Unfortunately the disadvantages are also advantages and it takes discipline and focus to work from home. Let me share my story.

I have been operating this business since 1991 and have for the entire period run my business from my home. I have to also say that I have not been embarrassed or shy about being a home based business.

For me it is a lifestyle choice. I get the opportunity to see much more of my family than I would working outside the home. I see way more advantages than disadvantages to operate my business from home.

I had a client that was doing $800,000 a year from the basement in his home, so it can be done.

There are both advantages and disadvantages of working from home:

• Quick and easy to go to work: I can slip into the office to get a few minutes of work done. It is also very easy to get stuck in the office doing this or that.


• Access to family: My wife and I see each other often throughout the day and I get to have lunch with my eight year old most days. There are times when they want my attention and I simply cannot give it to them due to a deadline or commitment I have made.


• Low cost: I have all the same costs (separate telephone line, fax, computer network etc.) as a regular business -- however, I do not have to pay the landlord rent!


• Productivity: I am able to get a lot of stuff done that simply would not be possible due to traveling time and not wanting to tear myself away from my family.


• Discipline: In the beginning i found that i had to be very disciplined to go to work. I got up, got dressed and was always in my office at 8 AM each day. These days I have to make the choice NOT to work -- to force myself to walk away from the computer.


• Flexibility: I often take breaks to catch up on the news, pet the cat or help my son with something like his homework or simply give him a hug. My office also looks out on my back yard and I can see the school yard across the street. Probably the best is that my office is right next to the family room -- which doubles as a meeting, planning room. I often use it with my clients to create road maps and work on project plans.

Bottom line I love working from home! It does have its drawbacks -- which are also the primary advantages as detailed in the six points I mentioned previously.

At the end of each day I now close the door behind me -- closing the office at least mentally. If I am tempted to walk back into the office the closed door makes me stop and evaluate whether I really need to -- go back to work.