Pursuit of a better work-life balance, rising property costs, the availability of new technologies and an upsurge in domestic entrepreneurship are all contributing factors to the continuing upward trend in working from home.

A 2005 report in the United Kingdom found that 3.1 million workers were regularly home-based workers, with over one million more involved in home-based work on a casual basis. This reflects the trend in the United States, where a 2004 Bureau of Labor Statistics report revealed that 15% or over 20 million workers usually did some work from home.

Benefits of the work-from-home revolution are cited as allowing parents to spend more time with their children, an increase in the freedom of decision making, a reduction in work-place politics and stress and the opportunity to be creative and entrepreneurial.

But before we all clear out the garage and buy ourselves a wrap-around desk, there are some things to consider. While the pressures and constraints of the home office may not be the same as those in the more traditional workplace, there are definite challenges that need to be overcome to ensure a successful work environment.

1. What You Get Up to When No One is Looking

The fear here is not that someone might catch you taking an extra cookie from the communal kitchen but that you will develop poor work patterns far from the eagle-eyed gaze of a “boss”.

Working without direct supervision is not for everyone. New home-based workers need to honestly assess their self-discipline and motivation levels. If putting in a productive day’s work requires the attention of an outside influence, you may be better off in a more structured work environment.

2. Never Getting Invited to Careers’ Night

While you may discover your niche in your home-based business, it is not always viewed with the same enthusiasm by those around you. Loved ones who are in the habit of pecking you on the cheek as you stalk bravely out into the corporate world may find your new work life unsettling.

A good way to ensure that they support your move is to help them understand what your new work life involves. Describe your daily routine, share work stories and milestone achievements and don’t flaunt the occasional kip on the couch in their faces.

3. Networking Beyond the Neighbourhood

One of the first changes a home-based worker faces is the loss of their business network. Catching up for coffee in the city is difficult and Friday drinks inconvenient. Formal networking opportunities often pass by unnoticed as your name drops off your former colleagues’ radar.

While online networking can be useful for home-based workers, it is important that they maintain a presence in the “real” world. One approach is to dedicate an afternoon a week to getting out and about and catching up with your contacts.

4. Working Nine to Five (A.M.)

The 2004 Bureau of Labor Statistics report found that over one third of home-workers racked up 51 or more hours per week, while 10% worked 70 or more.

For those of us committed to reducing the hours we work, this is grim news. On the positive side, the home-based worker has greater flexibility to choose the kind of work they engage in. Certainly for some self-employed entrepreneurs, their home-based business is a labor of love, but long weekends and extracurricular pursuits may be sacrificed in the process.

5. When You Just Want to “Go Home”

There is a wonderful sense of release when after a grueling week at work you can climb into your car or board a bus and head home.

One of the challenges that a stay-at-home worker faces is that it can be difficult to differentiate between the office and home. The stack of paperwork or “to do” lists are never out of sight and perhaps this accounts for the long work week that many home-based workers put in.

The best approach is to have an office that is isolated from the family leisure areas. Keep the kitchen table for meal times and be strict about after-hours work commitments.

If the work-from-home revolution still inspires you to march to the beat of its drum, you can find out more by visiting these excellent entrepreneurial sites:

1. Escape From Cubicle Nation
2. Brazen Careerist
3. Success From the Nest