7 Downsides of Working From Home -- and How to Sidestep Them!

Are you picturing the glamorous entrepreneur lifestyle? Thinking of starting your own business? Most new entrepreneurs (at least initially) begin working from home. Make sure you are prepared for the downsides of the switch from busy corporate office, to your living room. Being prepared can help you sidestep the shock of the change, which can leave many new entrepreneurs feeling confused or depressed.

• You are isolated at home -- this is one of the biggest problems for new entrepreneurs. Even the most introverted person will be thrown for a loop when they find themselves alone ALL day, with a laptop and a dream. There is no friendly banter or hello or goodbye to the receptionist and co-workers. Fix it -- You must create a social life for yourself. I believe you need 5 friendly interactions per day to stay in a happy, centered place. I make a point to schedule in plenty of social time with friends, volunteering, and when I meet with clients I always greet the security people warmly, or chat with the receptionist a bit before they meet me for their session. Also occasionally using g-chat (or other messengers, or texting) can be a fun way to stay connected during the day. If nothing else, going out to work from a cute cafe and saying hello to the usual barista, will bring many of the perks of working with others. When I meet with partners for events or have meetings, I make a point to catch up and ask how they are doing as well. These people really become my friends, which is simply more enjoyable.
• Sometimes your apartment or home is noisy -- In New York City at least, you may find that your apartment office is accosted with construction sounds, children playing outside, cabs honking, neighbors practicing for Carnegie Hall (or so they think), or other sounds you'd never expect -- this is NYC after all. At a home, you may have lawnmower sounds, or loud neighbors. If you've been used to being at the office during the day, you might have no idea what sounds may exist from 9 to 5. This can impact your work calls, or simply be an annoying distracting. Fix it -- Ask your broker if a potential apartment is noisy, and ask to stop by at various times during the day. Also ask neighbors you see in the hallway about noise level, and check any online reviews (just google the address of the apartment). It's not fool-proof, but it's better than nothing. If noise is very bad, consider renting office space (shared spaces, where you only rent a desk, are much cheaper).
  
• You must be your own boss -- with no one glaring in your general direction, working at home means taking full responsibility of completing tasks, without a friendly kick in the pants. Fix it -- Write your daily "must finish or else" tasks on a sheet of paper that you keep close to you all day. If you don't do your tasks, give yourself a small punishment, and/or reward, depending on what you respond to best. Ask yourself which of your previous bosses managed you the best, and try to copy some of their tricks.
  
• It takes a lot of discipline and various tips and tricks to keep motivated, and get all of your tasks done. Fix it: Make sure to have a separate work area, but of course it can be tempting to do other tasks -- such as surfing Facebook, or setting up weekend plans. Write out lists of priority tasks each day to ensure they all get accomplished. That said, discipline is a habit -- if you can brush your teeth every day, you can learn to be disciplined.
• It's easy to not get dressed -- there is no outside motivation for putting on a nice dress or suit, when you could stay in those baggy PJ pants. However, you will feel slovenly if you let yourself stay in those sweat pants all day -- unless you are going to the gym. Fix it: Make a point to always get dressed in the morning. When you call clients, throw on some heels or a collared shirt -- it really will help your attitude, and you'll feel more presentable when the Fed Ex guy shows up. It's also encourages you to go out to run errands or hunt down prospective customers or clients when you're already dressed.
  
• You don't get pats-on-the back -- In an office, strokes are easy to come by. "Good jobs" and "nice works" seem to float in the air -- at least, they do compared to your home office, where the thin air is certainly not going to give you such feedback! Fix it: You need to learn to give yourself positive feedback, by writing down goals, and also celebrating results and achievements. I have my clients list out their proudest moments as entrepreneurs, including hurdles they've jumped over -- so they can give themselves these pats-on-the back.
  
• You need to create structure -- Working from home means no set schedule. So it's all on you to project manage your entire work load, deciding on priorities, estimating time-lines, and so on. And you're fully responsible for all outcomes. This can of course be a lot of pressure when you wake up Monday morning and think, "Wait, what was I suppose to be working on again?" Fix it: Charts, lists, and calendars are vital here, to creating and maintaining structure and goals. It doesn't matter what your system is, but it needs to work for you. If nothing else, buy a big daily calendar and chart out your tasks for the next 1-3 months.
  

With a few fixes, working from home could be your ideal work space, or a great place to launch your venture, even if you do end up renting a big office down the road.

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