Home offices can be amazing places for professionals to get work done without leaving the comfort of their own homes. However, they can also be extremely limiting in many ways. Working from home seems ideal on the surface, but there are many flaws in the plan that workers tend to overlook. Here are a few red flags that you should watch out for if you are working out of your home office. If you relate to any of these scenarios, it’s probably time to look into getting a desk at a shared office or flexible workspace in the near future.
When You Have to Apologize to Clients
Home offices have the potential to create chaos in your work environment. The line between what is home and what is work often blurs. If you have other people living with you, receive a delivery, or have other interruptions during your interactions with your clients, it can look unprofessional. You need to remember that working from home doesn’t mean that clients will be more forgiving if you have to constantly hop off of a call to deal with personal matters. If you are always apologizing to your clients for interruptions and the demands of your home life, it is absolutely time to get yourself an office outside of your home.
When You Can’t Use the Latest Tech
You might think your workspace is advanced enough, but if you look at other well-established businesses in the field you might find you are lacking. Since you do not have an IT team or tech guru advising you on when it is time to upgrade your tech, you might be missing out on new software and hardware. Some shared office spaces give the people who work there access to new tools and tech that can help them to do their jobs better. These office spaces also typically have very fast and reliable internet connections that can allow you to work at a fast pace. Home internet connections are often slower and can be expensive to get to business-quality speeds. If you find your video chats constantly look fuzzy or your download speeds are slow, it is probably time to look into upgrading from your home office to a more professional space.
When Your Turnaround Times are Slower
At first operating out of a home office might seem like you will get more done. You’re constantly able to be connected and involved since your office is always just a few steps away. However, as time goes on, you might find yourself getting lazier about your work because it seems like you are always at your job. Going into an office every day signals your brain that it is time to work. Leaving every day gives your brain a signal that work, for the most part, is done for the day. If you never leave your office you might never get the sense that work is truly over. Instead of working all the time, you might get slower with your assignments because you are drained. Getting an office space will give you that physical cue that your work needs to be done within certain hours instead of whenever you get around to it. Being surrounded by other people who are working hard can also motivate you to work more efficiently and quickly.
Where you work best is very personal to you. Knowing how you are the most efficient and where you can get into a good work groove is very important. People often get locked into a routine and tend to forget that there are other options. If your home office is no longer allowing you to do your best work, consider upgrading and getting a refreshing new perspective on your work.
