But it pays off big-time for those who make the plunge. But if computers, faxes, modems, and other tools help the individual be more productive at the office, they probably will help the individual be more productive while working away from the office, too. Fortunately, in most situations the desk, chair, telephone, and computer the individual needs to work at home already exist. So the start-up costs are relatively small. Working at home or at a part-time office near home is actually much less distracting than working in the typical company's centralized office, where there are far more distractions per minute of working time.
Most homes are relatively quiet and private compared to the typical company office.
It takes only a little planning to know what resources you're going to need on the days you work at home, and to have them with you on those days. You can almost always have these conversations over the telephone. Also, more and more information is available over the Internet, or on computer disk, so it's very easy to access the resources you need from wherever you happen to be working. If people start working from home, they'll never come back to the office. Most people enjoy the social interaction they experience in centralized offices.