These days, more and more people are looking at options available to them for being able to work from home.
There are lots of reasons for this, including the obvious fact that advancements in technology mean there are now far more viable opportunities for people to work from home.
The internet has opened up the world of online work and, of course, there are many part time jobs where you might need to be in the office occasionally but you can mainly work remotely.
The pandemic created a situation where lots of peoıple were forced to work from home and this has become a catalyst for demonstrating to employers that flexible hours and opportunities for working from home are options that can work.
Indeed, there is now an increasing amount of part time jobs advertised where working from home is promoted in the job ad.
If you are looking for part time work, working from home can be a great option for many of you but it does come with its pros and cons. You will need to decide, in your circumstances, what is best for you – and you will need to be careful to avoid those work from home scams.
We all have different traits and personalities and ways of working. For some, all of this may combine to make part time work from home jobs perfect for you. For others, you might be left craving for some time in the workplace.
What Are The Pros And Cons For You Working From Home?
Before you launch into applying for work from home jobs, let’s take a look at some of the negatives and the benefits of working from home.
This will allow you to make a more informed decision and give you the opportunity to get the most out of part time jobs that you apply for.
The Pros of Working From Home
Let’s start with the positives, first of all. Because there are lots of benefits to doing part time work from home jobs.
No Daily Commute
Part time work from home jobs mean you have no daily commute to make. This comes with many benefits of course.
It means you don’t have to rely on a car, for example, or public transport to get you to and from work. This, in turn, can save you lots of money on transport costs, fuel costs and maintenance.
It means you don’t need to leave the house in the dark winter months, in bad weather and queue in traffişce jams or crowd onto packed buses and trains to get to work on time.
Reduction In Childcare Costs
Part time work from home jobs mean you could save yourself a lot of money on childcare costs, which, if you are a parent, you will be more than well aware, can be very expensive.
For some types of work from home jobs, you might need to be at your desk at specific times of day but as we mentioned in a previous article about childcare and working from home, you might be able to positioın yourself so that you can still keep an eye on the kids and work at the same time.
For other types of work from home jobs, you might be able to work at a time of your choosing during the day, as long as you get the work done. This means you can plan your day around work and the kids and get work done when they are asleep, at school or out doing other activities.
Reduction in Clothing Costs
For some types of part time jobs, you might be required to dress smartly in business suits and footwear.
When you are doing part time work from home jobs, you can save money by not having to have a full ‘work wardrobe.’ For many roles, no one is going to see you so there’s no need to wear a work outfit.
Can Improve Work Life Balance
Many people who work part time do so so that they can improve their work life balance and give themselves time to do other things with family or to free up time for further study and training.
Work from home can improve this work life balance even more because you are reducing travel time. For many work from home jobs, you can also choose when you are working. This means you don’t miss out on watching the kids at sports day or other events. It also gives you more leisure time with family and friends or time to hit the gym . You have more opportunities to make time for yourself.
You Can Create Your Own Environment
Working from home part time means you can create your own environment. You can set up your own work station where you want it and how you want it – and choose the type of furniture you want.
If you like working to music or listening to the radio, you can do and – as long as you’re not talking on the phone or online to someone – you can play whatever music you want, all the time. No limitations or managers dictating the mood.
If you’re more productive in a bright, colourfıul space or when sitting on the sofa, you can do these things.
You are in control of your space, unlike if you are in a workplace and the decor and atmosphere is already there for you to deal with.
You’re Away From The ‘Office Politics’
If you’re an introvert, dealing with the extroverts in the office on a daily basis can become very tiring.
Some offices can even become toxic workplaces where staff are unproductive and speaking behind each other’s backs. Or there might be a manager who is just not doing their job but claiming the credit for others’ work.
Working from home means you are away from all of that and you can just get on with your job and get paid for it at the end of the week or month.
Increased Productivity
Working from home means you could boost your prıductivity. Depending on how you are paid for your work, this means you could earn more salary.
If your salary is fixed for the work you do, increased productivity means you could finish tasks more quickly, giving you more time to yourself.
Away from the general office chit chat and everything else going on in the workplace, you can get the job done.
And we all know that taking a break away from your desk every so often is good for you. It leaves you feeling refreshed and that in turn boosts your productivity.
On occasions, in workplaces, there might be a culture where staff work through breaks and lunch hours, eating their lunch at their desk. Working from home means you can get up and take a break away from your work. You can go for a walk or eat lunch together with your kids. You can make the most of the situation you are in.
Develop Your Skills And Learn New Ones
Working from home means you can develop and learn new skills independently. There might be equipment that you need to learn how to use or online processes you need to learn.
If you are looking to retrain, working from home can give you that time to do that as well as earning money to fund yourself through that training.
The Cons of Working From Home
With the pros of working from home, there are, of course, also some cons. Work from home jobs are not everybody for a number of reasons. Whether it’s your own personal traits or your circumstances at home, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why working from home all the time might not be right for you.
No Daily Commute
Yes, we did say above, the fact that you woulşdn’t have a daily commute is an advantage to working from home.
However, for some people, the journey to and from work is a benefit. Depending on where your workplace is, you might really appreciate that ‘you time’ when you get to walk or cycle to work in the fresh air – and even in the cold winter weather.
Or that time on the train or the bus can be your quiet time to yourself when you can listen to your favourite podcast or read a book.
Not all commutes to work have to be part of the morning stressful grind – especially if you are not limited to office hours when the roads and trains are busy. .
You Might Need To Purchase Specialist Equipment Or Upgrade What You Already Have
For some types of work from home jobs, you might need to purchase some specialist equipment where the money will come from your own pocket. This could initially prove costly, especially if it’s expensive laptops, software or hardware, for example.
In other cases, depending on where you live, you might need to pay out to boost your internet connection so that you can speak with customers or work colleagues in video chats.
You Might Feel Isolated
One ıof the benefits of part time jobs for many people is that opportunity to get to know new people and eventually make friends from work mates. If you work from home, you might miss out on that camaraderie and work social events.
Some workplaces that offer work from opportunities are aware of this and sometimes organise social events and get togethers so that socialising is encouraged.
Whilst some of you may thrive from learning in your own time, others of you might need that workplace environment where you feed each other with ideas and learn and grow in a competitive but supportive environment. Guidance and tips from more experienced or older staff is what you need rather than an independent learning situation.
You Might Not Be Able ‘Change Heads’
Going out to work can be a release for some people because they get to ‘change heads’ and leave home life behind for a while.
You might be a carer and going out to work allows you that release and change of identity for a while. Likewise if you are a parent; you get to become a cashier or office manager (or whatever part time job you are doing) for a few hours rather than being mum or dad. It’s a change of clothes, a change of identity and a change of scenery.
When you are working from home, there’s a chance that none of that will happen. There are strategies you can employ, however, to combat that. Whilst the pandemic was in flow, we wrote about tips for working from home whilst also looking after the kids and being that salesperson, marketer or whatever all at the same time.
You Are Limited In The Type Of Work You Can Do
There are lots of types of part time – and full time – jobs out there that don’t lend themselves to working from home and you need to be physically present in the workplace. This means you are limited in the types of roles you can do as a work from home job.
However, you can turn this into a positive. If you are convinced that working from home is the ideal solution for you, you could find the type of role you think you would like to do and retrain and learn new skills so that working from home is possible.
Working From Home Can Spoil Work Life Balance
Unless you are strict with yourself and get yourself organised, you could be in danger of allowing your work from home job to interfere with your work life balance.
The trick is not to allow your work life to become a part of your home life. Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of just sitting on the sofa all day with your laptop next to you. Make sure you have set hours where you are working and, at the end of those hours, you close the laptop or clear your workstation away and live your home life and leisure like when you are not working.
Procrastination Can Be A Problem
For many people, working from home makes them more productive because they don’t have the distractions of the workplace and they can create a space where they know they will be productive.
For some people, however, the temptation to procrastinate rather than getting work done can be powerful when working from home.
Taking that break to just watch your favourite programme, heading the the fridge for a few snacks, scrolling through your social media feeds. Even doing household chores. Anything to put off completing that task until later.
If this could be you, all is not lost. We have lots of tips for how you can remain proıductive when working from home.
So, whether you have decided a part time work from home job is ideal for you or you have decided that perhaps you are better off being in the workplace, take a look to see if there are any suitable part time roles out there to kickstart your career.
