Working from home is the dream of many people, but it’s not always as straightforward as it seems.
As a remote worker, you can have much more flexibility in your day-to-day schedule, and you don’t have to deal with long commutes or office politics.
However, there are some challenges such as having limited social interaction and getting a serious computer problem that comes with working from home that you may not have considered before.
Here are some common problems that remote workers face while working from home:
Lack of Time Management Skills
Working at a job that doesn’t require you to be physically present at one location can be difficult when it comes to time management. You have to learn how to manage your time properly in order to get everything done on time, or even ahead of schedule.
If you don’t have good time management skills, then you may find yourself running behind in your work all the time or not being able to handle all the tasks at once.
To combat this tendency, set goals for yourself and make sure that you stick to them. If you need help managing your time, use an online calendar or app to keep track of appointments, meetings, and other obligations.
Discipline Issues
While discipline is important in any job, it’s even more critical when you’re working from home because there aren’t any other people around to keep you on track with deadlines and responsibilities. If you’re not disciplined enough, this can lead to missed deadlines and being late on payments.
Distractions
Another problem that many people who work from home experience is distractions. For example, if someone knocks on the door or calls while they are working, they may answer or even go visit with them instead of just saying no thanks and getting back to work like they would if someone came into the office.
Some people even find themselves spending too much time on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter when they could be working instead.
Computer Problems
The biggest problem most people have when working from home is computer issues. You need your computer to be up and running at all times in order to do your job. If there is a problem with your computer, you will not be able to get any work done until it is fixed.
Common computer problems include;
Computer Monitor Ghosting
What is it and what does ghosting look like? Monitor Ghosting is a problem that appears on the screen of an LCD monitor, which causes a trail of images to appear on the screen. The ghost image will remain visible for about one second after the original image is replaced by another image. It is called ghosting simply because it looks like a ghost image on your screen.
The Screen Is Blank
It’s happened before: You’re just getting into work mode when suddenly… nothing happens. Your computer is frozen and there’s nothing you can do about it. If this happens often enough, it will definitely affect your mood and productivity level at work.
Screen Freezing
Freezing occurs when your computer becomes unresponsive to user input or freezes completely. This problem can occur for many reasons, including overheating or defective hardware; outdated drivers; malware infection; corrupted registry entries, etc.
It Takes Time to Set Up a Home Office
Working from home is more than just setting up your laptop at the kitchen table and calling it a day.
You need to find a place where you can set up your desk without being in the way of family members or other household responsibilities.
Equipment needed to Set Up a Home Office
If you want to set up an office for yourself at home, you will need to invest in equipment such as computers and printers. You may also need other accessories like a scanner and fax machine.
Good Internet
If you are running an online business, you will have to invest in a high-speed internet connection so that your customers can access your website easily and get information about your products or services quickly.
Furniture Such as Desk and Chair
You need proper furniture such as a desk and chair if you want to work comfortably at home. These days, most people prefer ergonomic chairs with adjustable height positions because they offer maximum comfort while sitting for long hours on end.
Set up a separate phone line or cell phone for business calls so that family members aren’t disturbed by client inquiries during dinner time or bedtime hours.
Lack of Office Culture
Working from home means being disconnected from the physical environment of an office and its social aspects. You might miss out on getting together with co-workers for lunch or happy hour at a local bar after work, missing out on “water cooler talk” and other opportunities for professional development and networking.
Isolation
Studies show that employees who work remotely are more likely than in-office workers to feel isolated or lonely especially if they don’t have regular check-ins with their managers or coworkers via video calls or instant messaging services like Slack or Skype.