Working from home

Apple Computer and Hewlett-Packard both started life
in a garage at home. Working from home is on the
increase, thanks to the falling cost of new technology –
computers, mobile phones and faxes.

Estimates show that nearly three million people work from home some or all of the time. Tangible benefits cited for choosing to work from home include:

• Low-cost way of launching a business.
• No nightmare journeys on commuter trains or gridlock on highways.
• Flexibility of working methods and hours.
• Increased productivity levels without typical office interruptions and “chat gaps.”
• Low operating costs.
• The ability to accommodate family demands.
• The chance to stroll out in one’s own garden for a 10-minute break.

Properly implemented, giving up the office can work like a dream, but you need to be disciplined, organised and have access to the right technical equipment. Also, home working does not suit everyone. For some people, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits:

• Feeling isolated and bored.
• The chance of increased pressure and longer hours.
• Diminished sense of personal satisfaction.
• Clashes between business and family demands.
• Not being able to switch off.
• Poorer rewards if the working from home holds back development of the business.
• Interruptions from family, neighbours and friends who do not respect your work regime.

Not all businesses can operate effectively from home either. Some, for instance, have to follow strict regulations, whilst others must comply with planning regulations and local bylaws. If your business requires any structural changes to your home, you will need planning permission and there may be other planning and legal issues to consider, if the business
generates noticeable smell, noise or traffic.

Advice from experienced home workers

Opportunities for procrastination are greater at home than they would be in a conventional workplace.

• Treat your working time as seriously as you would time on a client or employer's premises.
• Make sure those you share your home with see it that way too.
• Aim for a definable, permanent workspace – not the kitchen table.
• The right furniture and equipment is an essential investment. Get a good chair, especially if you work long hours at a computer. An Aeron may be out of your league, but an adjustable chair offering the right lumbar support and synchronized mechanism.
• Installing a separate telephone line lets you make a clear distinction between your work and home life. When you finish working, you can let a machine answer business calls for you.
• Remember to get specific insurance cover for your business equipment.
• Discipline yourself to ignore household jobs until you have finished your work.
• Develop support networks that keep you in the loop.
• Make time to socialise and meet new people, particularly if you live alone.
• If you are freelancing, arrange the occasional meeting with those you work for; personal contact is so much more memorable than email or phone conversations.
• Timetable breaks - include sessions away from your work to eat, exercise and socialise.
• Work in your pyjamas if you must, but for most people, it is much better to get dressed properly in the morning.
• Likewise, the temptation of daytime television could leave you wondering where all the hours and revenue went.

PCG|Freelancing Matters