Markus

Afternoon all,
I'm sitting here trying to work out what the good and bad points are of working from home, which is something I'll be doing within the next two weeks.

I know most of the good points, but as for bad points, any ideas, I cannot seem to find any at all.

sti-04!!

Interacting with human beings could be put in both category's

I work from home sometimes & feel it can be a break from the norm, but personally i couldnt do it all the time.

Chip Sengravy

I can't find the motivation to do anything when I am at work, it would be a disaster if I worked from home.

SJ_Skyline

OllyK

Unless you get subsidised, working from home you use your own heat and power - you may be surprised how much you use!

I usually end up working longer hours - it's there in the study rather than a drive away, so I can often end up getting up in the middle of the night to do a few more hours.

cigarboy

Nobody to dictate letters to.

No meetings to allocate blame in.

Petem95

No totty to watch

Markus

lol @ Rich.

There is the human interaction thing, but we will have iSights (webcams for the non Mac literate ) so we'll be able to still see each other (or a doctored video with AI behind it so it looks and seems like others are talking to us, whilst we are really off doing something else). Plus we'll be meeting up at least twice a month to check all is going ok.

I know the novelty will wear off fairly quickly, but at least I won't be totally alone as I'll have miss four paws to keep me company, plus I'll be able to take her out for a walk something during the day to get some air.

ajm

A bad point might be that you will feel even more lonely, isolated and insecure than you already do!

That could be a good point for your former office colleagues though....

dpb

Productivity WILL suffer because its too easy to be distracted. Its also VERY likley your social calender will take a pounding.

Having said that mybe it depends what line your in and whether youll be working alone....< tests prove being alone does actually make you more defensive NOTHING you can do about it

WRXJase

I "WFH" quite a bit....

Good points - the commute is downstairs to the study, can be in when you need to for tradesmen coming etc, see more of the family (though this could be in the category below too depending on your family)
Bad points - can feel isolated, hard to clock off, no one to bounce ideas off, tend to work longer hours, no social interaction

On the whole I like it BUT I'm not based from home so I have a number of offices I go to. I do actually enjoy getting out. It is a balance.

PS - Another one, the wife doesn't understand that when you work from home you WORK. i.e. not pop the washing machine on, empty the dishwasher, nip down to the shops etc etc ;-)

cigarboy

Having to travel around for business lunchs. That, and nobody on hand to wake you up after the lunch session as well. Easy to go home and then fall asleep.

Markus

Subsidised? You bet I'm being subsidised for working from home I don't actually pay for electricity (or water come to that), part of the joy of condo living But I am being subsidised for working from home as it's not the norm, plus I know I'll be pulling down a fair bit more power than I do already, as there will be at least five machines sitting in my new office

SiPie

You won't catch chicken flu from a colleague

OllyK

Sounds like my study -
2x Servers
1x Workstation
3x Laptop
I have disposed of 3 other workstations.
Electric bill was around £40 per month with that lot chugging away.

Mind you, I saved more than that in fuel - it was a 160 mile round trip to the office!

carl

Certainly agree there. I get "can't you do the dinner? I've been out to work all day and all you've been doing is sitting at home...."

Markus

The clocking off thing is not a problem. I'll work between 9 and 5:30 and that's it. I have been in the office prior and post these times and I simply do not answer the phone/work related emails.

davegtt

Little did she know youve had a hard day posting messages on SN all day eh

Seriously though I think the problem working from home would be less communicative witht he outside world, when do you finish working? come 5pm do you just switch the PC off and go downstairs for a beer? Do you get up in the mornings? or do you wait til 8:59am before running to switch the PC on? What distractions would you have? i.e. child/dog etc.

Personally Id love to work from home providing it was only a couple of days a week. other days Id have to go to the office just to get out of the house

TopBanana

I've been working from quite a bit the last couple of weeks. It means I don't get so many interruptions, and I don't get so fatigued so end up working longer hours. You have to know when to call it a day - shut the study door and don't go back in there!!

G_Sleigh_STi

bad points are you can be VERY easily distracted. I mean its unreal...

In summer on a good day, the local pub looks damn attractive and a BBQ in the garden.

In winter its not so bad, its horrible outside so you sit working.

Its nice having MTV on plasma hung on my office wall playing all day at home.
Its nice having all food and drinks and everything close by all day.

Their are alot of advantages really... I love it. I couldnt ever do a 9-5 now. Not a chance!

Markus

I'll be getting up in the morning to drop the g/f off at the station, so I will be up before 9, but I won't be working before 9. At 5:30 no work emails will be responded to and the phone will be put to voicemail, simple. If I'm not being paid to work extended hours, I don't work them, I'm very strict like that.

Distractions, yes, I'd have four paws staring at me, but she'll get bored after five mins and go for a sleep in the lounge.

Summer could be interesting as I could take the phone and lappy onto the balcony and catch some rays whilst posting, um, sorry, working

_RIP_

I'm sure your colleagues will be devastated.

Drunken Bungle Whore

Good points - depending on your boss you can work more flexible hours, no commuting, wear what you like, take dog for walk when it's a bit quieter, get an 'off peak' gym membership, don't get disturbed by office stuff, be able to wait in for TWO WHOLE BLOOODY DAYS for DHL to deliver a small package from High Wycombe to Gerrards Cross.... Oh - and watch the 20th Anniversary episodes of neighbours undisturbed.....


Bad Points - you end up doing twice as much, it can be hard to switch off and 'leave work' unless you have a separate room, people in the office think you do bugger all, you're not part of a 'team', being able to raid the fridge......

Reality

You seem to have you lists mixed up .

You will get lonely - unless you don't mind only having a "four paws" for company !

OllyK

My dog is better company than most of the people I work with, certainly more amusing

Reality

That sounds like an excuse for moving office - not spending more time with your dog

OllyK

I can't do that, I may have to start working for a living then.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Its great that you can do that, but I know of so many friends who've been employed under contracts that basically dictate that you work any hours necessary untill the job is done. Of course I don't think any legal contract could state that explicitly, but in effect thats what they translate to on the job! Some impose a ceiling on paid OT, beyond which its automatically unpaid, others simply exect you to do the work.

We're not talking about high fliers here either: retail management seems like a good culprit!

NS04

IWatkins

I've been working from home full time for six years now and I love it. I still have to go into the office (~120 miles away) about once a month or sometimes more often if a new project is kicking off.

I write software for a living so the lack of distractions is a major benefit. Also because you are not seen it is easier to keep yourself off the radar.

My terms, hours, pay etc. are all the same.

Good points: On flexi time so as long as my hours get done, doesn't really matter when I do them. Because I can concentrate I can easily get stuff that took 7 hours done in 3 or 4.

Bad points: Social schedule took a dive but that has now built back up with the locals here. Day to day interaction with work mates also took a dive but now has come back up using phone and email.

Only majoy bit of advice I would have is to have a seperate room that you only use for work. That way you can "Go to work" and "go home from work". I know it doesn't sound like much but it helps a lot.

Also, embrace all new technology. E.g. wireless lan and DECT phones. Both allow me to continue to do my job from the garden. Ideal in summer, sit on a sun lounger, listen to the cricket on the radio and still get some work done.

Yes, you pay for power, light, heat, but still way cheaper than all that fuel / wear and tear on car etc.

Cheers

Ian

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

I run my business from home and love it. It takes a bit of discipline to still get up early in the morning but I love not having to go anywhere. I answer all my emails whilst eating brekky before I get dressed then surf scoobynet to my hearts content

The only thing I miss is a bit of human interaction but I get that from NSR with the added bonus that I can just turn it off if I get fed up with the humans in there I can watch daytime telly, listen to the radio & CD's loudly or even catch up on some sleep if I want to.

If I want to go out shopping or for a drive I can whenever I like, likewise if I want to have a few days away at a rally I can. Working from home gives you lots of flexibilty

Plus I can have a lovely dinner ready for Bob when he gets home from work