The perks of doing your job without leaving the house
Get ready to ditch the cubicle, crap coffee and soul-destroying commute with our guide to working amid the creature comforts of your own home
As aspirations go, working from home is right up there with owning a coastal bolt-hole and winning the lottery. Although, if you did the latter, the subject could be moot. For many of us, it’s the dream solution to improving our work-life balance and escaping commuter hell. Home working has risen by a fifth (19 per cent) over the last decade, according to TUC figures. There’s even a National Work From Home Day, who knew?
The home-working scene used to belong to harassed new parents trying to juggle work and childcare. Thanks to the power of, or rather, more powerful, broadband, the floodgates have opened and everyone is at it. From frazzled employees wanting to escape the noise and chaos of open-plan offices, to hip young digital natives blogging all the way to the bank.
There is a certain romance attached to working from home. The joys of a laptop mean you can start tapping away in bed, propped up against your pillows. You can remain in your comfiest PJS from dawn ‘til dusk, but only if you don’t
give a monkeys what the postie or Yodel delivery bloke thinks. You’ll also have free access to the fridge – nom! However, when it comes to getting your job done, a dedicated business area is crucial – it puts you in the right head space and helps define your work/non-work hours and zones.
The size of your home office will depend on two factors – how many square feet you actually have to spare, and how much you’ll use it. If you only work from home sporadically, or enjoy a flexi-time agreement with the office, a desk-sized area under the stairs, or in a corner of the living room will provide an ergonomic set-up. Sofa working is a one-way ticket to your chiropractor and/or impromptu naps – don’t even go there.
If you’re running your own business, particularly one with stock, or you freelance full time, a separate space to call your own is the way forward. A spare bedroom is the easiest target, but also look at your loft space, garden or garage for office conversion potential. Invest in decent noise-dampening headphones to block out your family, and you’ll be away.
A garden office is a win-win situation – you get to work from home while still feeling like you’ve travelled to a place of business. Take that South West Trains! For year-round use, you’ll need the building to be fully insulated and double-glazed. Also consider installing a small fridge and tea-making facilities, especially if your garden office is a fair schlep from the house.