Distractions at Home are More Within Your Control
One of the main ways that telecommuting improves efficiency over working at an office is by eliminating the many workplace distractions. Few office workers have a place where they can get away to focus on their work. Without an office and an accompanying door to close, they are just a moments notice away from the next interruption. It can come in the form of a colleague wanting to go for coffee, a manager who drops by with a “quick” question, or a nearby conversation too loud to ignore. In my old office the cleaning crew even came by and vacuumed our cubicles during the work day!
Working from home certainly has its distractions too, but you are much more in control of whether or not they will effect you. Workers who turn on the tv, pay bills, or straighten up the house during the workday aren’t long for the telecommuting world. The benefit of telecommuting is that you tend to be alone. If you need a quiet hour to concentrate and get some work done, you can simply turn off your ringer, close your email program, and get the work done. You are in control of your environment, so you can shut out the distractions that would otherwise hinder your productivity.
