Working from home can be both a benefit and a source of stress, as many professionals have discovered since 2020. When a home office is your primary work space, household distractions are common; tackling that pile of laundry or taking the dog for a quick walk around the block can quickly steal productivity from your day. Compared to a traditional office, a home office also doesn't provide the same level of social interaction with colleagues — whether spontaneous conversations around the coffee machine or face-to-face collaboration during meetings. For all the benefits of working from home, it's important to weigh the downsides as well when establishing your work preferences.