Property PR expert Lisa Isaacs considers the best and worst elements of working and living in the same place.
I’m sitting here contemplating what to have for lunch, which will, of course, be taken sitting in the warm sunshine currently bathing my garden. No, it’s not 1pm on a Saturday. It’s actually a normal working day for me because I work from home.
If you’re lucky enough to have a job that could survive a home set-up, there are a few things to consider before you take the plunge and pack in the commute.
1. Dedicated office space is a must
Wi-fi and laptops mean you can work anywhere in the home but you won’t be as productive if you’re sat in the lounge with the remote control calling out to you. The best set-up is to have a dedicated home office or room where you can shut yourself away and concentrate.
2. Working from home can be lonely
There’s no communal kitchen for interaction or water cooler moments – it’s just you and your email. Sometimes I find myself having a lengthy conversation with the postman as he might be the only human I see all day. Do you enjoy your own company or do you like being able to bounce ideas around with a team? My cat isn’t much of a colleague.
3. Creature comforts rule
Your commute involves nothing more than coming down the stairs, you’re around to take deliveries and your fully stocked kitchen is right there. And you can crank the heating up or down to suit your needs! When I’m finished I can be with my family immediately rather than standing around on a windswept train platform.
4. You tend to work harder and longer at home
I primarily wanted to work from home so I could spend less time commuting and more time with my family. However, I work harder (no distractions) and longer hours (access to files is easy and the Blackberry is always on). I feel like I’m always on call; not able to shut the door and leave the ‘office’ behind. Although any boss would appreciate the extra hours and effort I make, my husband, who looms over my shoulder at 5pm each day, doesn’t. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I became a home worker to make the work/life balance better!
5. You’ll become more flexible
By virtue of working harder and longer, you’ll become more flexible. Responding to emails at 9pm or reading documents on a Saturday morning becomes the norm. While other people are rigid in their working hours and access to their office, you can be ready to go at a moment’s notice and clients will love that.
6. There are no excuses
When we had very bad snow in December 2023 I had no excuses as a home worker. Commuters were snowed in at home, not able to get to the office, so they had away-days with sledges and snowball fights. I ploughed on with my trusty laptop and BlackBerry. I watched the news feeling a little disgruntled that I wasn’t out making snow angels like I might have done if I hadn’t have been a home worker but actually, I got tonnes of work done while gazing at the falling snowflakes in my garden.
Lisa Isaacs is an Associate Director at Cinnamon Communications, which specialises in property-focused public relations, marketing and copywriting. To find out more, visit CinnamonCommunications.com.
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