Notes from the Home Office

I work at home, from an office just off the front door of my house in Durham, NC. I've joined a growing number of employees who work from home, so in that sense, at least, I'm at the front of the movement out of traditional office spaces and into alternative work environments. Companies like the arrangement because it saves them from moving employees and giving them office (or cubicle, or workroom, or anything else) space. I like the arrangment for a number of reasons.

• I'm a VUI designer for telephony systems, so much of my work is well-suited for working by telephone.
• I can focus on doing work. I don't spend much time on administrative stuff and office politics, the twin curses of my previous positions.
• I spend no time all day on unproductive travel by car.
• I can listen to my blues and old-time music and no one complains.
• I've always been good about writing reports as evidence of my work, and that's a useful skill to have if you work remotely.

I guess I could list some shortcomings to this arrangement. One is that I don't get to meet some of the people I work with and rely on, so there's no chance to socialize and get to know them as people. Or at least it isn't as easy. On a long term basis, you need to be in a traditional office setting in order to move up, but I'm not worried about moving up. If someone has any experiences with the pitfalls of work at home, let me know.