It’s an idea that has crossed everyone’s mind at some point and seems to be entering the public consciousness more and more: leaving the rat race and working from home.
No more tiring and expensive commuting, less stress and more time with your family. But what is the reality of working from home – is it as fantastic as people imagine?
There are many things to think about before you decide against separate premises and work from home. Although it conjures images of a cosier, laidback existence the reality is that there are drawbacks to weigh up against the obvious benefits.
Cabin fever
Before deciding that it is the right option for you, it’s probably worth considering whether you’re the type of person who can deal with running a start-up on your own at home. Make sure you’re not just looking for the easy option, because it isn’t as cushy as it seems.
Working from home offers flexibility but it also requires self-discipline and organisation. You’ll need to be able to avoid procrastination, manage your time well and be able to adapt.
Is your home actually a suitable place to conduct your professional life and to run a start-up business? Will you be able to keep your working life and personal life apart while they’re coexisting within the same four walls?
Make sure you’re not just looking for the easy option, because it isn’t as cushy as it seems
Commuting is a pain, for sure – but why not consider living closer to where you work instead?
And having a clear separation of your personal and work life means that when you finally get home you really appreciate it. Working and living in the same place, day and night, could induce cabin fever.
It’s worth considering how your family will react. It is one thing to be disciplined yourself but you will also need the support of those around you. Crucially, isolation is a big drawback of working from home. You will probably be alone a lot of the time and won’t have as many social networking opportunities as you have in an office, where you can share ideas face-to-face with colleagues and build up bonds around the water cooler. You can keep in constant contact with any people you employ by conventional phone calls, conference calls and through email, but certain nuances of face-to-face communication cannot be replicated.
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It’s also worth bearing in mind that there may be red tape to avoid. You may need to revise your insurance policy to cover business equipment in the home, for example. If you live in rented accommodation, you might need permission from your landlord or council before you are allowed to operate a business from home.
Benefits
Working from home, you can fit work around your family instead of the other way round, which contributes to an altogether better quality of life. Operating your business from home also reduces your running costs dramatically – a massive plus for cash-strapped start-ups.
Gillian Nissim, the founder of workingmums.co.uk, runs an internet business from her home in London. And as a mother, she finds working from home to be mostly preferable.
“The advantage is the flexibility,” she says. “I have two young children who I need to collect from school and I can fit my work around that.
“The business is internet-based, so I can link up with people who work for me via technology.
“There are no office costs and no overheads, which is a big bonus; cost is probably the main factor.”
One thing Gillian does lament is “spending a lot of time inside the same four walls.
“I sleep here, eat here and work here,” she admits.
