When I was younger, I used to love working in an office.  I guess it was exciting to get dressed up and take a train to the City.  Yes, it probably made me feel a bit important and being an extrovert a lot of my energy from others.  Plus, I guess that was the way it was always done...at least back then.

I didn't really think that much of it.  That's what my parents did and that's what I saw in the movies and read about in books, so that's what I did.

When I was younger, my jobs were more simple and did not require a lot of concentration or thinking.  So, if I was interupted, it wasn't a bit deal.  But, as I moved up the ladder, concentration became more and more important, as well as change of scenery.  Sometimes, I would just duck out and do work at a cafe for a few hours.  It did wonders for me.

A year or two later, someone who worked with me moved into my building, and we became friends.  She was from Sales (I did marketing) so she was out in the field a lot.  She missed that and hated to be chained to the office.  She said she felt trapped and could think that well there.  So her boss allowed her to have a day or two a week where she could at home.  She said it did wonders for her.

So, I asked my boss if I could do that one day a week, and wow what a difference.  I was soooooo much more productive!  And, I didn't need to spend time commuting nor getting dressed, etc. for work.  So it saved a lot of time.  I did this for 10 years (and 3 jobs) and it worked really well.  I was happier and more productive.

Then, I started my own business (I had a flooring company), and while I had an office, I basically just went there on Mondays until 2pm. Then, I would go to customer's homes and spend time at Starbucks in between.  Some days (but not that many) I would work at home.  Much much better.

Fast forward 10 years later, and I basically started my own online business blogging. Now, I can spend most of time at home (or in coffee shops).  Love it.  So much more flexibility and less stressful and more productive.

There are many people that would prefer to work at home -either full time or part-time, but they just aren't sure how to do it.  My friend, Russell put together this article which includes 5 profitable businesses that do and work from home.  He shares how to get started on them, too.

One of the best things about these ideas is that they require very little money to get started.  So there is not much risk here at all.  You can do these jobs on your terms, your hours.  So it can be part-time (while you have another job) or full time.  It's your choice.

Now why do people prefer to work at home?  Well if you're a mom taking care of young kids, I'm sure you can see the easy advantages of this. Or if you have an older parent that needs some home care, this is a definite advantage.  But, even if you don't have those, many people (like me) just prefer to work at home for better concentration or a better environment.

I love that we have a pool in our building so I can use that during the day for a break (and while it's light outside and less busy while others are a work, school or camp).  I love saving money on food. I love spending more times with pets and being able to go for a walk when I feel like it having the radio or TV in the background.  It just works for me.

For others, this can be a recipe for disaster because they can't concentrate with kids or a spouse interupting you.  Some are just not disciplined enough for this environment.  It all depends on how you work best.

Which environment do you prefer?