Working in your slippers, lounging on the sofa and avoiding annoying workmates. What’s not to love about working from home? But on the flipside, if your home is also your place of work you can never fully relax – your weekend and weekdays blur into one, and there is no watercooler chat to break up your day or spark a new idea.
While some people find working from home blissful, others much prefer an office environment. We speak to four people about the pros and cons of working from home.
Sarah Rowley, head of partnerships, SwiftKey
At my work everyone has the option of working from home. Personally, I like the routine and discipline of going into an office. I find I do a lot more – it’s great to be surrounded by people who are all working towards a common goal. That’s a big thing for me.
Psychologically, I like going from the weekend and then going to the office and entering work. The working week has a significant starting point. If you’re working from home then the weekend melds into the week.
I can enjoy working from home, but only on occasion. I don’t have a desk at home – I sit with my laptop on the sofa and I’m too relaxed. It’s demotivating. I also need to speak to someone during the day. After a day of being by myself I’m just not as responsive. I hate the idea of spending an entire day without speaking to someone else. I become less talkative, less motivated and more into myself.
Amy Beeson, self-help author
I love working from home. I’ve always preferred it. Even when I worked in an office I found I could get more done in the peaceful atmosphere at home.
“Are you busy?”, “Can I just ask you about this?”, “Can you come to this pointless meeting for two hours?” To me, this sounds like a typical day at the office. Although chatting to colleagues is often one of the nice bits of working in a team, having meetings that seem to take up your whole day and don’t achieve anything is one of the most annoying aspects of working in an office.
When you’re juggling work and family life, time is precious. So when you get the opportunity to work, you really crack on. I love having the flexibility to set my own hours and also look after my daughter. For me, working from home provides a sanctuary away from all that distracting office chatter.
Alice Stanners, founder of Table PR
After five years of commuting for two-and-a-half hours each day, I decided to set up my own business working from home. I had always loved working in a team and have met some of my closest friends through work, so I gave myself just six months to see how I’d fare working on my own.
The first couple of months were a little shaky, but I have now hobbled together a little office. I also make sure to plan regular meetings in cafes and restaurants so I don’t go stir-crazy. And I’m hoping to build an office in the garden so I can truly separate my home life from work life.
Working from home has definitely improved my quality of life – I’m no longer tired and bitter from traipsing around the city on the tube. I’ve stopped snacking on vending machine rubbish, am eating much more healthily, and I seem to have more time for both working and socialising.
Rebecca Bedrossian, global content director, Possible
I had the idea going into working from home that I would get a better work-life balance – but I quickly found out that was a myth. When I was working from home I was doing well over 40 hours a week and never saw my family.
I’ve just started a new job in the office and now I have so much more time. When there’s a busy period at work there’s a sense of collaboration with my team. And when I get home I’m able to switch off. When I spend time with my family I’m not thinking about articles I need to finish, proofreading I need to do. There is a little more separation.
I believe one size fits no one. The idea of flexible working is often represented as black and white – working from home is better, more flexible – but it’s more about what works for the individual. Whether you want to work from home or in the office, it’s all about balance.
One thing about working in an office is that there’s a certain magic that comes from conversations with your team. Working and brainstorming ideas together keeps me inspired.
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