I've worked from home for 13 years. It's bloody hard. And although most of my work is done solo, my experience has been that collaborative efforts are far more

I've worked from home for 13 years. It's bloody hard. And although most of my work is done solo, my experience has been that collaborative efforts are far more difficult and slow when we can't physically get together. The advantages of working from home are obvious. Short commute, convenience, midday naps, no pants required... no wonder people want it. But the disadvantages are really only apparent once you try it. It's hard to get motivated. It's hard to feel a sense of accomplishment. No sense of office "buzz" or excitement. No one to carry you through the mid-afternoon doldrums. When collaborating, all that rich human emotion and nuance is squeezed through a soda straw. Can't go for a walk and talk through a challenging issue. No commute to transition from "work mode" to "family mode." No high fives. I'm a hard-core introvert, and I miss people. My business has been a one-man business for the last thirteen years. One of my greatest hopes is that, when I'm successful enough to be a sustainable multi-person business, that we'll have a kick-ass office where we all work together. Because working from home isn't all it's cracked up to be.