working at home.
@serena_wai (970)
• Malaysia
7 Apr 07
Totally agree on the face-to-face contact. I like meeting peoples, especially nice and friendly people. Working give me a chance to meet different vendors, suppliers, customer, co-workers and customers. Meeting all type of different people let me learn more about people, community, social skills and I really enjoy it. While working online, most of the time, we deal online through emails, messengers or phones/faxes. Although you might know the latest technology or gadgets in the market thru your business, however, there is still lack of real human interaction as compare to working outside.
Anyway, working at home has its own pro's and con's. It suits well to certain people but not all. As long as you ar enjoying what you're doing, it really doesn't matter if it is working from home, in a factory, in a kitchen or in a jungle. This is also a reason why people still working although they won millions $$ from lottery. They are doing what they want to do.
1 person likes this
@kamalila (193)
• United States
5 Apr 07
You're right, working at home is certainly not for everyone. It would take some changes in my life, that's for sure.
The discipline thing is the hardest for many. One would think that since it takes discipline to get to the office on time, how much different would it be? But, when you think about it, all your toys are at home. At most you may have a desk-top puzzle box at the office. So, yeah, I can see the problem. For me, my computer is all the entertainment I really need.
The other problem is the lack of face-to-face. Most people need the daily contact with their co-workers. I'm good without it. When I need contact, I go out for a pie and coffee at the local restaurant. I always find someone to talk to.
2 people like this
@loved1 (5328)
• United States
5 Apr 07
I do work from home and I really love it. I run an in home daycare. This business allows me to care for my own children, thus avoiding the cost of paying a daycare. It also means I can be home when my two older children get home from school each day and I can take care of our household needs. It is nice to be able to have a nice supper ready for my family by supper time instead of running in the door at supper time and just starting to cook. I am home when the mail comes, when someone calls, when my children are sick and need to come home from school, when UPS needs to drop off a package, etc. I would not have it any other way.
3 people like this
@neilf49 (809)
•
5 Apr 07
If you had asked this question 18 months ago I would have said that I would love to work from home as I would have no distractions and could get on and do the job. However my circumstances have changed, I am now married and the prospect of being home with my wife all day is great, but I feel I would struggle to get on with my work.
Perhaps, as there are some areas of my work that could be done from home, maybe one day a week would be good, and I'll send my wife to town for the day hehehe.
@twilight021 (2059)
• United States
5 Apr 07
I think I'm actually with Krebstar on this one. I sometimes think I would love to work from home. Especially on really snowy or bad weather days. I think it would be ok once in a while, but as far as having scheduled "work from home time". I think in the long run, I would perfer to go into my office.
My job sometimes deals with a lot of negativity and in working from home, I would be bringing that into my house. Also, If I am set up to work from home, it would mean that I was assessable to people after hours. And Ilike Krebstar I would get pretty lonely. I once worked from home for 3 months. At the time I was living with a family memeber who traveled all the time and I would go days withouht having anyone to hang out with. The poor mailman probably cringed when he dropped off the mail because I would talk his ear off!
I think I perfer leaving work at work, and making home my place to be with family and friends.
3 people like this
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
5 Apr 07
I work part-time out of the home and I don't enjoy working for someone else, especially when I know they are making money off of my skills and not paying me enough money for what I do for them. This is a good incentive for me to work from home on the days I have off. Yes, it is lonely at times, but I have learned to enjoy my solitude. I take a break from time to time and take a walk outside, go out for a quick lunch, do a little shopping or listen to some music while I work. I much prefer it actually.
3 people like this
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I prefer to work from home. I am alone all the time, and I don't mind at all. I have worked for 5 years from the house. It is quiet, and nobody to contend with if I don't care for them. No body over my shoulder watching me. It's great for me to be home.
1 person likes this
@Buchi_bulla (8298)
• India
27 Feb 08
Working from home is a boon to mothers with small babies. They can take care of the baby, home and then work too and get money. But it has got it's own disadvantages. We will not have company which is essential for social circle and also to clarify our doubts and know about so many things. Mingling with people gives us courage and confidence. After all man is a social animal.
@salam1 (1474)
• Malaysia
11 Jan 08
I like to work at home provided I have a small room specifically for it and got more than enough income from it. I like to work alone actually. Kind of get a mild headache when many people around me, I cant concerntrate...
@dlkuku (1935)
• United States
5 Apr 07
I worked outside the home for years, and when I lost my job and had to sit home I was bored! I was babysitting, but spending all day with a five year old child was not what I had in mind. Maybe if I was doing some other work, but I found I really missed being out in the public with other people. I get enough alone time when I am home, I like working outside the home, for me it's an outlet.
1 person likes this
@sapphiresage (431)
• United States
5 Apr 07
I am a stay at home mom currently, but yes, I would love to work from home! I'm not a people person, so most office environments with their politics and gossip irritate me. I do enjoy the type of work that gets done in offices, though, so working from home would be perfect for me.
You said you didn't have everything you needed at hand last time. Perhaps that experience will allow you to be better prepared this time, as you now know what to expect.
However it turns out, I wish you luck. And if you get lonely, just remember us here on myLot.
@krebstar5 (1266)
• United States
5 Apr 07
Well, the problem was that there would be huge files that I could not bring with me do to confidentiality reasons. That meant that a lot of projects had to be adjusted or pushed back. I also hated the lag time. Before I could just walk over to my co-worker and ask a question. When I was at home, I would have to wait for them to email me back if they didn't answer the phone.
2 people like this
@kamalila (193)
• United States
5 Apr 07
Like sapphiresage, I am also a stay at home mom. Not much choice in the matter. Also like her, I would love to work at home. I've been looking very hard for just that opportunity. And not one of these business schemes either.
I do feel for your situation, though. I'm afraid there is not much you can do about the lag or the file situation. The best I can say is to have several projects in the works. If moving on one depends on an answer to a question, work on another until you get the answer or get at those darned files.
Me, I love working with my computer. I've often said that for me the ideal job was to sit me in a corner with a computer and tons of data to manipulate and I'd be happy. No reason I couldn't do that at home.
2 people like this
@gauravbansal7 (1)
•
5 Apr 07
YA I WOULD love to work from home. If it is possible.
2 people like this
@sonyareads (73)
•
25 Jan 08
Actually, I do both. I have my own home business that I do from home, and I work part time 3 evenings a week in a restaurant. I started my home business so that I wouldn't have to work outside the home after my last child was born, but found myself going stircrazy. I love being with my children, don't get me wrong, but I really need some adult conversation. So I went back to work. I was a server in a restaurant and I missed my job. I really missed the people I work with, they are all so great. It's hard to balance all of it, but it keeps me sane:)
@Stiletto (4579)
•
6 Apr 07
I used to work from home and to be honest it didn't work out well at all. I lack the self-discipline - the least little distraction was enough to get me to stop working. The other thing too is that friends couldn't get it into their heads that I really was working so they would drop in for coffee, etc. Then there was all the trashy daytime tv programmes that I love watching ...
Anyway I finally gave up last year and rented myself an office which is really working out much better - at least I get a days work done now. It's expensive but worth it because I'm making more money now. I think I'm the kind of person who needs the discipline and routine of "going to the office".
@ajithlal (14716)
• India
20 Dec 07
I had been working at home for the two to three months in the past year. I am working as a medical transcriptionist and there are lots of scope for working at home as a home transcriptionist. I felt very lonely and felt that I could not complete work as fast as I could at office. I think working for one or two days a week or once in two weeks are fine because we do not feel lonely and will be able to get more closer to family, but I do not htink working in a long term basis is good because most times we feel lonely and sometimes we feel that we need help on the work we are doing. I think we will relax and rest more or talk to others or to friends who visits our home and most times our work will be pending.
@mzbubblie (3839)
• United States
6 Apr 07
Oh how I wish I could work from home. At our office what we call it VO-Virtual Office. There are some organizations within the company that can work from home, I'm one of the less fortunate that have to wake up early and commute everyday :(.
For me, I it would help in so many ways, First being home and able to tackle all my chores instead of having to bunch them all in on the weekends, the commute can be crazy, I'm in traffic going and coming home. I could save money from the gas prices, now a days you don't know what's going on with the gas prices, it is very high right about now..
I could benefit so much staying home and working, plus I don't have to be around people to get my work done....
Great topic....
@bananamanuk (835)
•
6 Apr 07
I don't work from home, but I would really like to be given the opportunity to do just that. But I personally would like the flexibility to work at home and/or at the office, so that you still have the interactions with colleagues and the buzz of working in the office, I don't think it is particularly useful to be completely shut away from all of that, obviously that depends on the job. But I think being able to work from home a couple of times a week would be great, it would allow you to do other things as well, to work at the times that suit you, but clearly with the knowledge that you still had the same amount to acheive so no skiving off.
@ckaysung (27)
• Malaysia
6 Apr 07
well..work from home sure is comfortable...for those who already have family..work from home sure giving the chance to spend more time with your family which is valuable..well..if i am still single i prefer not to work from home..the reason is because single people need to be socialize..meeting people..make a life of ourselves..if not we will be bored...but if i am married..i prefer to work from home..as this will bring you closer to the family..esspecially closer to your children...
