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Not everyone is good at having the discipline to get work done at home and to separate home and work while they're at home. Also, people with young children ar
by Arizhel 10y ago
Not everyone is good at having the discipline to get work done at home and to separate home and work while they're at home. Also, people with young children are naturally going to have a big problem. Lots of people who try it complain that their spouses and kids won't leave them alone at home, thinking that popping in isn't a big deal even though it interrupts their focus. And not everyone can afford a home that gives them extra space for a home office. Most people in Silicon Valley can't seem to afford anything bigger than a telephone booth. Don't forget that many people have roommates too.
There's a reason that coworking or small office spaces are so popular these days: for $500/month in many places, you get your own little office with a door that shuts where you can concentrate on your work, or a quiet cubicle among other people with similar situations. If everyone was able to make working at home work for them, these places would not exist.
- return0 10y ago> most people in Silicon Valley can't seem to afford anything bigger What's the point of living in an ultra-expensive region if you work from home?
- uniformlyrandom 10y ago1. you get paid well. 2. silicon valley is a nice place to live in.
- marssaxman 10y agoNice place to live if you like suburban sprawl, maybe. I doubt any company would be willing to offer me a high enough salary to make the sacrifice of living in SV seem appealing.
- pc86 10y agoIf you work from home there is no reason your geographic location should impact pay.
- cableshaft 10y ago$500/month for a coworking cubicle? Wow. The going rate around here (Chicagoland) seems to be less than $200 a month. In some of the smaller cities I don't think it even costs more than $400/month to give yourself a (small) dedicated suite for an office around here.
- citizens 10y agoI checked a few months back in Brooklyn and it cost $550/mo for a desk with a door. No windows, and not enough room for two people to stand in...at least it made me appreciate my home office more.
- Arizhel 10y agoIt's just a number I pulled out of my ass for an example; I haven't shopped around so I really don't know what they cost, and of course it'll vary a lot from place to place. Also depends on if it's a coworking space (cubicles, other people around) or a closed office with a door.
- jon-wood 10y agoHaving kids doesn't have to be a big problem. The important thing is to have a space which is work, and make sure everyone knows that when you're in that space its like you're at the office. I've got a three year old who is used to me working from home and doesn't cause any problems at all.
- Arizhel 10y agoThat might work for you, but every time this discussion comes up around here, there's a whole bunch of parents complaining how their spouse and kids simply will not stop disturbing them, no matter how much they try to explain that they can't do this.
- jon-wood 10y agoI'm aware its a problem for some people, I just feel it gets overblown. Maybe those of us who find it OK are the silent majority, or maybe I'm an outlier, but I know quite a few parents who work remote and don't have any complaints about being interrupted constantly by family. I also know of far more people who complain of being constantly interrupted by managers and noise in an open plan office. Its not like modern offices are an oasis of calm.
- Arizhel 10y agoOr maybe your kids/family are different from other peoples'. I've seen some peoples' kids who were a complete terror and nothing could make them stay calm and quiet. Some kids are just better than others that way. You got lucky. This is a big reason I never really wanted kids; I just can't handle constant noise and commotion. I have a friend with a 7yo kid who's bouncing off the walls every time I visit; there's just no way I could live with someone like that every day. I have enough noise and commotion at work; I don't need it at home too. And yes, open offices are horrible this way too. That's why we're having this discussion about people wanting to work from home: for many, it's a lot better than the chaos at the open-plan office at work, even if it isn't ideal. For others, it's at least as bad (kids/wife), so they either deal with the office, or they go to a coffee shop or rent a coworking space or similar.