Those who work from home boast its advantages: no commute, no early alarm clocks, a more flexible schedule. And the trend is undoubtedly becoming increasingly popular in today’s society. According to recent data, at least 4.3 million employees (3.2% of the workforce) work from home at least half of the time. But while life without a commute or dress code sounds quite appealing, you could be damaging your health and well-being by being cooped up at home all day.
Here are 4 surprising ways that working from home may be harmful to your well-being!
1. Difficulty with Work and Home Life Separation
Working from home is not the dream come true it’s made out to be. In fact, it can be quite harmful to your psyche. Having a commute home from work allows you to mentally detach from the stressors that your job may cause you. When you work from home that transition is no longer there, and the line between work life and home life becomes blurred. Think of it this way, it’s hard to leave your work at work when your office is literally down the hall from your bedroom.
2. Decreased Social Life
While working from home may be free of distractions from other folks in the office, it can be pretty rough on your social life. When you spend eight hours of your day inside with little to no human interaction, you will without a doubt begin feeling isolated. By working from home you automatically miss out on office friendships, which in the end make work life much more enjoyable!
3. Difficulty with Motivation
You can pretty much say goodbye to motivation if you decide to work from the comfort of your home. When you are not required to wake up early to get to the office, you can bet you’ll decide to sleep in. When you don’t have to get dressed, you can guarantee you will lounge around in your pajamas all day. When you aren’t faced with the typical social norms of the workplace, you will find that you are far less likely to do things that are good for your motivation levels, such as waking up early and looking your best!
4. Lack of Teamwork
New evidence finds that working from home can actually have negative effects on your creative thinking abilities. When you are surrounded by people with different thought processes than you, it’s easier to be innovative and come up with brilliant ideas! Through teamwork and bouncing ideas off your coworkers, you will undoubtedly be more successful in coming up with creative solutions. When the most interaction you have with your coworkers during the day is a Google Hangout, you can say goodbye to the magical powers of teamwork!
Thankfully, there is an option that combines the flexibility of working from home and the advantages of the face-to-face interactions you get in a traditional office: coworking!
Coworking spaces allow professionals of all stripes to keep their work life and personal life separate all while surrounding themselves with inspiring and creative people! In a survey of individuals who worked in coworking locations, 92% reported an increase in the size of their social circle, while 80% reported an increase in the size of their business network. And most of all, they found themselves happier, healthier, and more creative!
What is your reason for not getting out of the house and into the office every day?
