Working from home

[slowmotion]

I started a tiny company with a friend thirty five years ago. I worked in a spare room at home for two years. My colleague did the same in his home forty five miles away. After a while, I realised that I was working all the time. It was driving me crazy so I rented an office five miles away. The physical separation of home and work was a massive relief. If you have the discipline, I'm sure that working at home is viable . I'm fairly chaotic so it was a non-starter.

 

[stephec]

I worked from home for the last 10 years of my working life (apart from days spent surveying etc). I had an office (spare bedroom) which helped.
For the first few years I would get ready and wear a shirt & tie to get me in work mode. After that it became 2nd nature.
Edit
I did wear other clothes as well

You had to go and spoil it with that last sentence.

On a slightly more serious note, I knew of a guy who had to put a suit on and drive around for ten minutes before starting work, just to get himself in the right frame of mind.

 

[oldwheels]

I lived next door to the distilleries and when the kids were small and wife was at home I went in for coffee and was also at home for lunch. I was also on call and if there was a night shift problem they phoned and I was out in 5 minutes to sort it. A new girl in the office had to be told not to tell callers “ he’s not in the office I’ll try the house” as it did not sound very businesslike to possibly important customers. It was the best job I ever had but the main shareholder died and accountants took over and sense went out of the window.

 

[nickyboy]

Worked from home for the past 12 years. It is easy to manage if you know what you're doing.

It's my own business so the massive benefit for me is if I'm not busy and it's a nice day I might go out on the bike for a few hours. Equally if the weather is bad at the weekend I might do some work. My clients are usually overseas so, for them, a UK 9-5 is irrelevant

It's really nice not to have an hour commute. With technology I'm much more productive than being in an office five days a week

Some home workers need to dress for work and have a work space. Never needed this. Happy to be in shorts and a t shirt sitting on the sofa, makes no difference to me

 

[swee'pea99]

Worked from home for the past 12 years. It is easy to manage if you know what you're doing.

It's my own business so the massive benefit for me is if I'm not busy and it's a nice day I might go out on the bike for a few hours. Equally if the weather is bad at the weekend I might do some work. My clients are usually overseas so, for them, a UK 9-5 is irrelevant

It's really nice not to have an hour commute. With technology I'm much more productive than being in an office five days a week

Some home workers need to dress for work and have a work space. Never needed this. Happy to be in shorts and a t shirt sitting on the sofa, makes no difference to me

Pretty much my experience too. Have to admit I have it cushy, so work allowing I walk the hound every morning and go for a swim every afternoon. Other than that, I work where & when suits me, and how. I have a tie. I think I could probably tie it. But it's been awhile. I have no problem with 'distractions'. If I have work to do, I do it. If not, I slack like a 19 year old. Works for me. Must be upwards of a decade now, and I can't say I've missed 'the office' one bit.

 

[Mike_P]

I was constantly being nagged by my boss to work at home on the basis I, in his view, would enjoy it which just proved how little he knew me or rather assumed his views applied. However having finally gained a work laptop that is not a 2 ton brick in weight I have got into the habit of bringing it home if the weather forecast is pretty vile the following morning so avoiding ebiking to work in soddy conditions. Do find it often frustrating especially when what you had planned to do is overtaken by some urgent request; last time I unexpectedly had to look at a stack of PDFs and the connection to the office computer system was painfully slow.

 

[Yellow Fang]

You had to go and spoil it with that last sentence.

On a slightly more serious note, I knew of a guy who had to put a suit on and drive around for ten minutes before starting work, just to get himself in the right frame of mind.

Might have to try something like this. Sitting in my pyjamas and dressing gown does not seem to help get me in work mode. I don't work from home every day; I often go on site. I sort of work irregular hours but I have to make it add up to 40 pw. I thought about going to the library or a coffee shop, but I don't think that's any good. I could go work at one of the client sites, but sometimes it is had to find a desk.

 

[screenman]

Built out current house around our working from home, walk in front door and turn rights gets you my office, turn left and you get my wife's clinic room ( podiatrist) outside is my workshop where I teach.

 

[GetFatty]

I worked from home for two years until about 6 months ago. I have a home office that is fully equipped but rarely used it. If I wasn't busy, I sat on the sofa, if I then had a teleconference I'd go and sit at the dining table (better phone reception) and then for those occasions where I was busy or needed to write a paper etc, I'd use the office. I really enjoyed it although I did get fat from not commuting. I now work from home 2 or 3 days a week if I can get away with it, usually Monday and Friday and one other.

 

[vickster]

I worked from home for two years until about 6 months ago. I have a home office that is fully equipped but rarely used it. If I wasn't busy, I sat on the sofa, if I then had a teleconference I'd go and sit at the dining table (better phone reception) and then for those occasions where I was busy or needed to write a paper etc, I'd use the office. I really enjoyed it although I did get fat from not commuting. I now work from home 2 or 3 days a week if I can get away with it, usually Monday and Friday and one other.

When I work from home, I try to get out for a lunchtime or post work cycle. If weather poor, gym or swim (not so easy to do that if in office as I don’t get home until 7ish)

 

[Bazzer]

It is being forced upon me from Christmas. The office is being reorganised and there are deliberately insufficient desks. Quite p**sed off as it will mean lugging a laptop and adaptor on my 17 mile each way commute, either on my back or strapped to the bike.

 

[ianrauk]

I can work from home if I wished but don't. Our company has a home working policy. It means that some of our staff don't have to live in London or close surrounds. We have staff who used to live in London sell up and move to Norwich, Brighton and Bath.
I much prefer the office environment and of course with that means I have my brilliant daily cycle commute.

 

[mustang1]

That's one of the questions we are asked when about to start home working - "will you have a quiet work space". If the answer is no, you are refused.

Surprised you weren't asked the same?

I've worked at home for many years, I've adapted to it pretty well, but then the role is perfect for it.

I dont even have a quiet workspace at work, let alone at home! Actually, it is quieter at home and there are far too many distractions at the office But, I still prefer the office.

 

[swee'pea99]

It is being forced upon me from Christmas. The office is being reorganised and there are deliberately insufficient desks. Quite p**sed off as it will mean lugging a laptop and adaptor on my 17 mile each way commute, either on my back or strapped to the bike.

Not being snotty, but can't you just have a computer at each end and transfer whatever files you need via the internet?

 

[Deleted member 26715]

It is being forced upon me from Christmas. The office is being reorganised and there are deliberately insufficient desks. Quite p**sed off as it will mean lugging a laptop and adaptor on my 17 mile each way commute, either on my back or strapped to the bike.

Not being snotty, but can't you just have a computer at each end and transfer whatever files you need via the internet?

I think it's worse than that, if you a lugging a laptop each way does that have customer information contained on it? Who is responsible if you have an accident, the laptop is stolen & all that information gets out to the public domain.