7 Challenges of Working from Home and How to Solve Them 

At TITANS, we’ve put together recommendations on how to overcome the most common complications of working from home – so that your productivity increases and frustration decreases.

No more lengthy commutes. No polite small talk at the coffee machine. You can even forget about uncomfortable suits or high heels. Working from home brings several benefits that have kept it in the market years after the pandemic ended. However, if it’s part of your career, you know full well that this mode isn’t perfect. Read on to find out how you can manage the usual home-office problems and make the most of remote work.  

1. Overwork 

Despite management’s concerns that people work less at home, it turns out that they tend to be rather overworked. With both their personal lives and work happening under one roof, they find it harder to switch off and are at risk of burnout. If this problem applies to you, try adding an after-hours schedule to your calendar to get you away from the computer. Similarly, setting reminders for breaks could also help. Then, when you wrap up work at the end of the day, make it clear to your team that you’re leaving, and turn off notifications on your phone along with your laptop. It’s best if you can create physical boundaries between yourself and your workspace, such as putting your laptop out of sight. 

2. Missing work plan 

When you work remotely, you don’t have management with you to supervise you in person. You need to excel in autonomy, time management and self-motivation to complete top-priority tasks. Fortunately, several techniques can help you do this. The best way is to eat the ‘frog’ right at the beginning of the workday. This is your most important task and one where you are at risk of procrastination. With the help of the Eisenhower Matrix, you will be able to prioritise and avoid less essential tasks that deprive you of time. Or you can apply the 1-3-5 rule: only do 1 big thing, 3 medium things and 5 small things a day. Remember that your energy rises and falls throughout the day, so be sure to rank your tasks in order of how much you can focus on them at different times of the day. You can also increase your productivity by using the Pomodoro technique. 

3. Caring for others 

Working from home allows you to avoid interruptions in the office, but the bad news is that you’ll probably have to deal with other kinds of distractions. These may include your children, courier service, pets, or relatives, for example. Sometimes, it ends up like in the viral video where Professor Robert Kelly had his small children invade his study room while he was doing a live interview for the BBC. Of course, some disturbances can’t wait, but it’s a good idea to arrange a signal to let others know when you’re in focus mode. If you also have children to look after, schedule your working hours around their naps or ask someone else in the household to keep an eye on them. If you have a pet that needs attention, try to keep it occupied. If all options fail, you can work in a coworking space, a library, or a coffee shop. 

4. Loneliness

When working from home, you may also run into the opposite problem: isolation. While people who work in shared offices talk over coffee, have lunch together or go out for a drink after work, you may experience loneliness and cabin fever. If possible, try to incorporate social activities outside the home into your schedule, such as lunch with friends or getting involved in local organisations. In this scenario, you may also enjoy working in coworking spaces or coffee shops because you’ll be interacting with other people. Other options are conferences, networking happy hours or classes in your city. 

5. Exclusion from team communication 

When most of your interaction happens online, it’s easy for minor misunderstandings to occur that multiply over time. Additionally, if part of your team works in the office but you don’t, you may feel paranoid that others are having meetings and making decisions without you – and it’s not impossible. The only real solution is to communicate as much as possible. Clarify anything that might give rise to a misunderstanding and proactively express yourself. Working from home also allows you to deploy team members in different time zones, but this brings potential complications in addition to the benefits. Examples include decision delays and missed project deadlines. The solution lies in agreeing that the teams’ working hours overlap over four hours.  

6. Technological issues 

How you can resolve technological failures depends on your situation. The company you work for may have procedures in place to deal with similar problems, so it’s a good idea to be familiar with them. If you are responsible for your hardware, have a backup device available in case of failure. A mobile hotspot, such as MiFi, or a mobile plan that allows tethering can save you when your internet goes down. A spare laptop or tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse can help you get through the day until your computer can be repaired. Also, consider using cloud storage to make sure you don’t lose important files due to hardware failure. 

7. Security risks 

Businesses typically have network and software security installed in their offices to protect against cyber-attacks. If you’re responsible for protecting your company’s data, you need to make sure you have thorough security on all your devices while working remotely. The company you are working for may have security requirements, such as exclusive use of company hardware with encryption installed. If this isn’t the case for you, consider investing in antivirus software and keep it up to date. It is also recommended to use a VPN when connecting to the internet. In general, it’s a good idea to work offline as much as possible and only connect to the internet when you have a secure connection. If you work in a public place, a screen filter will help protect your privacy.  

Despite the challenges, working from home can be very efficient and enjoyable. If you’re willing to overcome some of the cons, you’ll be rewarded with flexibility, the ability to work in any environment, and more time for your private life. At TITANS, we know that most IT professionals prefer this mode of work, which is why we provide them with several interesting remote projects. If freedom and the possibility of accelerated career growth appeal to you, you’ve come to the right place. Find out more about the benefits of freelancing here.