The freedom to set your own hours, no commuting, and lack of coworkers constantly stopping by your desk are only a few of the benefits that working from home has to offer. But despite these benefits, there are also some consequences to working remotely that could be taking their toll on your productivity. Here are five things that could be slowing you down when working from a home office:
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No Sense of Urgency
If you aren’t really in the mood to complete a project, there is no one at your home to force you to do it. Because of this, it’s easy to think that it’s fine to put off work until later. The flexibility that comes with working from home can be amazing, but it can also significantly hurt your productivity. When you are stuck in a corporate office with nothing to do but work, it is much easier to get things done.
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Lack of Coworkers
Everyone has days when they would rather not interact with their coworkers and would like to work from home in their pajamas. However, doing this every single day can pose some significant problems. In fact, your coworkers may be doing more for your productivity than you even realize.
For instance, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer stirred up a lot of controversy in 2013 when she argued that having those impromptu hallway and office conversations can lead to innovation and creativity. There are certainly people who can benefit from working from home, but others may need the help of coworkers to get the creative juices flowing.
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Unavoidable Distractions
Many people who want to work from home usually forget to consider how distracting it might be—especially if you have kids and pets running around. When you are working out of your own home, you will probably discover that it isn’t as quiet of a place as you thought. Whether it’s your neighbor noisily mowing their lawn or birds chirping loudly, there are many distractions at home that can slow you down while working.
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Difficulty Sticking to Tasks
How many times have you found yourself doing a household chore simply because you didn’t want to do work? While some of us are great about sticking to a schedule on our own, others need help to stay the course. Working remotely means that you must find new ways to keep yourself on time and working diligently. For better time management, it might be useful to rely on apps such as Evernote to keep you on track while working from your home office.
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Poor Communication
Our technology may be impressive in 2016, but it still can’t fully replace in-person meetings and conversations. Building comradery in the workplace can help us be more productive at work, and this is extremely difficult to do when you work remotely. In addition, we can also miss a lot by not being able to read body language or tone. This can lead to miscommunications in the workplace that can range from minor to catastrophic.
Avoid These Productivity Killers With Your Own Office!
Working from home may have some distinct advantages, but it simply isn’t the right choice for many professionals. If you are looking to boost your productivity and maximize your revenue, consider renting a professional office space at YourOffice Ballantyne. With flexible lease terms, beautiful office and meeting spaces, and a wide array of amenities, YourOffice Ballantyne sets you up to be at your most productive. Contact us today to find the office solution that works best for you!
