Top Pros and Cons of Working from Home

Working remotely means that you can essentially work anywhere, especially with smartphones, laptops and tablets becoming staples in everyone's technology collection.

At home, you can work in your pajamas or yoga wear and have access to all of the things that keep you comfortable--your music collection, favorite teas or coffee, blankets and pillows, etc.

Although all team members at ASEC log onto Skype during work hours for easy communication, there is still something to to be said about communicating with people face-to-face. Conversations can be had in the office that aren't possible via Skype, and you get to know your coworkers on a more personal level when you see them every day.

Fuel costs are considerably lower when you can work from home.

In any office, there are certain programs and technologies that are limited to office access for security reasons. If you need access to documents on those servers, you have to rely on others to pull that information for you in a secure manner.

Not only do you save time and gas money from a diminished commute, but you also have instant, free access to the food in your fridge--limiting the need to go out for lunch and giving you more money to spend on the weekends.

Home Internet systems, or the connections between them and office systems, can be unreliable, with midday crashes or disconnections that require numerous resets or error fixing.

If your FedEx delivery person is attractive, working from home means that you're the sole recipient of his or her attention--at least until you sign for the package and he or she drives away.

If your FedEx delivery person is more reminiscent of Kiefer Sutherland in "Eye for an Eye," you might feel safer meeting in an populated office.

If you have pets or young children at home, they can pose a challenge to your productivity, as your presence means to them that you're available--and your love for them can make it hard to focus on the task at hand.

In an office environment, especially if you're in a cubicle space, privacy is at a premium, and everyone around you can be privy to your phone conversations, Internet searches and overall work process. Working from home largely eliminates this--unless, of course, your house is full, too.

Lots of studies have proven the value of dividing work spaces from personal spaces in the home. The bleed-in of work and home has a twofold effect--when you're working, it can be harder to focus if you're in a space meant for relaxation (i.e. your living room or bedroom); if you're trying to unwind, being in the same room where you usually do your work can make it difficult to relax. Having a dedicated space for work and nothing else is a good solution, if you're able to do so.

If you're extra-sensitive to your environment, working from home offers great opportunities to maximize inspiring aesthetics of your surroundings with the use of candles (such as soothing and energizing scents like lemon grass and green tea), colors (on your wall or objects arranged around your desk), and sounds (like the calming sound of rain or a motivating piece by Chopin) without worrying about distracting other employees.

Having a lot of freedom to personalize your space, wear what's most comfortable, eat what you want and when you want, etc., can sometimes pose more challenges than convenience. Working from home (or any remote location) requires self-determination, focus and prioritization skills that employees need to cultivate in order to succeed in a home environment.

When you're home by yourself, rather than in the workplace, not only can you listen to music as loud as you want, but you can also sing along--as loud as you want.

If you live with others who are also home during the day, they may not understand that, even though you're in your pajamas and singing along with your favorite music, you are actually working. They may see your presence as an open door to chat or give you chores to do, so you have to be very firm in explaining that you are, in fact, very busy.

Pro: you get to cuddle your pets any time you like!