Working at Home - what's true, what's false

I wanted to discuss 4 comment misconceptions as it relates to working from hom.

Fallacy #1 - I will no longer need daycare - Not true, if you expect to get any work done. Working from home sure comes in handy when your child has an inservice day, or snow day, or is home sick, BUT in terms of an average workday, you still will likely need to have your child occupied in order to get anything accomplished and this often means putting them in daycare or having someone watch them during your core business hours. Speaking of business hours...

Fallacy #2 - I can make my own hours. Maybe this is true if you have your own business, but if you are working for someone else, you are expected to adhere to a schedule just as you would going into an office every day

Fallacy #3 - I'll work less. This is the biggest lie floating around out there. You actually are likely to work more hours working from home than if you were in an office. There is no hard stop at 5:00 pm to make the commute home. There are many times when I log onto work at 6:00 am and don't stop working until 9:00 pm that night.

Fallacy #4 - I will be alot more productive. This depends on your personality. Some people need to be micromanaged in order to work effectively. At home, there is no one looking over your shoulder to make sure your work is done. You need to be self directed to work effectively from home. Also, its a social adjustment as well. I've known many people who thought they wanted to work from home, but once they did, found it to be very isolating. If you are the type of person who thrives on water cooler talk in the office, lunches with coworkers and monthly cake and ice cream birthday celebrations in the conference room, working at home will be a culture shock for you. At home, its you and the work.


Working at home is great and has many benefits - Less times filing up the gas tank, less money spent on work clothes, lunches,etc. But it is not for everyone, it requires focus and a committment to productivity. Hopefully the above will help you assess whether working from home is right for you.