Many people, when they think about working from home, think about all the advantages – the flexibility and freedom it offers, for example – but what is the downside?

Working from home can seem like a dream come true. You can get up when you like, wear what you like, no need to deal with the hassles of a daily commute, no boss sitting behind you, no colleagues pestering you with idle gossip. But working from home is not always the idyll that people can imagine. So, if you are considering a work from home option, it is best to have your eyes open to the pros and the cons.

First to bear in mind is that, unless you have an employer willing for you to work from home full-time, the chances are that you will be self-employed and this can mean that you will have an unpredictable income for a time, at least while your business builds.

Vital to bear in mind also are the self-motivation and self-discipline needed to work on your own. Will you be able to forsake the distractions of email and internet, and television and sofa, as well as the world beckoning outside to stay working diligently at your desk?

And will you get lonely? Will you miss the daily face-to-face interaction with people?

All that said, life is about balance. And if you can get the balance right, working from home can be a perfect solution.