Pros And Cons Of Working Independently - Is It Easy?

Working independently refers to working efficiently on projects by yourself. Independent workers include those who work independently in the office, remote workers, and freelancers. Like everything else, working independently also has advantages and disadvantages. 

Pros Of Independent Working

Independent working gives workers flexibility and power over their own work. Here are some benefits of working independently discussed:

You get all the credit

As an independent worker, only you will be expected to be responsible for your work. Even though this can seem a little scary at times, it gives you the benefit of being the only person who would get the credit for any potential success.

It reduces the risk of workplace conflict

When working with many people, workplace conflict is a great risk. This can be due to a difference of opinions or different people taking different approaches. Follow the correct workplace etiquette to avoid conflict. There are many types of workplace conflict, including task, relationship, and leadership conflicts. These can lead to workers being distracted and losing focus on their work. The risk of workplace conflicts is lessened reasonably by working independently as workers won’t have to interact with each other enough to create conflicts.

It can prevent miscommunication

When many people are working together, they must also communicate effectively. If a workplace does not have an effective communication channel, it can lead to workplace miscommunication. This can lead to conflicts which can lead to demotivated employees and have an extremely adverse effect on business activity. One benefit of working independently is that it only needs a little communication.

It can prevent performance anxiety

Working in a team is not meant for everyone. Some types of workers can work well enough when by themselves but face severe anxiety at the thought of working with other people. This can curtail the performance of otherwise skilled workers. Performance anxiety at work can be prevented by working independently, as it would reduce interaction between employees.

A better work-life balance

Working independently will allow you to take on more flexible working hours. This can result in you managing both your personal and working life in a better way. According to a study, there are many benefits of a work life balance. These include greater employee satisfaction and motivation, which will benefit the business long term. 

Cons Of Working Independently

Now, let us also discuss some cons of independent working. 

It could get stressful

An independent worker has to manage the entire task by himself. The entire success of the project depends on only one person. While this can be motivating, it can also cause workers to feel stressed out. The stress of the entire project, depending on one person, can lead to that person not being able to work efficiently.

There will be no teamwork

Working independently skills will be different. This might not seem like a huge problem at first, but independent workers will not be able to consult or ask for advice from other workers. This can cause difficulties for independent workers as they will not be able to ask for support from anyone. Teamwork can also lead to a different set of skills being used collaboratively and a better final output.

You will have to do everything by yourself

If you are working independently, you will have to do tasks that would have been the responsibility of different departments had you been a part of a team. This means you will need to develop more skills to complete your task effectively. This can lead to a greater level of time consumption.

You might be left alone

When you work independently or from home, you will have less opportunity to interact with your coworkers. This can lead to you feeling lonely. According to research by Forbes, a human being, no matter how introverted or extroverted, needs human interaction to perform his best. If you aren't able to interact with coworkers, you will need to find other people to socialize with.  

Improve Your Independent Working Experience

If you have chosen to move towards working independently, here are some working from home hacks that can improve your experience:

Get good furniture

If you don't already have office furniture in your home, consider getting some. You can get an office.

Get in some exercise time in between

Working consecutively for hours can cause you to feel tired and unmotivated. You should take advantage of the fact that you work from home and move around a bit from time to time. You can take small walks to regain your energy and perform better.

Get good technology

You will need some devices to get your office work done from home. These include a computer, a laptop, a tablet, and a mobile phone. Getting a stable internet connection will also help you get rid of a lot of future problems. 

Furthermore, you can look at workplace inspirations to better understand how you might need to set your workplace up for working independently. 

Conclusion

Many people love the idea of working independently, but the truth is that this working lifestyle is suitable for only some types of people. People who work better in teams and do not have to work independently might not be able to adjust to independent working. On the other hand, there is no better option than working independently for people who do their best work when they are alone. 

Before deciding between working independently and collaboratively, it is important to remember that there is no specific right or wrong working lifestyle. You should only try and figure out what works best for you and stick to it.