Working from home can often seem like the perfect solution to balancing that busy career with home life. Increasing numbers of people across the globe are trading in their 9-5 desk job for roles that allow them to work from home, and in theory, it sounds like parenting bliss. There's no hectic commute, you're always there to drop the kids off to school and you're there when they get home. What's more, you can work in your PJ's - and who doesn't want that luxury, right? But, is it really all it's cracked up to be? Maybe not.

Someone always wants something. Although most people agree that working remotely gives them the valuable flexibility, it also comes with some drawbacks. When you work from home, there's nothing to stop your kids knocking on your office door (if you're lucky enough to have a home office, that is) and asking you where their missing soccer boot is. The concept of work might be clear to you, but children often don't understand why you can't help them when they need you to.

RELATED: HOW TO KICK WORKING MOM GUILT TO THE CURB

There are so many distractions. If it's not the rest of the family distracting you, then it's easy to be tempted by everything else that comes with being at home. Ten minutes until that next conference call? Instead of shooting out those emails, you might put in a load of laundry. If you're feeling tired, you might flick on the TV for half an hour and promise that you'll make up the time later...before you know it, you're behind and frantically trying to meet that deadline.

The kitchen is always tempting. Instead of having an hour for lunch, the kitchen is mere steps away, which may mean that you end up eating more than you should. Before you know it, you're walking less and eating more, which can have negative effects on your health.

It's isolating. Depending on what you do for a living, working from home can become very isolating. If the only interaction that you have is via email, then you're missing real-life contact with other human beings. It might sound like a blessing not to be in a crowded office, but after a while, it can make you feel like you never leave the house.

Verdict: While working from home definitely has some upsides, it might be an idea to look at co-working spaces near to you. These spaces offer community working hubs for freelancers or remote workers, and may give you a little more structure.