Working from Home

This is not a “New year, new me” kind of blog. It’s been almost a year since I started working from home and wanted to commemorate that.

I used to be part of the harsh corporate world. Jumping from one company to another trying to find the right company, right boss, less politics, good compensation and benefits, work-life balance, and all that shit. Learning and growing as a professional and individual as years go by, with the realization that you can never have everything.

Then priorities changed.

My husband and I agreed that I take a leave from corporate work and the hellish daily commute, take a rest at home for a while. You see, we’ve been trying to conceive for some time now. When I say some time, I meant years. More than the physical toll on the female’s body, it’s more difficult when you have limited supply of moolah.

That being said, we started to look for ways we can earn a little extra while I still stay at home. We don’t have the facilities and funds for starting a small business yet, so slash that. Also, as much as I would like to start one, I feel that it wouldn’t fit me. However, lately, I’ve been enjoying selling some of our pre-loved or unused items.

Going back, since I love typing so much (Oh yes I do, ever since my parents got me my own typewriter for that Typing Class in high school), we tried searching for Work-from-Home jobs. We were careful since there are a lot of scams online. Luckily, I found a good contract allowing me to earn enough. There are set policies, of course, but I’m pretty much free so long as I complete my required weekly hours.

There are both advantages and challenges in working from home, contrary to what most think. Don’t roll your eyes, you. Here are some pros and cons of working from home based on personal experience, and those shared by friends with similar circumstances.

PROS:

• No more commuting. Particularly with the traffic situation here in the Philippines, this is one hell of an advantage. You don’t have to wake up really early and worry that you’ll still be late for work.
• No office politics. Because there’s no office. Haha! Kidding aside, there’s almost no politics involved since there is minimal interaction with other people. You do your work the way you are expected to, that’s it. No bad vibes to ruin your mood and drain your energy.
• You are your own boss. This applies if you are managing your own business and don’t need to report to anyone.
• You get paid exactly for the hours that you do. In the Philippines, most employers or bosses expect their employees to “do the extra mile” almost every time. This means providing extra services that’s no longer on your job description, or doing extra hours without proper compensation or even a “thank you”; because that’s what’s expected of employees. Otherwise, they will score low on their evaluation. However, this may also count as a disadvantage to some because it means no paid leaves, holiday pays or bonuses. (So sad right?)
• You manage your hours. So long as the contract or agreement with the client permits, you can work on your own time.  Whether you are more comfortable working in the day or at night, during weekdays or weekends, is all up to you.
• You work at the comfort of your own home. Although working on the bed with your laptop on your lap would not be advisable.
• You are always with your family and loved ones. This is very comforting, particularly for those whose spouses are working at odd hours, and mommies who want to be with their children.
• No work-related stress. This is connected to working at your own pace, being your own boss, and managing your own deadlines.
• You can focus more on what you want to do. You can have more time with family or explore new hobbies.

CONS:

• No stable income. Since it’s rare for work-from-home contracts to offer fixed hours or regularization, there’s always that fear that you won’t have a job tomorrow. As for small business owners, their income would be solely dependent on the orders they get from clients.
• No social life. You will tend to rely mostly on social media and mobile services for interaction. Or make an effort to go out and meet with friends. This may just be me. Lol! Mobile data and Wifi are bad for the health and pocket. Lately I’ve been hooked with social media and online shopping. I think I need rehab. Haha! XD
• Rarely gets exposed to sunlight. I’m a homebody. You literally have to drag me out of the house if you want me to go somewhere.
• You need protection from glare. I used to have 20/20 vision. Now, I’m not so sure. I’ve been having blurry vision and headaches as of late. Need to have my eyes checked. I might have to get graded glasses soon, not just the anti-glare ones.
• You work on your own time. As you may have noticed, this was also listed on the Pros above. I listed this on Cons because when you are working from home, temptation to put off work is really big. This is not good if you have deadlines to meet or hours to complete.
• Managing work includes managing house chores. You get this right?
• Sedentary lifestyle. Getting fat. Yes I know, I need exercise. I’ll start tomorrow. I think I said the exact same thing yesterday. ;p

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not sad or lonely as others would think or say. I’m actually content with what I have right now. As I mentioned earlier, I’m a homebody. I love staying home, except when we’re going to eat out. I love eating more. Hahaha! I like quietly working at home just doing my own thing, while my husband sleeps within arm’s reach. When my husband leaves for work, our two babies (dogs) keep me company. This was a choice my husband and I made together and we’re happy with how things are going. I may not be earning that much, but it’s enough.

These Pros and Cons are subjective and differ depending on the circumstances or perspective of a person. The best way to figure these out is to try them yourself.

If you have experienced working from home, whether similar or different from mine, I’d love to hear it. Please leave a comment below. 🙂