Working From Home

Sam Kelly

When running your own business, one of the decisions that have to be made is where to site your business. Like many other small businesses you may choose to work from home. By far the cheapest alternative, a home based business can drastically reduce your overheads and there are certain tax advantages you may be eligible for. There are however, pros and cons to working at home and finding the right balance may be difficult to achieve.

The advantages can mean less time travelling to work, you are able to start first thing in the morning and you don't have to wear a suit or be formally dressed. Your office can be adapted to suit your individual needs, and to your taste, and the kitchen is handy for snacks. You may get to spend more time with your family and spend less on additional childcare.

The disadvantages are also relevant and need to be taken into consideration. There can be a number of distractions. Often disturbances can occur, such as friends or family members dropping in; unaware they are causing the worker to become sidetracked from the task at hand, and assuming that because you are at home that you have time at your disposal. Children or pets may also interrupt or annoy you. All the constraints of work are still there such as meeting deadlines etc and with no one else to do the work it can be quite frustrating when you have lost vital working hours.

Sometimes the disturbance is not external; the lure of the dishes or general housework is always there. Your partner may expect you to do the cleaning; after all you are home all day! There is no such thing as a quick five minute chore. Five minutes turn into fifteen which turn into half a day. Before you realise it another day has gone by.

Before you set up at home, discuss the new working arrangements with your partner and family; be sure they understand what you are trying to achieve.

Mark and keep clear office / home boundaries. Paperwork should be kept ordered and filed away when not in use. Design and try to stick to a work timetable, don't forget to build in time to do the school run or the shopping if necessary; but most importantly, identify the end of your working day, this will allow you to be available in the evenings and weekends and for visiting friends.

Pros

• No office politics
• Possible tax advantages
• Flexibility to work when you want
• Reduced stress levels

Cons

• No colleagues to bounce ideas off
• Too many distractions
• Temptation to work evenings and weekends and any spare time you have
• Standards may slip
• No space for a separate working environment

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